Needing some suggestions on saving this post. Customer doesn’t want to pay to replace it and others in not as bad shape. My idea was to fill in with some kind of filler then put some trim boards around the base then use a solid body stain (white). I’m going to use deckorators ballisters on it so I need to hide the holes. Anybody have any better ideas? Thanks
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Replies
That looks like a 4x6, but never mind ... Abatron.com sells a nice product ... WoodEpox ... made specifically for this kind of appl;ication. It's a two part epoxy wood filler, said to be structural. Just fill & paint.
Why do you plan to use trim boards? Looks like a painted post, so fill, sand, and paint to match.
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
Looks damp in the left corner; you sure there's no rot between the framing members? The client might not want to replace it, but she will have to eventually. What is making replacement cost prohibitive? I've gone the bondo/epoxy route on deck framing before, but once the wood starts to degrade, you must clear out every bit of soft material prior to application, or the rot will resurface, especially where framing intersects, allowing water to naturally collect. Even covering it may only forestall the inevitable; water can (and figure it will) seep under your boards to get at the post.
The home owner is selling and want's to get by as cheap he can. The post is rough cut so to hide the smooth wood poxy I was putting some rough cut trim to match. I would have preferred to change the post and put new decking down. But instead, I'm stripping the paint and trying save as much of the decking as I can.
Look, That was a hack job to start with. The trim style around the facia was designed to trap water and cause rot. You are being used like a rat in the sewer line to clean it out.
Stand up on your hind legs like a man and do one of two things;
A) - look the owner in the eye and tell him that the post can be replaced just as cheaply as it can be fudgepacked, and then neighter one of you will lose sleep over somebody getting screwed or getting hurt
or
B) - While you are still standing up, walk away from this cheap aszed scoundrel. If he will cheat the next owner by doing cheap cover up work, why do you think he will not cheat you somehow too?
Time to ask yourself what kind of reputation you want to build your business on for the next _X_ years
Not trying to be personally hard on you, but this is the truth and the sooner you hear it, the better off you will be
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
LOL!!!
This is a prime example why I hate doing repairs for many homeowners I run across. Slap a little putty on it and we'll call it done my azz!!! Matt
Dang, this is better than the Tavern.
Gotta admire your direct, straight forward approach.
yeah, but you're not on the recieving end, LOL
I gauandamtee you I could replace that post as cheaply as to patch with butter and filer and paint - whar's my sawzall?
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
I might agree with Pif. Using bondo or abatron or whatever can take some time and a bit of skill. Replacing the post is pretty straightforward, although we have not seen it in person.
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
It's good to just watch sometimes. A guy can learn that way.
I mainly work on my own property, except when helping someone. Get a lot of repeat business that way.
I've been tempted to patch it, paint it, call it good and go on. Knowing that I was going to wind up replacing it correctly later anyway.
A temporary fix. My own property. That's one thing.
You are correct about doing it for someone else. He would become an accomplice.
I'v sure opened up a big discussion. Here's more of the story. He's been in the house for only 6 months and lost his job. Now he's moving out of town. The owner before tried to hide rotten windows but were found by the inspector. He had caulked and painted the deck to hide any problems with it. Now the paint is coming up and the rotted ballusters are showing up. The inspector missed the problems with the deck and it's not covered by the gaurentee.
I've always built new decks before and this is my first repair job. The rot on this post did not show up untill I removed everything and got down to the bare post. The other post are not this bad. This post goes all the way into the ground. So it's not that easy to replace. The post alone is more the 50.00$.
Today we'll dig all the rot out and then decide whether to go ahead or not.
What is the entire height of the post? Matt
about 12 feet.
Go back and re-read what Piffin says!
I think he said it best.
Do you want to be known as someone who can "hide" something like that. How much could it really cost to do it right?
Edited 10/17/2004 11:12 pm ET by Doug@es
A 6 X 6 will cost you about $25.00 and as Piffin said, "where's the sawsall?"
The reason the post is rotted out there is because that is where the bottom rail was fastened originally and water sat there between the two pieces of wood. Piffin putty would'nt even help that post support a new rail.
Just tell the guy it would cost more to repair then replace.........Period.
"Rather be a hammer than a nail"
Bob