I followed these directions to repair a solid cedar porch post, and it came out perfect. I made up for my lack of skill with (1) careful planning and measuring, (2) milling the bottom weeks before disassembling anything, (3) milling a second bottom for practice and to gauge their fit, and (4) clamping angle aluminum guides to the post to limit my hand saw. Probably dulled the hand saw, but I'll sacrifice a handsaw for a working porch. Saved me huge money, and now I know how to do it again if another post needs it. Thanks TOH for brilliant and practical advice.
I have the exact issue right now. (Corner post)...In the middle at the bottom of the post, I can see an adjustment screw, that was once surrounded by the rotted wood. If our contractor can not find this exact post (put in in 2003}, then I plan on using this awesome method. Thank you Tom !
Most of the time I just dream about doing things like this, they are so satisfying once accomplished. In the meantime, I have to expend my days running around delivering mail.
There is something about a well trained and knowledgeable construction projects done right the first time, you can’t get better than Tommy Silva. Thank you
You put him and Norm Abrams together and I bet they could build you a mansion. I wish I had their help around my place. I haven't been able to get anything done do to my multiple surgeries. I really love carpentry, too.
This is exactly the video I was looking for to fix a few wood rot posts on an old porch. Great work and as a hobby wood worker I appreciate the joinery method used.
I'll be doing this at my mom's house in the spring. Definitely will be referring to this. I only hope I can make as accurate cuts with my reciprocating saw!
I see several comments saying he made those cuts with the Sawzall. He just used the Sawzall to cut out the middle because the circular saw couldn't make deep enough cuts.
Such a job takes a lot of courage and skill. Failure is no option when you start on this. Also funny how he jacked the whole roof up lol. Where i live all houses are bricks and concrete.. If you jacked a roof up like that you would demolish the whole house.
by the angle of the wood on both sides, when the weight comes down it forces both of the woods together, experienced woodsman technique, really cool to hear? "good for another 100 years" 👍🤓♥
Idunno, the quality of the video isn't good enough to be able to tell for sure. But after two or three layers of oil paint, given that he filled all gaps, it would absolutely be possible that the joint is not visible at all. I use the same finishing technique on edge-glued boards, and you never can tell where the joints are, after painting.
If you're in the trades or have a good knowledge of wood, you'll always see a seam like that...No biggie, beats the shit out of that ugly rot! :) If I'm doing that job and someone complained about that seam, I would fix it with my chainsaw...:)
Thanks for this how to video bob.. I have a 2 story balcony on my 1865 home I have to replace the rotted post on.. so this weekend when it stops raining, I'm going to start with the bottle Jack's the 4x6x12 post, and hope I can repair and replace the rotted wood without any problem. IM SECURING IT WITH 6 DOUBBLED 2X4S CUT THE SAME WAY BEFORE REMOVING THE ROTTED POST.. THANKS FOR SHOWING ME HOW TO DO THIS. WISH ME LUCK. IVE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE. ❤
Okay day three on this project for us....WARNING NOT for amateurs!!!!!! Our joints do not match regardless of how we have tried. Take my advice hire a professional or find an alternative. It has been one of the worst experiences for us! Two posts now I am considering plain 5x5 cedar posts even though I love the turns of our old posts they were rotted on the bottom. We are simply handyman carpenters as far as diy projects go. We had no clue after watching this video how impossible it is to match the joints. Tom you made it look so easy.
I am running into the same problem, great video. I am going to try and duplicate that angle cut. I hope this will work on my wood posts which I just realized are hollow. Thanks
I worked on a horse barn once and the lead guy cut the 6x6 pt post a little short, instead of buying another $60 6x6 we drilled three holes in the end and inserted rebar then hammered on a foot long 6x6 piece. I hope no one goes cutting into it one day.
So glad I found your video as I have the exact same issue with 2 of my verandah posts. I'm curious as to why you didn't prime the underneath of the base plate though.
The only thing I would have done different would be to test fit that railing before setting the weight on the post. No sense is having to force it into place or wind up with a small gap. Might as well secure the railing too, then set the weight down before throwing a few screws into the bottom. As for seeing the slight lump of adhesive at the joint, that can be fine tuned in a few days when it's fully cured and then sanded down before finish paint goes on.
I'm repairing my porch posts that are hollow 4 x 4's with rotted bottoms. The hard part is not having all of the portable tools that Tommy uses, such as the planer, orbital sander, and reciprocating saw. I tried using my multi-tool with both a metal blade and a nails-in-wood blade, but they didn't even cut through a single screw before being dull and useless. My first one is cut, screwed, and glued. It's going to dry overnight. I need those tools I mentioned though to do a clean job.
No one gets all those tools at once, you build them up little by little over time. Buy the tools that are useful for the most projects first and start obtaining the lesser used/specialty tools as your able.
This is the benefit of having old school carpenters still around they have really seen and done it all..A new school carpenter would have never thought to cut it at an miter...lol..
Excellent video. My question is what direction the scarf cut should face when I replace the repaired porch post? I read from another online forum that "the plane of scarf should be perpendicular to the deck ledger or deck beam".
Great example of how to shift support from the column to temporary supports. Those angle cuts were the perfect trick! Although you can see the patch work easily. The part you can see easily is where the angle of the cut was ever so slightly off and the weight on the column is pushing that little section. Considering he did these cuts by hand, that's pretty freaking close to perfect in my book! A quick hit with the sander would blend that in great in
The craftsmanship looks great.However, I would have done one thing to ensure the longevity of the project: Prime the bottom of the base and ad nd deck wood and set it in high quality adhesive sealant before dropping the weight on the post. The pressure will squeeze the sealant out and keep water from seeping into the space between the deck floor and the base through capillary action.
What Cat Man said. They only put a thin coat of primer on, not finish paint. You wouldn't paint it before install, what if you had butter fingers and scratched it? :)
Love the angled column joint but good luck with the cedar depending on the environment. I’ve got a lot of western red on a deck that rotted out in 10 years.
@@jamesmcnaughton5092 Me, too, but I’ve been told that cedar’s good reputation was based on the wood from old forest trees. The wood from much newer reforested trees is nowhere near as rot resistant. Maybe it’s BS but I’m inclined to believe it based on my experience. Maybe a forestry/wood expert could set the record straight with some real science???
I really love these videos and you make it look easy. Is there a video on replacing T1-11 siding? The siding on my house is rotting and I want to replace it the same time I replace the windows. Thank you
I have columns similar to that on my 16 year old ranch and one of them is already showing rot on the bottom. I’ve patched it temporarily. There are three columns in total so I’m guessing the other two can’t be far behind. I’m planning on replacing them but I do have one question. These columns are hollow, should I ventilate them by Installing a vent at the top of the column? The bottom of the column sits on a base that keeps it off the concrete and doesn’t block the hole in the column. I’ve read that installing a vent at the top allows for proper ventilation. What’s your opinion,
Thanks for making these informative videos! Do you have any videos on how to replace rotted porch soffits? Ours are made of wood and out of place and it seems like its time for a replacement.
Question: How would I anchor 10 foot posts with vinyl sleeves to hold up the overhang on my porch. Would I shoot nails through the vinyl and 4x4, or would the weight of the overhang be enough to keep the post in place? I thought about taking a pocket hole jig and placing a screw through the vinyl and 4x4, but I don't want to damage the vinyl. How can I make the post secure and strong without damaging vinyl?
I followed these directions to repair a solid cedar porch post, and it came out perfect. I made up for my lack of skill with (1) careful planning and measuring, (2) milling the bottom weeks before disassembling anything, (3) milling a second bottom for practice and to gauge their fit, and (4) clamping angle aluminum guides to the post to limit my hand saw. Probably dulled the hand saw, but I'll sacrifice a handsaw for a working porch. Saved me huge money, and now I know how to do it again if another post needs it. Thanks TOH for brilliant and practical advice.
I am a carpenter over 30 yrs, yet i always learn something new when i watch this old house, thank's guy's.
Wow. Cutting it at those angles was really clever! I wouldn't have thought of that. You are truly an artist.
Scott_T you should look into the term "end joinery" then, it's typical carpentry work for real craftsmen that do more than just make plywood cabinets
The Japanese are the masters of scarf joinery. So many different scarves for so many different occasions. Mostly horizontal and vertical though.
@@JaredCzaia Ship builders the world over were and still are the masters of scarf joints and everything else wood, not only the Japanese.
scarf + half-lap
That's far older than Tom. They've been doing timber frame joinery that way for hundreds if not thousands of years.
Tom is the man. Getting those nice scarf joints with a skilsaw and a reciprocating saw is pretty slick.
I love that there isn’t high production to these videos, just good information and hard work
I have the exact issue right now. (Corner post)...In the middle at the bottom of the post, I can see an adjustment screw, that was once surrounded by the rotted wood. If our contractor can not find this exact post (put in in 2003}, then I plan on using this awesome method. Thank you Tom !
i have no porch
i have no post
but don't know why i am watching this video
but honestly after watching it i fill relaxing!
M J same
Same
Same
Most of the time I just dream about doing things like this, they are so satisfying once accomplished. In the meantime, I have to expend my days running around delivering mail.
Josue Nieves I’d enjoy delivering mail more than my current profession. The grass is always greener....
There is something about a well trained and knowledgeable construction projects done right the first time, you can’t get better than Tommy Silva. Thank you
You put him and Norm Abrams together and I bet they could build you a mansion. I wish I had their help around my place. I haven't been able to get anything done do to my multiple surgeries. I really love carpentry, too.
This is exactly the video I was looking for to fix a few wood rot posts on an old porch. Great work and as a hobby wood worker I appreciate the joinery method used.
Probably the best TOH video... I have watched it so many times... Tommy a true craftsman.
Tom Silva, you are a beauty. We need more skilled tradesmen like you in the world.
A true expert craftsman. Thank for this video. Can't believe anyone would give it a "dislike"?
Tommy is a natural, he really puts his heart and soul into anything he does. I don’t think there’s anything he can’t do
It's very tough to make those precision cuts with a Sawzall. He doesn't even break a sweat.
@John Michael that makes sense. I was wondering how he got that clean cut
Lol. You never seen me use a sawzall.:P.
Yeah hence why hes rocking festool cordless this guys got a reputation and I would love to be his apprentice
Yeah, I need to do this with only a circular saw.....HELP!!!!!!!!......LOL
It wil be about 11..30
I really don't mean to sound funny but I love you guys. You guys have taught me so much since I was a teenager God bless you for sharing your gifts.
IREALLYDON'TMEANTOFUNNYBUTLOVEYOUGUYSYOUGUYSBABYTAUGHTMESO
Wow! Skill and artistry at its best. Nice work Tommy!
I’m glad that the homeowner was there to hold the post
all these old houses are so beautiful , and still standing
God bless Tom silver and all the Ask This Old House crew . I learned a lot from you .
Big respect from Germany !
Ole Tommy, he’s seen it all and done it all.
Tommy reminds me of my old design technology teacher. Old school carpentry.
I'll be doing this at my mom's house in the spring. Definitely will be referring to this. I only hope I can make as accurate cuts with my reciprocating saw!
I see several comments saying he made those cuts with the Sawzall. He just used the Sawzall to cut out the middle because the circular saw couldn't make deep enough cuts.
Such a job takes a lot of courage and skill. Failure is no option when you start on this. Also funny how he jacked the whole roof up lol. Where i live all houses are bricks and concrete.. If you jacked a roof up like that you would demolish the whole house.
I tell you what I don't care what Tom does he always knocks it out of the park!
by the angle of the wood on both sides, when the weight comes down it forces both of the woods together, experienced woodsman technique, really cool to hear? "good for another 100 years" 👍🤓♥
I looks perfectly done... but when he said he couldn't see where the old patch was he was lying through his nose. :p
Idunno, the quality of the video isn't good enough to be able to tell for sure. But after two or three layers of oil paint, given that he filled all gaps, it would absolutely be possible that the joint is not visible at all. I use the same finishing technique on edge-glued boards, and you never can tell where the joints are, after painting.
+Florin Jurcovici i clearly see the joint on my tablet screen
+matanuska high excellent execution but he probably either did not see that joint or did not care ..lol
If you're in the trades or have a good knowledge of wood, you'll always see a seam like that...No biggie, beats the shit out of that ugly rot! :) If I'm doing that job and someone complained about that seam, I would fix it with my chainsaw...:)
+godbluffvdgg ,haha, no doubt bro
Having watched his video regarding the speed square, it was great to see it in action.
This is tremendously helpful...my problem is the rotting posts I have are 25- foot-tall columns, so everything is about twice the size.
Thanks for this how to video bob.. I have a 2 story balcony on my 1865 home I have to replace the rotted post on.. so this weekend when it stops raining, I'm going to start with the bottle Jack's the 4x6x12 post, and hope I can repair and replace the rotted wood without any problem. IM SECURING IT WITH 6 DOUBBLED 2X4S CUT THE SAME WAY BEFORE REMOVING THE ROTTED POST.. THANKS FOR SHOWING ME HOW TO DO THIS. WISH ME LUCK. IVE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE. ❤
Mine is 80 ft. Up and is a 2 story balcony did it work for you?
If so, how many 4x6 pressure treated pieces did you use to secure it ? Before removing the post?
Such strong work!
Amazing Fix Tom Silva. Great job.
TOH saves the day. That angle cut was genius, but that's Tommy
precision cuts with a reciprocating saw like a boss
I love this you tube channel, I could watch these videos all day long!
he really is good, love the joint he made
I dont even own a house and I love watching this guy.
Okay day three on this project for us....WARNING NOT for amateurs!!!!!! Our joints do not match regardless of how we have tried. Take my advice hire a professional or find an alternative. It has been one of the worst experiences for us! Two posts now I am considering plain 5x5 cedar posts even though I love the turns of our old posts they were rotted on the bottom. We are simply handyman carpenters as far as diy projects go. We had no clue after watching this video how impossible it is to match the joints. Tom you made it look so easy.
Those cuts he made with the Sawzall are not for novices to attempt
I am running into the same problem, great video. I am going to try and duplicate that angle cut. I hope this will work on my wood posts which I just realized are hollow. Thanks
With hollow post you can insert a filler core to add strength.
Watching these videos really inspires me to...
watch more videos and drink my coffee.
I worked on a horse barn once and the lead guy cut the 6x6 pt post a little short, instead of buying another $60 6x6 we drilled three holes in the end and inserted rebar then hammered on a foot long 6x6 piece. I hope no one goes cutting into it one day.
This is one of my Summer projects... Tommy Rocks!!!!
Tommy never ceases to amaze
Awesome job !
Great idea and trick to salvage that post !
Thank you Tom and this old house!
So glad I found your video as I have the exact same issue with 2 of my verandah posts. I'm curious as to why you didn't prime the underneath of the base plate though.
This is nice I need something like that.
Wow this the cleanest work I have seen
Tom Silva, the Master.
Great video, would love to see how you would tackle a cylindrical post with the same issue.
"Well that's the eyedear"
-Tom Silva
The only thing I would have done different would be to test fit that railing before setting the weight on the post. No sense is having to force it into place or wind up with a small gap. Might as well secure the railing too, then set the weight down before throwing a few screws into the bottom. As for seeing the slight lump of adhesive at the joint, that can be fine tuned in a few days when it's fully cured and then sanded down before finish paint goes on.
I'm repairing my porch posts that are hollow 4 x 4's with rotted bottoms. The hard part is not having all of the portable tools that Tommy uses, such as the planer, orbital sander, and reciprocating saw. I tried using my multi-tool with both a metal blade and a nails-in-wood blade, but they didn't even cut through a single screw before being dull and useless. My first one is cut, screwed, and glued. It's going to dry overnight. I need those tools I mentioned though to do a clean job.
No one gets all those tools at once, you build them up little by little over time. Buy the tools that are useful for the most projects first and start obtaining the lesser used/specialty tools as your able.
I love the video man, perfect cuts.
I'm definitely gonna steal that idea Tom. Thanks for the GREAT TIP.
He always has a great ideaer not even a word
the joint part is so clever!
He does such a great job on that... I can't get over it. Like where do you find a rought sawn 6x6 to do the job right? Great job!
I really want to know if there is anything this guy can’t fix….great work, especially the scarf joint 🙏
This is the benefit of having old school carpenters still around they have really seen and done it all..A new school carpenter would have never thought to cut it at an miter...lol..
The only thing he did wrong is nothing. I never get tired of watching This Old House.
Thank you tommy Nice to see you at work
Tom Silva is a wizard
Great job! In my case I think I will just buy a new post since I need a simple 4X4 .
You are a legend sir what a perfect job.
That cut was awesome
That was some impressive work. Hats off for sure
Wow. You’ve got some great carpentry skills. Good job. That’s coming from an electrician
Excellent video. My question is what direction the scarf cut should face when I replace the repaired porch post? I read from another online forum that "the plane of scarf should be perpendicular to the deck ledger or deck beam".
he makes it look so easy and i'm like, yea, I'm going to lowes and buying a new post.
He makes it look much easier than it might actually be....
Another lesson learned from Tommy. I have a question, how was the bottom of the post fastened to the porch??
Not messing around. Way to go, Tommy. #Mastery
Great example of how to shift support from the column to temporary supports. Those angle cuts were the perfect trick! Although you can see the patch work easily. The part you can see easily is where the angle of the cut was ever so slightly off and the weight on the column is pushing that little section. Considering he did these cuts by hand, that's pretty freaking close to perfect in my book! A quick hit with the sander would blend that in great in
Wow! Great work and great idea to cut an an angle!
Nicely done. I would replace that plastic hand rail.
Wow! I need this wonderful man to fix my Lytchgate, same problem. May have to have it removed though, otherwise, it's going to be a costly job.
The craftsmanship looks great.However, I would have done one thing to ensure the longevity of the project: Prime the bottom of the base and ad nd deck wood and set it in high quality adhesive sealant before dropping the weight on the post. The pressure will squeeze the sealant out and keep water from seeping into the space between the deck floor and the base through capillary action.
but i saw where the old patch was...
They just have to sand down the seam from the spackle and paint over it again.
What Cat Man said. They only put a thin coat of primer on, not finish paint. You wouldn't paint it before install, what if you had butter fingers and scratched it? :)
That was a tremendous fix!
me gustan mucho sus videos. bendiciones
Love the angled column joint but good luck with the cedar depending on the environment. I’ve got a lot of western red on a deck that rotted out in 10 years.
Interesting,I thought ceder was a very rot resistant wood 🤔
@@jamesmcnaughton5092 Me, too, but I’ve been told that cedar’s good reputation was based on the wood from old forest trees. The wood from much newer reforested trees is nowhere near as rot resistant. Maybe it’s BS but I’m inclined to believe it based on my experience. Maybe a forestry/wood expert could set the record straight with some real science???
love the angle cuts
I really love these videos and you make it look easy. Is there a video on replacing T1-11 siding? The siding on my house is rotting and I want to replace it the same time I replace the windows. Thank you
Genius!
Tommy knows his shit.. Would love for all the crew to build my house.
Very good and informative! Thanks
What angle are you using to cut the two parallels ???
I asked the same thing, it appears to be 23 degrees
Do you have a video on how to change the wood on floors on a house on pillars? Thanks
Good جيد
I have columns similar to that on my 16 year old ranch and one of them is already showing rot on the bottom. I’ve patched it temporarily. There are three columns in total so I’m guessing the other two can’t be far behind. I’m planning on replacing them but I do have one question. These columns are hollow, should I ventilate them by
Installing a vent at the top of the column? The bottom of the column sits on a base that keeps it off the concrete and doesn’t block the hole in the column. I’ve read that installing a vent at the top allows for proper ventilation. What’s your opinion,
Please, what is best paint for exterior wood column? Thank you
Thanks for making these informative videos! Do you have any videos on how to replace rotted porch soffits? Ours are made of wood and out of place and it seems like its time for a replacement.
Tommy is da MAN !
Question: How would I anchor 10 foot posts with vinyl sleeves to hold up the overhang on my porch. Would I shoot nails through the vinyl and 4x4, or would the weight of the overhang be enough to keep the post in place? I thought about taking a pocket hole jig and placing a screw through the vinyl and 4x4, but I don't want to damage the vinyl. How can I make the post secure and strong without damaging vinyl?
You rock Tommy 👍
Can't get better than that!
I love this old house
geweldig , wat een kennis heeft U
how many degrees angle are the scarf cut done in? it appears to be 23 degrees,
is there "an ideal" distance to keep between the 2 scarf cuts?
thank goodness for videos like this?