DIY Network

Removing and Bracing the Column From "Restoration Realities" episode DRTR-102

Host Bill Click visits the historic district of Statesville, North Carolina to help Kip Smith and Michele Pasko with a rotting porch column and railing.

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Materials:

Urethane glue
Cypress or Fir 4/4, 5/4 and 6/4 inch thickness by 2x6 widths.
Oil base primer
Latex paint
Wood hardener
60 and 120 grit sandpaper
Two part wood filler
7 1/4 inch circular saw
Drill and bits
Carbide paint scraper
Pry bar
Clamps
Hammer
Galvanized casing nails
3" Galvanized deck screws
2 1/2" Finish nails
Sharp chisel
Handsaw
Table saw and compound miter saw or sliding compound miter saw
Plug cutter
Block plane

Optional Tools:

Power hand plane
Lathe and turning tools
Belt sander
Orbital sander

Safety Alert: Always wear safety goggles when working with wood, power-tools, saws, drills, etc.

Safety Alert: Always wear protective gloves when working with solvents and other toxic solutions.

Removing Rotted Porch Column

Figure A

• First, remove and decorative brackets and/or railing from the rotted porch column (figure A).
  

  Figure B

• Use carbide scrapers (figure B) and/or silent paint remover to scrape away paint, exposing the nails.

• Use a hammer and pry bar to loosen the brackets and balustrade.
  

  Figure C

• Begin by cutting supports for the existing porch roof before taking the post out. Use 2 x 6's for the supports, and 2 x 4's for the stakes that will be used in the ground.
  

• Cut one brace to support the porch from the front, then cut another brace to support from the side and cut a third that can temporarily replace the post after it's removed (figure C).
  
  
  

  RESOURCES :
  

  Speedheater IR Paint Remover
  Eco-Strip, LLC
  Catherine Brooks
  1905B Villaridge Dr.
  Reston, VA 20191
  Phone: (703) 476-6222
  E-mail: cbrooks@eco-strip.com
  Website: www.eco-strip.com
  

  ALSO IN THIS EPISODE:
  	Removing and Bracing the Column
  	Restoring the Column
  	Restoring the Porch Railing
  	Restoration Tips