I need to replace some fake porch columns this fall and am wondering what
works for others. The current posts are 3/4" MDF rectangles with an
additional box or trim girdle around the base and top. The original builder
installed them and painted the exterior only, allowing the MDF to absorb
moisture from rain or snow on the (concrete) porch surface.
I remember seeing quite a bit of discussion in Fine Homebuilding a year or
two ago but I can't seem to locate those issues.
The plan I am considering is to reproduce what currently exists, but paint
all 6 surfaces on each piece before assembly. I would appreciate any input.
Dave
On Thu, 28 Aug 2003 01:00:53 GMT, "Leon"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>
>"Trent©" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>>
>> But you need to find and define the problem.
>
>
>> For example, the inside 2x4's, etc. for framing a house are never
>> painted...nor is the inside of wood siding..
>
>
>Correct and the inside of the house wall is not the problem here. The
>inside of the columns that normally sit on a surface that is very often
>exposed to standing water is what we are talking about.
Standing water will not hurt the inside of a column that is painted
and caulked...i.e., maintained.
My last post of this subject.
Have a nice week...
Trent
Proud member of the Roy Rogers fan club!
On Tue, 26 Aug 2003 20:01:49 GMT, "Dave" <[email protected]> wrote:
>I need to replace some fake porch columns this fall and am wondering what
>works for others. The current posts are 3/4" MDF rectangles with an
>additional box or trim girdle around the base and top. The original builder
>installed them and painted the exterior only, allowing the MDF to absorb
>moisture from rain or snow on the (concrete) porch surface.
>
>I remember seeing quite a bit of discussion in Fine Homebuilding a year or
>two ago but I can't seem to locate those issues.
>
>The plan I am considering is to reproduce what currently exists, but paint
>all 6 surfaces on each piece before assembly. I would appreciate any input.
>
>Dave
>
Use real wood this time, Dave. MDF was a bad choice.
Painting all the sides is a good idea...won't hurt. But painting the
insides isn't all that critical. The outsides and bottom are the
areas that will take the most punishment from water. A good coat of
paint will help protect those areas.
Of course, make sure the structural post is in good shape...including
the base...before you start with the decorator post.
Good luck.
Have a nice week...
Trent
Cat...the OTHER white meat!
"Trent©" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> But you need to find and define the problem.
> For example, the inside 2x4's, etc. for framing a house are never
> painted...nor is the inside of wood siding..
Correct and the inside of the house wall is not the problem here. The
inside of the columns that normally sit on a surface that is very often
exposed to standing water is what we are talking about. Further more, if
you took the precautions with the columns as the walls in a house, you would
also seldom have a rot problem. Exterior walls however are elevated above
grade and do not stand in water. Modern day homes, at least those built in
the last 40 years use a water barrier to help keep water from coming contact
with the studs.
What about using MDO? I have seen this used in a number of exterior column
applications.
"Doug Miller" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In article <N0P2b.201762$cF.65713@rwcrnsc53>, "Dave" <[email protected]> wrote:
> >I need to replace some fake porch columns this fall and am wondering what
> >works for others. The current posts are 3/4" MDF rectangles with an
> >additional box or trim girdle around the base and top. The original
builder
> >installed them and painted the exterior only, allowing the MDF to absorb
> >moisture from rain or snow on the (concrete) porch surface.
> >
> >I remember seeing quite a bit of discussion in Fine Homebuilding a year
or
> >two ago but I can't seem to locate those issues.
> >
> >The plan I am considering is to reproduce what currently exists, but
paint
> >all 6 surfaces on each piece before assembly. I would appreciate any
input.
> >
> Paint isn't waterproof, and MDF isn't suitable for exterior use. Painting
all
> surfaces before assembly may delay the deterioration by a few years (or it
may
> not), but it won't prevent it.
>
> For the base, use treated lumber or some naturally rot-resistant species
(e.g.
> redwood, cedar, locust, cypress). Use solid wood for the rest of the
pillars.
> Poplar is probably a good choice; a rot-resistant species is not necessary
> here, but won't hurt.
>
> If you build the replacements out of real wood, it won't be necessary to
paint
> every surface before assembly.
>
> --
> Regards,
> Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com)
If you column is rotting from the bottom, My buddy and I have repaired
probably 20 of these columns in the last 4 years or so. We cut the bottoms
off and build a decorative and more water resistant base from PT lumber. We
use a floor jack and 4x4 to raise or support the porch so that we can remove
the column.
"Dave" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:N0P2b.201762$cF.65713@rwcrnsc53...
> I need to replace some fake porch columns this fall and am wondering what
> works for others. The current posts are 3/4" MDF rectangles with an
> additional box or trim girdle around the base and top. The original
builder
> installed them and painted the exterior only, allowing the MDF to absorb
> moisture from rain or snow on the (concrete) porch surface.
>
> I remember seeing quite a bit of discussion in Fine Homebuilding a year or
> two ago but I can't seem to locate those issues.
>
> The plan I am considering is to reproduce what currently exists, but paint
> all 6 surfaces on each piece before assembly. I would appreciate any
input.
>
> Dave
>
>
"Dave" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:N0P2b.201762$cF.65713@rwcrnsc53...
> I need to replace some fake porch columns this fall and am wondering
what
> works for others. The current posts are 3/4" MDF rectangles with an
> additional box or trim girdle around the base and top. The original
builder
> installed them and painted the exterior only, allowing the MDF to
absorb
> moisture from rain or snow on the (concrete) porch surface.
>
> I remember seeing quite a bit of discussion in Fine Homebuilding a
year or
> two ago but I can't seem to locate those issues.
>
> The plan I am considering is to reproduce what currently exists, but
paint
> all 6 surfaces on each piece before assembly. I would appreciate any
input.
>
> Dave
>
I would NOT use MDF. I would use poplar. The base would be wolmanized
and I would ventilate them top and bottom. Painting all 6 sides/ends
would still be a good idea. Be sure to caulk all the joints prior to
final coat of paint.
"Trent©" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Standing water will not hurt the inside of a column that is painted
> and caulked...i.e., maintained.
>
> My last post of this subject.
Good.
In article <N0P2b.201762$cF.65713@rwcrnsc53>, "Dave" <[email protected]> wrote:
>I need to replace some fake porch columns this fall and am wondering what
>works for others. The current posts are 3/4" MDF rectangles with an
>additional box or trim girdle around the base and top. The original builder
>installed them and painted the exterior only, allowing the MDF to absorb
>moisture from rain or snow on the (concrete) porch surface.
>
>I remember seeing quite a bit of discussion in Fine Homebuilding a year or
>two ago but I can't seem to locate those issues.
>
>The plan I am considering is to reproduce what currently exists, but paint
>all 6 surfaces on each piece before assembly. I would appreciate any input.
>
Paint isn't waterproof, and MDF isn't suitable for exterior use. Painting all
surfaces before assembly may delay the deterioration by a few years (or it may
not), but it won't prevent it.
For the base, use treated lumber or some naturally rot-resistant species (e.g.
redwood, cedar, locust, cypress). Use solid wood for the rest of the pillars.
Poplar is probably a good choice; a rot-resistant species is not necessary
here, but won't hurt.
If you build the replacements out of real wood, it won't be necessary to paint
every surface before assembly.
--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com)
Doug Miller wrote:
> Paint isn't waterproof, and MDF isn't suitable for exterior use. Painting
> all surfaces before assembly may delay the deterioration by a few years
> (or it may not), but it won't prevent it.
Yeah, gack! MDF porch columns? I think I'd be afraid to see what the rest
of that house is made from. Probably popsicle sticks and papier maché with
some duct tape and bubble gum hidden behind the drywall.
This tale brings to mind a buddy of mine who made a living for some time
fixing porches in some big subdivision where the developer used plain,
un-treated pine to build all the porch railings on every one of the cookie
cutter houses in the neighborhood.
Anyway, I agree with you two completely. Solid wood. Rot resistant. No
MDF under any circumstances.
My own porch columns are going to need replacing soonish, and they're
structural. I plan to use all PT, and maybe even face out the bottoms with
some kind of machined plastic, if I could find thick blocks of melamine or
something and rout a profile. Wood to standing water contact is a bitch,
and under those circumstances, PT just takes longer to turn into termite
fodder.
--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
Confirmed post number: 17352 Approximate word count: 520560
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/
On Thu, 28 Aug 2003 02:04:42 GMT, "Leon"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>
>"Trent©" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> Standing water will not hurt the inside of a column that is painted
>> and caulked...i.e., maintained.
>>
>> My last post of this subject.
>
>
>Good.
>
Do you believe EVERYTHING you read?! lol
Have a nice week...
Trent
Proud member of the Roy Rogers fan club!