Posted: 8/13/2008 4:25:45 PM EDT
| I have the same problem. I was thinking the same thing with the jack but I only have one post and it's about a third longer than yours. The post supports one corner of the house and it's about half rotted away at the bottom. I don't think I can get a 20+ foot long jack, so my idea was to surround the post with 4x4 treated lumber and attach them to the post with carriage bolts, kind of like flying buttresses.There is nothing more than a corner of the roof above the post and it's an empty attic now but I have plans to make a master bedroom and bath up there. It's either that or replace it with a steel post. |
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I had to replace all 4 posts on my front porch. They were rotted at the bottom where they were exposed to the weather. I did them one-at-a-time and supported the porch roof with the scissor jack that came with my van. To make it reach, I just screwed 2 8' 2x4's together and trimmed them to fit. I put the jack next to the old post, cranked it up until the pressure on the post was relieved, then removed and replaced the post. Repeated 3x. Worked like a charm. |
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Good to see I am not far off in the way you guys did it. I measured it last night and it is a 8'4" post. Also the floor above it does not appear to be unlevel in the direction of the post so I think it is still providing support. I am curious how the floor joist are arranged so I would know how much weight is on that post. |