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protecting bottom of post

ndege | Posted in Construction Techniques on May 12, 2004 03:15am

I have a situation that’s new to me. I’m working on an old barn and replacing oak posts which stand on concrete and hold up the king beams. Any ideas about lifting the posts off the concrete to prevent them from wicking water. Do you think something as simple as a snow and ice “bootie” would work? I could flash around it.

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  1. DavidxDoud | May 12, 2004 05:01pm | #1

    Any ideas...

    how about putting a piece of treated on the concrete followed by a doubled piece of 30# felt,  followed by your oak posts? - - I have just used 2-3 layers of 30# felt between posts and rock/concrete - that will stop wicking about 90% tho in the spring,  temperature induced condensation has caused a small amount of discoloration around the periphery of the beam.  I judge it to be inconsequential.

    "there's enough for everyone"
  2. DanH | May 12, 2004 05:11pm | #2

    How about a piece of solid plastic deck planking? Or a piece of tropical hardwood.

  3. sungod | May 12, 2004 05:25pm | #3

    Dip the end in paint.

  4. UncleDunc | May 12, 2004 06:03pm | #4

    Galvanized post base? Get the post up off the concrete where it can breathe.

    Cast an epoxy foot onto the base of each post. There was a short feature in FWW once about a guy who did this with his patio furniture.

    I also like the tropical hardwood idea. Doesn't even have to be tropical. Black locust is very decay resistant.



    Edited 5/12/2004 11:05 am ET by Uncle Dunc

    1. DanH | May 12, 2004 09:47pm | #6

      Note that if you coat the bottom of the post with something (presumably going up the side an inch or so), or if you wrap the bottom with metal, that will prevent "breathing" and allow moisture to be trapped in the wood -- not good. Putting it on a metal post base (that elevates the post a half inch or so without "wrapping" it) would be good, except that most such bases aren't designed for the type of load we could have here.

      If you can't elevate it some way, I'd just put down a piece of sheet metal (copper, aluminum, or heavy galv steel) under the post, without any "wrap".

  5. JohnSprung | May 12, 2004 08:58pm | #5

    See http://www.strongtie.com for post bases.  Dip the bottom end in Jasco's Termin-8 for good measure if you can stand the smell.

    -- J.S.

  6. PrairieKid | May 13, 2004 01:48am | #7

    Bird,

    Take a look at this website.  Very good wood connection details and info:

    http://www.awc.org/HelpOutreach/eCourses/DES110/WSF2002Connections/ppframe.htm

    PrairieKid

    1. ndege | May 13, 2004 02:13am | #8

      All good ideas. I like the idea of a block. My first idea was to "get it off the ground." I looked at the Simpson products but this is a lot of weight. Of course, the old timers put theirs in the ground and the concrete was poured around. Those lasted 100 years.

      1. ponytl | May 13, 2004 10:16am | #9

        i use scraps of torch down roofing for stuff like this all the time.... set my ac units on it   ect... don't know if it's good or bad... just seems right...

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