I’ve got a lolly column right in the middle of the finished basement. I’d like to dress it up, or…………
I have a cast iron lamp post, like the bottom half of one you’d see in NYC. Heavy sob. This is not a wimpy pole, it’s about 8″ at the base and tapers up, with some fancy design. Can I replace the lolly column with this. I don’t see the downside…..yet.
You can’t break this thing with a bat, and I’m not worried about compressive strength. And………..it would certainly “pretty” up the area instead of looking at that round pole. I told my wife I was going to paint it like a barber pole…………she said I’d better come up with something else.
Any concerns?
Rod
Replies
>>"Any concerns?"
Hey Rod, it's a fantastic idea looks wise but yeah, I'd be concerned that the column is holding up a good bit of your house. CI can be brittle (you in quake territory?), plus how would you know if the lamppost was made to handle the compressive load of that kind of weight. Lamppost is going to be made to hold it's own weight and resist force of the wind -- and if the makers were frugal, they didn't add extra metal so it would support your house as well.
I don't mean to rain on your parade, but you asked.
Is there any way to get a steel pole that you know is made for the weight up inside the CI pole? If not, maybe you have an engineer friend who would take a look at it over a few beers and give some "cold comfort" that it will hold?
"A job well done is its own reward. Now would you prefer to make the final payment by cash, check or Master Card?"
Fill up the post with concrete?
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I wouldn't trust the compresive strength of a cast iron post, like the other responder said, cast iron is brittle and may crack.
Personally, I would keep the pole in place and build something attractive around it. I bet you can find someting in plastic, slice it down the center and put it back together around the pole. Outwater.com might have something inspiring.
http://www.outwater.com
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http://forums.taunton.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=tp-breaktime&msg=70809.1
Edited 3/12/2006 10:06 am by Ted W.
Edited 3/12/2006 10:07 am by Ted W.
http://www.lollywrap.com/index.htm
http://forums.taunton.com/tp-breaktime/messages?msg=40000.1
Some ideas and a related thread from a few years back. I've used http://www.polewrap.com/ with good success. It's a tambour tyoe wrap, like the old oak tambour desks. Split caps and bases to match. It's not a lamp post, but it gives the column more class than just paint or boxing them in.
"I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul." Invictus, by Henley.
I forgot to say that the column is in the middle of a 13'6" span of triple 2 x 10's.........if that makes any difference.I saw the tambour type stuff, didn't really care for it. Check the Outwater stuff, not bad, but still not there. I can wrap it with Outwater paintable wrap, but I'd still have a non descript round pole.Don't like the boxy look either.Maybe it's time to talk to an engineer. I like the "fill it with concrete" idea. Slip a couple pieces of rebar in, should be good.I'm in Conn, so quakes shouldn't be a problem.Time to do some research, but just in case, I'm going to pull that lampost out, sandblast & paint it.I'll find something to do with it. (maybe a lampost???????) Rod
In the unlikely event you decide not to use it for anything, I would be pleased to give it a good home and I promise you it would be very happy. ;-)
"A job well done is its own reward. Now would you prefer to make the final payment by cash, check or Master Card?"
nota... have you figured out how you are going to cut it to length yet ?
that may answer your question.. the lally is locked in on the base ( usually ) by pouring the slab around it
how will you anchor your lamp post ? and how will you secure the top ?Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Mike,Haven't figured that far yet.........trying to see if it even should bee attempted. I am tempted to attempt.I've got a Husky cut off saw, I'm sure that could cut it. Hydraulic jack and temp pole will hold everything up while it's being done.The bottom of the pole is covered by carpet, hadn't thought about the top, just thought that gravity would do it's job and hold it in place, maybe cut the post a hair long........let it dig into the triple 2 x 10's.Haven't got it figured out quite yet, but where there's a will.........BTW........been following your "adverse" thread. Very informative, interesting. Thanks for putting your time in. It seems as if a lot of people are benefitting from it. One of the best threads in a while. Go that way quite a bit in the summer on my way to Kings Beach in Newport for a day of diving. Rod
I'm going to check tomorrow. The pole is hollow.........maybe big enough for a lolly column. If I chip out the concrete.........take out he lolly.........slip it into the post..........repour the concrete...............It'd sure be easier to paint it like a barber pole. Rod
<<<The pole is hollow.........maybe big enough for a lolly column. If I chip out the concrete.........take out he lolly.........slip it into the post..........repour the concrete...............
It'd sure be easier to paint it like a barber pole.>>
sounds like a plan....
hey, did you ever cjeck out Ft. Wetherill in Jamestown.. some of the best diving on the East Coast ?
Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Yes, that's usually my first spot of the year, just to check the equipment out.I stop at Ocean State Scuba, fill up with air & go.There is a spot I'd really like to try.......it's on the "mansion " walk, it's like a protected cove of sorts but no parking.Have to be dropped off. Not the easiest thing to convince my wife to drive to Newport, drop me off, come back in a couple hours.Maybe if I gave her shopping money...............but that sounds expensive.Also been going to the Newport Folk Festival the last couple years.Steve Earle rocks! Rod
These are probably better than the tambour wrap from others. Made as vacuum-formed veneers into curved plywood.
View Image
Available in paint-grade, or species ply like cherry and oak, they are pre-machined for biscuit joinery, and are available with top and bottom trim as shown.
Here is where they are available on line: http://www.architecturaldepot.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=lally-columns
OTOH, you can just box your column square and trim out to your heart's content.