Question

Rock Headed

Capping a concrete porch with flagstone.

The roof of the porch is held up by two 4x4 posts.

I am reluctant to just build around these posts as the wood is sure to rot out eventually.


http://image24.webshots.com/665/3/21...8hpwMVP_ph.jpg



Not the best photo and I believe the posts in question are obscure, but I had to show you something.

I know I am not the only one here who has encountered this before--one of you must have a better/more costly solution then I can come up with.

Any help is appriciated.

OCRS

Can you undercut the wrap? They look bigger than 4x4

Rock Headed

Um, define wrap, please.

My initial thought was to prop up the porch, trim the posts, lay flagstone, rest set posts atop the flagstone.

Of course I would need to let the mortar cure....so only the stone beneath the posts would be set at first---the adjacet stones not yet set as the props would occupy their space.

Time consuming and costly! I need a better solution, and since my head is full of rocks, I come here for help.

OCRS

It looks like 4x4's wraped with 1x6. I'm thinking you could undercut the 1x6 enough for your flag, seal cut and clear silicone after

A W Smith

I would never embed the posts nor would I cut back the wrap only and leave the post. this will create a capillary problem and those post will start to rot in one year. I would get a metal post stand off put it under the post and on top of your flagstone. or on concrete equivalent to the surface elevation of your flagstone would be better. Yes its tedious but its the right way.

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Al Smith
http://www.awsmith.com

neolitic

I am "Forbidden" from
seeing your pix, but when resurfacing a porch,
I use temp props set outside the footprint
of the porch.
double some 2X6, cut a bird's mouth
to get a bite on the beam,
and snug them in at a slight angle
just off the porch sitting on a block
or a scrap 2X12.
I've had porch roofs sit like that all winter
waiting on weather to pour a slab.
Replaced a lot of wood porch floors
the same way.
What Al Smith said is for sure the truth.

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A W Smith

If you refresh the page or paste the link it works. But damn if i can even see the dark brown posts with all that tudor

__________________
Al Smith
http://www.awsmith.com

neolitic

Doesn't work for me, no matter
what I do?

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Rock Headed

Could you explain this?

Neo, you are right. I can prop the porch, with the props set at an angle, complete the capping and then re-set the posts.

The posts will tie into the flagstone via "U" shaped metal brackets, which anchor into the stone on the bottum of the U and into the wood along the sides of the U.

Sorry if i am going into laborious detail here. I am being underbid by some guy who likely is planning to embed the posts--which I would never do. I need to try and get all these details figured out so I can offer a competitive price without sacrificing quality.

Thank you everone for replying.

If anyone can offer any more alternatives, or clarifications, I am still reading and appriciating.

tkle

Dry pack under the brackets rather than using stone.