How to Repair a Rotted Wood Post: Easy DIY Guide

[@timothylongmore7325]

I'm a timberframe repairman. There is a great reason why I've never seen this done before. Could just repaired it with liquid wood. Probably would've lasted longer. Kudos for trying though. Red some comments and there was some good suggestions. Replace whole post, use the right base, use correct species of wood, support the work. I would recommend if you had to fix the bottom of a post, use a 16" - 24" half-lap joint, bolted together, no shims. This joint will rot twice as fast as the original ( or faster). Don't mean to be "that guy" but this helps no one and may get someone killed. Hire a pro if you don't know.

[@budm9982]

I came here to say what you did. I've replaced the bottom of posts in the past. Cut in a half-lap. As I was watching the first few minutes here I wondered why he made the initial cut so low and didn't give himself some room to work.

[@timothylongmore7325]

@@budm9982 Good point. I appreciate anyone "who tries", but in this day and age you can easiley find the right way to do anything. I do barn beam post with a half lap for one reason. It's how the old timers did it. That's the school I learned from.

[@tedpeters9699]

Looks like crap

[@soundrew]

Pro tip: don’t make dangerous videos.

[@timothylongmore7325]

@@soundrew true that. Back in the day I didn't even want a cam-corder on site.

[@davidbarnett5777]

You are persistent, Sir! I’m too lazy to attempt that. I had a similar problem, so my answer was to replace the thing with a decorative steel wrought iron post. Kudos to you and your determination.

[@sbreifers]

As a retired DIYer I’m all about saving $$ on new post even if repair takes longer. Thanks for posting this!

[@OscarRodSeedsofG]

TIME is always more valuable than money. As the saying goes: penny-wise and dollar-foolish

[@dannyherbert67]

The saddle that’s installed is for a 4 x 4, first you should use the right saddle.

[@mikehoran9901]

Absolutely not, you should have used the left saddle.

[@roberthoy9922]

Wrong again. Should not have used a saddle at all.

[@Expedient_Mensch]

@@roberthoy9922 That's right, he needs a stirrup.

[@binkywarren21]

A saddle or a stirrup? Are you people on drugs? Clearly the man neds to install a bridle.

[@JerryXM991]

Too much trouble to put in the correct one...

[@vinceedwards575]

Spends a week on a job instead of an hour with a new post. WOW

[@dalesumney8806]

It's obvious you aren't retired. LOL

[@erichsh58]

Right. You would waltz in there, do the whole job in one hour, and charge him $1500 for it.

[@iSharpGaming]

@@erichsh58you clearly aren’t in construction. You pay for experience. Not time. Clearly as you can see in this post. He has time. Not talent. 😣

[@erichsh58]

@@iSharpGaming He also did a perfectly acceptable job for about $15 worth of supplies rather than getting hosed by some crook contractor for 100 times that much.

[@SamRalls-ti1be]

You did a great job. I'm a welder as opposed to a woodworker. I think, I would have built an extension for the metal portion. After a good cleanup and some zinc primer, you could fit the upper portion as needed and attach it to the fresh cut on the support. Welders tend to over-engineer everything. Your method was a great way to do it and you displayed the patience to achieve your objective. Once again.....great plan, good job.

[@ytrew9717]

very interesting, do you have a video of it?

[@mnoot7209]

I'm a DIYer, definitely not a contractor. I'm mostly self-taught with lots of credit to KZbin creators. I've never left a negative review, until now. This method is way too much work with way too little chance of enough precision to make it durable & structurally safe. I would've replaced the entire post. Even at that, it probably would've taken me 4-7 hours (a pro might do it in 1.5 hrs), might've cost me $100 for a new post, but would be 100% durable and sound. Plus I'd save the old post to utilize elsewhere (saving me $ on my next project). I believe it's critical to honestly size up my own capabilities & experience before I make a plan, then stay within my capabilities. Sorry to be negative. You seem like a nice guy. But I would _never_ do it the way you demonstrated.

[@warrenwatkins9650]

Being a painter for years, I suggest using a water sealer that soaks up into the wood. It will dry and keeps water out. Good quality sealer will last for years and can be recoated from time to time.

[@Johnny-dp5mu]

You must soak many coats into the end grain, 6+ would be reasonable... Plus the connection was poorly done and needed sealed glued. The fellow has good intentions but needs to be guided by an experienced Amish carpenter or equal... Cedar is weak relatively too. The metal base should have either been replaced or cleaned and treated with rust inhibitor. Oh well

[@joseph78e4n6]

Awesome Repair ..... I question the POST mount ?

[@jotocs3]

I probably would have replaced it with a metal post lol. Em 63 and thats too much work😅. But i get it. The woodworking lesson from this video is good to know. Thanks for posting.

[@ytrew9717]

Super! Would be great to have an example of how to use concrete instead of wood on the bottom part

[@johnmansell5097]

I have seen someone do this with a chainsaw, remarkable job, he took the cut 2ft from the floor and used what we call a sky Jack to support the roof. Used the same method for jointing too, saved a heap of cash.

[@AndrewMaloney-zi3hi]

How did the finished joint have such a big gap? I thought it was all measured and test fitted to be a tight fit? What went wrong?

[@erichsh58]

He left that gap deliberately, assuming the post would settle down and close it once he removed that scissors jack. But that post wasn't carrying much weight to begin with. He could have removed the jack once he cut the bottom of the post out and it wouldn't have moved much at all.

[@gary6137]

Structurally, this method weakens the post against lateral movement. The proper way to splice would be to use a 4 sides metal sleeve and cut the ends flat. Easier fix also.

[@avengerman77]

I seen a few negative comments on here but I didn't come here to see a new freaking post installed. I came here to brush up on my mathematical, measurement, cutting and innovative skills. I guess I'm different.

[@georgedavall9449]

Nice intelligent and well articulated comment, thank You!

[@rjberes333]

That repair is short lived you will be faced with the same problem in short time just replace the pole

[@alwayssearching1882]

For goodness sake. The negative comments. It isn't like he is building a footing for a sky scraper.Nice job sir. It will work.

[@michaelbeury4751]

The negative comments are warranted. Everybody today wants a pat on the back for just trying. Sorry but right is right. This isn’t right. Doing things the wrong way is dangerous. Hire a pro if you don’t know. And I’m tired of people highlighting bad contractors. If you hired a bad one it’s most likely your fault. Don’t go for the cheapest estimate. Make sure they are licensed, insured and check references. It’s not hard to find a good one. There are plenty if you look. Funny how people don’t question the cost of their medical bills, dentist, mechanics, HVAC, Heating, Plumbing or Electricians but a.ways want to try to haggle with the Carpenters. Sorry for the rant but it’s all true.

[@erichsh58]

@@michaelbeury4751 I've been ripped off too many times by contractors to accept this argument. You guys all say the same thing as though paying top dollar guarantees great results. Horseshit. What this guy did isn't going to cause the kinds of disasters you're implying. He's not claiming to be a pro, he's not trying to set any land speed records, he's just showing how he did it and it will work just fine.

[@michaelbeury4751]

@@erichsh58 nonsense. You were ripped off because you didn’t do your homework. It’s that simple. It’s not about top dollar. It’s about references and making sure the company is legit. Clearly you failed to do that not once but multiple times. So I reject your argument.

[@erichsh58]

@@michaelbeury4751 In other words, homeowners beware of all the crooks and scammers in your industry, including HVAC and plumbers. And there are lots of them. I did find a good electrician once. Dealing with contractors is worse than getting a root canal.

[@dougmackey3696]

That’s social media for you. Everybody feels that being a jerk is their right. People comment like they would never do in person.

[@jasonstarr6419]

I've been doing home repairs, painting, ground up construction in South Texas since the mid-70's, and you can label me as lazy. That said, I'd have either 1) replaced the entire post, coated the bottom with creosote or tar, put some sort of composite trim around the base after totally filling that 1" space with pool caulk, OR, 2) remove the post and do all that cutting on sawhorses. But, like I said, I'm lazy.

[@mymido4322]

Totally agreed 🤣👍🙏

[@davebarnes6672]

In reading the comments, I’m reminded of why I’ve not been OFF of FB for approximately 7 yrs now. Many negative comments from guys who I bet have probably never built anything and probably don’t even own a circular saw. There is more than one way to skin a cat, which is often missed by those who are critical and void of real world experience. I applaud your video , Great Job Sir!

[@DIYHGP]

How true. I just ignore the a**holes. Er trolls.

[@vinceedwards575]

He spent a week on a job that would take an hour with a new post. HELLO

[@Funky4me21]

@@vinceedwards575 My posts go through the deck and support my railing. And when the builders of my house built the deck they put the posts in the same way as his are sitting on the lower patio. After 24 years they are starting to show signs of rotting. I was wondering what I was going to do to repair them if I am still in the house at that time. Kudo's to him for showing me an idea.

[@bobbyhempel1513]

​@@DIYHGP there are many professional carpenters and builders such as myself who watch this video that aren't ignorant or assholes who still say that you did that in a very wrong and unsafe way and it is not going to last you should have done it right if you were going to do it.

[@erichsh58]

@@bobbyhempel1513 Considering he was able to support the structure with a pair of 2x4s and a car jack, considering how little weight that post is carrying, you tell me what is so critically unsafe about it.

[@Expedient_Mensch]

Sure made a hard task out of a simple job, mate. Next time try a half lap joint, at least 12" long, 24" even better. Glue and bolt together with a minimum of two coach bolts, at least 3/8" in diameter, 1/2" better, with galv or stainless washers and nuts. Also cut the rotten wood away about three feet above the highest visible rot line, 2" just isn't enough, the fungus that causes the rot is still there, you just can't see it. And just for the record, Tite-bond isn't wood filler, it doesn't really work for that purpose very well unless you mix it with some sort of binder, like saw dust or talc. Next time, try epoxy putty, or even better, a new piece of lumber instead of the scraps you would usually cut off the end of your repair piece. Ironically, Tite-bond III would probably have done a decent job as an end grain sealer.

[@martinl935]

Great job sir, 100 times better and safer now.

[@longshooter457]

Just put a new post in. Simple.

[@jimneustadt2688]

Correct!!!

[@timesham7538]

You did a very nice job... more than enough for what it is supporting. A new full size 8x8 post is expensive, hard to find and super heavy to maneuver.

[@Uswesi1527]

Undoubtedly, but, ingenious assignment. Thanks

[@handyrus]

By sealing the bottom, there is no escape for water. Instead, leave the bottom free of sealants,etc. so water can escape.

[@edwardbright9434]

I did (2 posted like that all I did jack up old post I put (2 lag bolts up inside old one build a cement small form around the bottom poured cement even with the old post now cement on the bottom

[@b-lopez394]

I was thinking the same thing. Less than a bag of concreate.

[@woodconnection7899]

Better to do a lap joint. Or if going for a tongue and groove you should put the tongue on the lower piece facing up so you don’t have a water flow path and trap. This fix is going to rot fast…

[@pdloder]

I thought the same.

[@Nepcat4-qt5kz]

Suggest using ground contact rated wood.

[@johnclarke6647]

The joint you are making is called a mortise and tenon😊

[@garrison8215]

Looks Good, Great Job.

[@juanrabago906]

Good job sir! It's your project 👍

[@ronniesmith9717]

I cringed...I laughed...I shook my head. I've read most of the comments....the good news is, there WILL be a PART 2 to this.. : )

[@embwee]

I learned a lot from your video. Since you had to go up higher, there is enough room to replace the Tico/ floor bracket with a bigger size. Thanks.

[@johnr.french4982]

He would never get the bracket off. The nut is rusted so bad to the bolt embedded into the concrete that he would shear it off. Wow, what a mess that builder left.

[@segal100]

Nice job but there is a support not 6 feet away. I would have lifted roof every so slightly and replaced the whole upright beam.

[@roberthoy9922]

No such thing as an upright beam.

[@bcrusher1979]

@@roberthoy9922 Sure there is, It's almost the same as a horizontal column. lol

[@roberthoy9922]

If we are in a building with upright beams and horizontal columns, we might all be dead. That building hit the ground.

[@kenmammel7748]

😂😢😅😊

[@davidbarnett5777]

Er..an “upright beam” is a horizontal beam flipped vertical…also known as a “post”..😅

[@bartmastin3272]

Impressive thorough job well done!

[@d.k.1394]

Wow everyone here is an expert

[@ronaldhamblin4615]

Nice piece of enginering worked out well kind regards to you

[@bernardoirizarry8549]

I love how this project came out! Very good planning. Thank you for sharing!

[@JerryXM991]

It looks like shit.

[@manueltorres4111]

I think you did a great job mister 👏

[@alltogetherplaytubefingerf6045]

In the rotten tennon use wicking epoxy to get the strength you desire. Doing all the cuts in place is difficult. Perhaps set up a temp support, remove the post do all the necessary joinery. Then replace. Easier on the back & knees.

[@richardtrepanier228]

I did this the very same way. However for continuity I replaced the whole post no joint.

[@LilDirt12]

That was awesome!! Thank you for sharing.

[@snteevveetns]

Ottoman castle joint? Good video

[@chrissubleski200]

I stopped the video and made some popcorn!

[@JerryXM991]

you didn't miss anything.

[@albertwashingtonjr2089]

Lots of great ideas on the video. Thanx bud!

[@joedejesus6363]

Nice job on replacing that rotted support post. The problem I'm having is locating the same jack you have there in the video. The jack you have on your list is an ordinary scissor jack for an automobile, what I'm worried about is what kind of support that will give me when having a 4x4 suspended right above it? Where can I purchase a scissor jack similar to the one you have there in the video?

[@DrJuan-ev8lu]

On my gazebo, I just cut 3 inches off the bottom of each post which made the whole thing a little lower. To slow down rot I soaked the bottom of each post in borate wood preservative dissolved in old antifreeze.

[@mitchrhodes]

Perhaps a Shou Sugi Ban treatment on both upper and lower sections then a good soaking penetration of a liquid wood preserver before assembly. I'm a believer in using both belt and braces (suspenders) ;-))

[@mig7287]

👍Nice video of your work. And it seems to atract all the experts in the comments.

[@gypsy2007]

I am a total newbie at this stuff. But I am confused that you are using a replacement wood block that is old and it has a big split already. Doesn't seem safe, doesn't seem like it will last too long. After all this work, wouldn't you want to use brand new wood?

[@DIYHGP]

The old block is an actual cut off from the original construction. I used it because it was the exact size of the post massage. It’s hard to buy 2 feet of a 8 x 8 post and I didn’t wanna pay for the whole 8 foot section. Being resourceful is something that’s necessary in a DIY project.

[@JerryXM991]

Great point.

[@philiph1234]

Good work. Nice job. What’s your opinion of using a multitool for some plunge cuts?

[@kmonyt]

Bought a multitool recently, and use it everywhere!

[@philiptrump9590]

for all the trouble to cut & fit , also the way of support beam not worth to fooling around , just replace the entire column, safer , easier, and times saving,

[@JetFire9]

Even if you want to be a cheapskate, don’t be ridiculous, and take the darn post off to work on it in the shop. What a bozo.

[@missiontent111]

That's a pretty big piece of constructional timber ...... which is going to be EXPENSIVE. To buy a whole new length for the sake of a foot or so of rot at the bottom would appear to me to be extremely wasteful and certainly something I wouldn't consider for a moment.

[@robinthoms9980]

Yep and then put the repair up at top out of eye line

[@JerryXM991]

what is constructional timber? Never heard that before. Do you mean structural lumber?

[@boofuls]

Great video ..2 thoughts .. perhaps you could have prepped the metal seating cleaned it, antirust paint etc. ..that crack in the 🪵 what about some S shaped crimps( S - irons) that you hammer across the crack to stop it opening more

[@juanrabago906]

Growing up, I've learned to use Treated wood to avoid water damage. I don't like pine, or any of the regular home Depot products that won't work for longer lasting posts. Either, I'd use Redwood or Railroad lumber thats been treated. I'd even place a protective metal cover piece all around the post, then paint it. If you live in an area where it rains a lot, using regular pine or cheaper lumber cuts, forget it. Mind you, that's me, everyone has their own methods. I don't mind the video but, I know that brace won't last.

[@juanrabago906]

Perhaps another 7yrs of life. It rains a lot in Texas.

[@nancysmith9487]

First car jack to lift support with another pillar 2/4 then chain saw. Mold for concrete. Wooden box. Fill it. Let it cure. Lower reattach the shoe placed in concrete. Attached. BAM bam have you safe secured pillar. Inexpensive fixed

[@redpine8665]

That's what I would have done, but I'm not sure it would have looked so great. It would always look like a repair. If he fills in the seams with the same color as the wood and gets creative witha little stain and a rag, it can blend so not to be noticed eaily.

[@aubrey5939]

Nice work. However, since timbers are vulnerable to rot after few years, why not use laminated post for bottom section?

[@brucepoole8552]

Very good technic for that light bearing, a true diy project.

[@DIYHGP]

Thank you very much!

[@ArthurDentZaphodBeeb]

Should have treated that wood with copper preservative on the exposed grain when you had the chance. Didn't look like you (nor the previous builder) used hot-dipped galvanized nails.

[@l06pual]

Replace the whole post would be easier and safe time

[@BruceW.-hs9qq]

Cool, I would coat and Epoxy with "West System Epoxy"

[@mudderman8620]

Ok, nice work. I’ll be hiring someone to replace mine.😮😮😮😢😅😅😊

[@laurafiler3760]

Very interesting repair.

[@thomasmeng1921]

Good job and thanks for sharing

[@w3jdr]

Turn the post upside down and put the good end down. Cut the top to fit where it has to fit and bolt a "sister" it if necessary to,support the load. About a 2 hour job.

[@plainwhitepaper3898]

6x6x8 45 bucks Replace the post.

[@Johnny-dp5mu]

He had an old scrap piece of post that wasn't the best had a spit... Showed how limited his knowledge was...should have keep his video private... All the very best. Cedar clear wood posts are very very expensive... In the multiple hundreds of dollars today

[@plainwhitepaper3898]

@@Johnny-dp5mu Not sure how long all that took, but I just changed out two posts in a couple hours. 45.00 was a reference to Doug fir posts. Never considered the type of post. I am not knocking the man in the video, being able to overcome obstacles speaks for itself.

[@jamespeterson686]

You haven’t bought lumber lately have you!

[@stevewhitaker1474]

With all the labor involved it very likely would have been more cost effective to just replace all the posts. However, if it is your house you may choose to do it yourself and save a few dollars.

[@pkfan5112]

As you already removed the rotted portion, why don’t put a new bracket or paint it with rust proof paint, also the new portion must stained to prevent rotted again.

[@johnr.french4982]

No way could he replace the bracket. I've been there. Judging from the extent of the rot, the bolt at the bottom that holds the Simpson strong tie bracket would shear off if he tried to unscrew the tie-down nut. It's a pretty bad builder that didn't use pressure treated wood to begin with, particularly in areas with frequent rainfall.

[@rodneyyoung8096]

Reciprocal saw. Its the most used tools ive owned 👀 .

[@fishingpier6092]

Since the post is a main load bearer, I would make a more stable structure to lift/support the whole structure before the repairing. The bearing capacity of the 4x4 seems not bad, but just not stable to me, pretty dangerous.

[@johndo4137]

How much do you charge for something like that?? Please let me know ASAP 😊

[@lwalto]

I guess it'll work, but it looks like a lot of work to do it better for more money. Like the tie is for a 4x4 and its connected to a 6x6. Just seems like making it all the way new might make more sense.

[@eagleeye761]

I bought a 3/8" cutting board and cut a piece to fit under the metal bracket so my post was high enough to not allow significant wicking....

[@michaelbuchholz2164]

The replacemant wood will rotten fast due to te crack. Why did you use that bad quality thing???

[@pdloder]

I've never seen a spirit level used like that - bubble part way through the line and call it level 😂

[@psdaengr911]

No thought was given to WHY the post rotted. It was because it wasn't installed by someone who knew what they were doing. The repair is no better. The urethane coating won't wick into the end grain to seal it. Tl use words from the description. Replacing a portion of a post this way SUCKS.

[@dennisnickel462]

Nice Job

[@brockturner1559]

That was cool

[@d.k.1394]

He did better than 99% of handymen!

[@abs828]

how do you know?? have you ever seen anybody do this, to compare to??

[@d.k.1394]

@@abs828 ok

[@VinhNguyen-ek5lr]

I belong in that 1% 😁😁😁

[@nilesprattle423]

Nice work!

[@toemblem]

Nice work. Maybe it is not needed because of the dowels but I thought you may have glued the tongue and groove.

[@claytonsimplot9554]

Wouldn't it been easier just to replace the beam? Put up a temporary support and remove the old beam. A days work not a weekend. Also a better base.

[@DIYHGP]

Not necessarily easier, but definitely more expensive

[@charlessheldon5328]

If you ever decide to re-approach this project, you might want to consider using a scarf joint. You might end up using a longer piece, but it would be a stronger repair that will allow for replacement if it rots again. Just my 2 cents or is it 5 with inflation?

[@denniskaufman326]

Not sure about your uplift is ok on the roof above?

[@bendredge6947]

Good idea, but I think I would fit a new post or build a concrete peer.

[@Moondoggy1941]

So you put shoe glue on the bottom of the beam buy not water proof glue between the beams?

[@PTC61]

An unnecessarily complicated attempt at a repair. It took a lot of time and effort. However, it is an example not to be followed. The post and the base need to be replaced. Viewers need to be careful about whose examples they follow.

[@okupchurchiii7850]

did you add a spacer? looks like a ¼" spacer on one side

[@JerryXM991]

Yeah, or there would have been a quarter inch gap on one side. No bueno.

[@kevinolesik1500]

So if I wanted to get a contractor to do that work , who would I call ? I have 4 4X4 porch posts that are rotting the same way at the base ...

[@kevin8582]

Hopefully you can get a skilled carpenter, instead of someone like this that made this video. The tools he was using were just inadequate and slowed down the time it should've taken for the project.

[@lawrencethompson465]

At 16:43, I see a black work table apparently made of plastic. Could you provide a name and perhaps a link to it? Many thanks. Really appreciate seeing this video.

[@DIYHGP]

Here is a link to one, amzn.to/47za2OI I dont think my model is made anymore.

[@lawrencethompson465]

@@DIYHGPThank you.👍

[@cliffelliott9331]

Remember, measure once, cut twice...and I'll be darned it's still too short!

[@3percent247]

As a repair man with 38 years experience this is not the right way. You should chip away the rot and use spray foam. This material is water resistant and does not rot. Do the job the right way and never worry about it again.

[@DIYHGP]

Kyle, thanks for your opinion, but since this is a lightweight bearing post, I wanted to replace it with wood. I would not trust it with foam.

[@whisperweed]

Wow, 38 years of screwing things up with spray foam. At least you made a lot of work for someone else to fix after you. Only the closed cell foam is waterproof & that is definitely not load bearing.

[@rudetoy8264]

Slightly jack up the roof, remove and replace with treated post will last much longer and safer.

[@d.k.1394]

Nice

[@richardroyles1423]

Thanks for the tip. God bless.

[@jaxjaxson]

Sir please make sure to state do NOT even think about trying this craziness with a deck post or any post that will take on any real load...I am sure you are awesome at building cabinetry and other wood working, but structural posts are a whole new ballgame.

[@erichsh58]

There's barely any weight on top of that post. Did you notice that? No deck, no second floor, just a few beams.

[@jaxjaxson]

@@erichsh58 yes that's why I said dont do this with a deck or structural post. In his case he will probably be fine.

[@johnmarkey4862]

I would have treated the steel bracket for rust at the same time

[@ElvisMohamed]

Form work and pour cement

[@en2oh]

One caution around the use of “shoe goo”. This adhesive is often polyurethane based. Over time, moisture and time will hydrolyze the PU. Not the best choice here, in my experience anyway.

[@OscarRodSeedsofG]

Could you just replace the post? It is faster, more economical, looks better, and lasts longer.

[@edwardbright9434]

Yes I do agree

[@andrewhains8260]

I like it!