Alright guys and gals I'm a rookie at this carpenter stuff and this has been the biggest job to date. I am having to rebuild the porch on the home place and here are the pictures of the first 15 feet. I'm starting on the section that is used the least. Anyway, I'm using two 2x8's as the outer perimeter (porch sill?) part and the actual boards are 5/4x6. I'm only using treated wood. I made sure the outer edge of the porch is lower than the end against the house and so far the hardest part has been putting the columns back into place. As you can see in the pictures the bottoms is gone in some of the columns. My plans are to come up with some kind of base (something easy to replace) for the columns and then cut them off back to good wood. I may even replace the corner post that is shown in the picture.
Any comments/suggestions are appreciated.

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Jim

Looks good to me. If you plan to paint the treated lumber you'll need to let it dry out for a few months. What's the point of the blocking between the joist and the front sill piece?

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

the first thing that comes to my mind for the bottom of the 'columns' is to cut them back to the same height where solid wood is found. Seal the end grain. Build a square column base from 2 stacked squares of different dimensions (P.T lumber).

Jack the joist up that the columns end on before installing the wood. An automotive jack and a 4x4 will do it easily.

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To help support and secure the 2x8 joist that spans the 16' spacing. What are some other ways to do it? This way seemed to be pretty secure/stout.

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Jim

That is exactly what I am thinking about doing.

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Jim

Any reason not to put a pillow block or two along that span? Two of them would yield a span of just over 5 feet.

I was thinking that some sort of stone pillar under the columns would look good. You could make them low, 6 to 12 inches above the porch and just leave them like that, or make them high, about 26" with a 24" inch wall between them. That way you'd have someplace to put your feet when it's raining and you're on the porch sitting in one of those recliner/swivel chairs firing up a doob.

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Te futueo et caballum tuum

1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

Some sort of aluminum foot that willl allow the bottom of the column to dry will prolong its life considerably. I know such things are available for 4x4's but don't know about something that big.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I do realize my idea introduces some new complexity. Bringing a rock pier-post up from the ground under those posts would involve some trickery on supporting the nearby boards. Odd shaped support beams would have to be installed and supported themselves.

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Te futueo et caballum tuum

1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

Are you leaving any gap between the planks (like a deck) or butting them tight (sort of like tongue and groove)?

Any ventilation in that space underneath or will the wood seal it more/less tight? Any inspection port-type thing?

When I bought my house, the home inspector wouldn't sign off my tiny back porch (maybe 6x6') since he couldn't see up underneath it to look for termites - it was completely boarded up. I'd take photos to show the absence of termite/critter damage while it's opened up.

x3 on trimming the rot off the columns, then a block or two underneath. Maybe one square, then one oversize round, just for interest. Do a search for 'column base' for ideas. If you're cutting a lot, maybe make it symmetrical top and bottom cap/base so you don't have a 6" tall stack of blocks under the column.

I think that code for the steps is that they be in equal increments +/- a fraction of an inch, so that each step is predictable. You may need custom stringers to finish the job right.

Also - galvanized or stainless hardware with the treated lumber, right? Common nails/screws will rust, stain and corrode away.

Take an ice pick to the bottoms of the columns to see how bad the rot is before you cut them off. West System Epoxy might be your friend here- designed for wooden boat repair, I've used it for all kinds of wood repair projects and last summer for the bottoms of the turned 6x6 porch columns when we fixed the porch.

Check out their info- its pretty hardcore stuff, not inexpensive.

A detail I added after the floor was replaced (T&G D fir, painted top, bottom and sides) was to run a saw underneath the overhang to make a drip and then coated the rounded over ends and the drip with West Systems to seal the end grain before we finished painting the floor.

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95 E300D gave away
77 300D, 227k, station car
83 300CD 370k, body gone away to the rust gods, engine is in a Yota pickup, going strong
89 190E 2.6- 335k, no more
79 VW FI Bus- 154k summer driver
59 VW Beetle ragtop- 175k
12 VW Jetta- 250k
74 MG Midget-78k

I'm using galvanized hardware.

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Jim

I know in the old days galvanized could react with the PT chemicals (copper, Arsenic). I don't know if there is any issue with the new chemicals.

And 16 feet seems kind of long to span. It should not be too hard to add some support. It could sag after a while, which could affect drainage. Just make sure it never slopes toward the house.

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1998 C230 330,000 miles (currently dead of second failed EIS, yours will fail too, turning you into the dealer's personal human cash machine)
1988 F150 144,000 miles (leaks all the colors of the rainbow)
Previous stars: 1981 Brava 210,000 miles, 1978 128 150,000 miles, 1977 B200 Van 175,000 miles, 1972 Vega (great, if rusty, car), 1972 Celica, 1986.5 Supra

The 16' span is how the house is constructed and based on how quickly I get up to speed on my masonry skills I may well add a foundation support on some of the future ones.

I have considered felling some trees to cut and use for the columns and may well do that. I'm kinda/sorta intimidated when I walk up to one with the chain saw and have only cut down smaller trees to date. Most of the trees are around 100' tall and I can't reach around them. On the other hand I do have a couple light poles on the property which I may take down and use. They are closer to being the correct diameter.

I do plan on selling some of the timber to raise money to put into the house.

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Jim