Haven't visited the house yet, but asked to turn a replacement porch column base (decaying). Based on the address I won't be surprised if it is a formal front entry with columns is about 10" diameter. My first thought is to use quarter sawn white oak, given outdoor location and supporting potentially heavy column and porch roof. Suggestions? And no, I will not have anything to do with the installation.
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Replacement Porch Column Turned Base
- Thread starter Don Stephan
- Start date
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2021
- Messages
- 1,359
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- 1,203
- Location
- Roulette, PA
- Website
- www.reallyruralwoodworks.com
If it had to be that structural, I'd not even take the job. (liability and all that). However, if it were decorative (surrounding a solid center post) then I'd probably measure out largest and smallest diameters to come to a thickness calculation and do a staved glue-up of whatever wood is desired (if painted, I'd do it in pine or poplar)
Sapele would be a good choice for that. You should be able to find a large enough piece to turn it without any glue up.
Do you have a source for 10" thick dry Sapele?
Staved Sapele or Sipo would be a reasonable choice if available. White oak too, though it is not ideal for paint. I would avoid poplar or pine sapwood for an exposed situation. Accoya, though expensive, is an excellent choice for rot resistant painted millwork, and torrefied woods as well.
I've done porch column bases and column tops.
Being in the Pacific NW fir was the wood used in the originals, painted of course if they're outdoors. Fir weathers well. And compression strength is not a concern.
Glued up to get wide enough pieces, originals were solid since so much wide material was available. The originals appeared to be only nailed together, two pieces, a square or round bottom and a round piece on top of the square.
Doing stuff like this time and material was charged. Time now days would be around $100+/ hr. Like turnings for furniture restoration money flows freely, high prices are expected. If there's enough restoration going on in your area this type turning can make good money.
Interior restorations in fir sometimes needs vertical grain and that material gets pretty expensive. Not much is being logged anymore so re-sawn large structural beams are a good source. When Bill Gate was building his house his contractors bought up all the salvaged fir beams on the market so he'd have enough for his house.
Being in the Pacific NW fir was the wood used in the originals, painted of course if they're outdoors. Fir weathers well. And compression strength is not a concern.
Glued up to get wide enough pieces, originals were solid since so much wide material was available. The originals appeared to be only nailed together, two pieces, a square or round bottom and a round piece on top of the square.
Doing stuff like this time and material was charged. Time now days would be around $100+/ hr. Like turnings for furniture restoration money flows freely, high prices are expected. If there's enough restoration going on in your area this type turning can make good money.
Interior restorations in fir sometimes needs vertical grain and that material gets pretty expensive. Not much is being logged anymore so re-sawn large structural beams are a good source. When Bill Gate was building his house his contractors bought up all the salvaged fir beams on the market so he'd have enough for his house.
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Tell the person to get a fiberglass base, which are made to be painted, then it will not rot and probably cost less.
Yes, that's all correct, but the problem with a fiberglass base is it looks like fiberglass base.
I did this for someone. He glued up a block of Plywood 11 x 11. It was a bugger to turn. Very splintery! Lots of sandpaper to get it smooth, but it has been installed and he is very happy with it.
Black locust will last forever.
Edited to add: if you want to ease the turning and avoid end grain, make it a segmented turning glued up with epoxy.
Edited to add: if you want to ease the turning and avoid end grain, make it a segmented turning glued up with epoxy.
Hey Don. Before considering how to make it, I would probably visit the property and try to determine how the other olumns were made and consider doing the same. Some such columns and bases are made with segmented techniques. Perhaps those who will do the installation can first remove the problem base; examination of the cross section/inside may help you decide how to proceed and how to provide for joining the base to the column.
For something 10" thick, I would laminate the Sapele, using epoxy or TB III. The hardwood lumber company that I buy from has 12/4 Sapele so getting to 10" wouldn't be too difficult
I just delivered a couple 12" x 3" bases a few weeks ago. I had some black locust logs behind my shop, so cut some pieces a bit oversize and let them dry out for a bit. I turned them and while there are a few splits and defects in them, they're not going to be natural/stained. What's the saying? Caulk & paint can make them what they ain't.
Attachments
I get an occasional call. Usually goes something like this.
"We have a full painting crew with scaffolds set up and found a rotted column that we can't paint. Can you make a replacement and have it ready to go in say 15 minutes?"
Of course the painting crew is costing maybe $$$$$'s per hour and they definitely don't want to make a return trip. To keep em happy I reply sure I can make a replacement but it might take me 20 minutes!
Customer photo of the problem. I requested more pics and a drawing with the exact dimensions. The drawing with dimensions puts most of the responsibility of a proper fit on the contractor so they bulk but I insist.
I always have white oak on hand which works well for these things and the time clock was ticking away. Of course black locust would be better. Glued up my block with TB 3 and I'm on my way.
Finished piece, it's upside down and the contractor had to do some work to get it installed correctly but we had a plan and it worked.
Before the contractor reached out to me he called a commercial outfit that does these columns and was quoted a 7 month time frame. The job went well and the owner along with the painting contractor were pleased.
"We have a full painting crew with scaffolds set up and found a rotted column that we can't paint. Can you make a replacement and have it ready to go in say 15 minutes?"
Of course the painting crew is costing maybe $$$$$'s per hour and they definitely don't want to make a return trip. To keep em happy I reply sure I can make a replacement but it might take me 20 minutes!
Customer photo of the problem. I requested more pics and a drawing with the exact dimensions. The drawing with dimensions puts most of the responsibility of a proper fit on the contractor so they bulk but I insist.
I always have white oak on hand which works well for these things and the time clock was ticking away. Of course black locust would be better. Glued up my block with TB 3 and I'm on my way.
Finished piece, it's upside down and the contractor had to do some work to get it installed correctly but we had a plan and it worked.
Before the contractor reached out to me he called a commercial outfit that does these columns and was quoted a 7 month time frame. The job went well and the owner along with the painting contractor were pleased.
Wow.
Hopefully the painting contractor uses some "high-performance" barrier and sealer before top-coating.
Well done
Hopefully the painting contractor uses some "high-performance" barrier and sealer before top-coating.
Well done
How much did you charge them? I'll bet the 7 months quote was $1,000 or more.
Just normal hourly shop rate, can't remember exactly the bill size, but it wasn't cheap. I did have quite a bit more time in gluing up the column than the actual turning.
Had a look last night. Four fluted columns two stories high and small roof on top of them. No idea if the columns load bearing. The turned bases about 4" thick.
One base has significant decay, a second showing some decay. Might be heart redwood. Hollow center, Turned bases several layers nailed together. Bottom of one column showing slight decay.
Said I could turn replacement base but first need to get expert opinion from experienced carpenter whether the columns are load bearing,
Said I would not touch the turned base in place no be involved in temporary support of the roof.
Lots of good advice and thinking in the above responses, for which I am very grateful.
One base has significant decay, a second showing some decay. Might be heart redwood. Hollow center, Turned bases several layers nailed together. Bottom of one column showing slight decay.
Said I could turn replacement base but first need to get expert opinion from experienced carpenter whether the columns are load bearing,
Said I would not touch the turned base in place no be involved in temporary support of the roof.
Lots of good advice and thinking in the above responses, for which I am very grateful.