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 August 2007
The carport beam was rotting away and it was finally time to tackle the repair job. Late last year the beam was sagging so a temporary support post was added back under solid wood. Now a second post and support beam has been added to remove the weight from the rotted beam.
Completely replacing the beam appeared to be a humongous job so the plan became to simply patch in a new end piece and a new post. A trip to a local one-man sawmill resulted in a rough cut beam section and a new post, both sized to match the old beam.
A trip to the local steel fabrication shop resulted in a very sturdy bracket to fasten the new beam to the old and both beam sections to the new post. Next to the bracket is a footer fixture for the concrete.
A significant amount of grunt work ended with everything going according to plan, except for deciding to add the outer support brace which was just to make sure the end piece wouldn't sag.
Now there is a post hanging in the wind, or nearly so -- but it's going according to plan, so far.
The plan next called for torquing the post into a straight vertical position, thus untwisting the beam which has warped through the years. A small hand wench worked nicely for that. A form was then built and placed, the mounting bracket attached and the concrete mixed and poured. The form is kind of solid. Will it come off without excessive effort?
The form was knocked off, the temporary posts were removed, a final coat of paint was applied and this project was done.
Well, maybe beam project #1 was done but #2 was waiting.
Beam #2 doesn't look great but not nearly as bad as #1. The hope is that when the extending section is cut off, the remaining wood will be okay. First, though, the repairman needs a little beam break -- to make some other needed repairs.
Beam #2 was cut back, an eight foot lever post was attached and the beam was torqued back to vertical. A 4X4 support brace was added to force the beam into alignment with the post and held in place by bolts and a heavy bracket on both sides. The lever post was removed, all bare wood and metal was primed and a final coat of paint completed beam project #2.
Beam project #3, half done.
Beam #3 was cut back, primed and painted. No torquing needed, but the lamp post could use some work. The electrical cord needs to be routed in conduit and whenever that happens, the post will get a new coat of paint too. Whew! At least now all beams should make it through the winter rains.
Beam project #3, 2nd half (8/2008).
Beam #3: The lamp post was removed and the light mounted on the support beam. The electrical cord is now enclosed in conduit. We should be done worrying about beams, for awhile.
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