Decks, Patios, Porches and Docks - support posts for porch roof?
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reelski
05-10-05, 08:29 PM
my front porch is 6 foot by 12 foot.i am wanting to replace all the wood on the porch minus any framing.i was gonna replace bead board on the inside and put new plywood on the outside and replace the 2x6's on the top. i thought that the roof was supported by 4x4 posts wrapped with decorative 1x6's.i was also gonna remove these 1x6's and just leave the posts.but upon removel of the bead board i notice that there are no posts,the bottom is made of 2x4,s with a 2x6 on top then 4 pieces of 1x6's resting on top of the 2x6 going to the porch roof beam.my question is are these 1x's really supporting the roof and what are the structural codes for such a thing.should i remove everthing,brace the roof and add posts?can i remove these 1x6's and replace them without supporting the roof as they are in bad shape?any thoughts or suggestions?oh also there are 3 of these i guess ill call them 1x6 posts on the porch.thanks
lefty
05-10-05, 09:15 PM
reelski,
First, where are you? Is snow load an issue?
A 6' X 12' porch roof -- I'm assuming that it projects out 6' and is 12' wide.
Is the porch roof a trussed extention of the house roof? (If so, it could be that the porch roof doesn't need posts to support it.) How old is the house?
Sorry to answer your questions with more questions of my own, but in order to provide you with good answers, I just need to know more than what you have told me so far.
First, where are you? Is snow load an issue?
A 6' X 12' porch roof -- I'm assuming that it projects out 6' and is 12' wide.
Is the porch roof a trussed extention of the house roof? (If so, it could be that the porch roof doesn't need posts to support it.) How old is the house?
Sorry to answer your questions with more questions of my own, but in order to provide you with good answers, I just need to know more than what you have told me so far.
reelski
05-10-05, 09:28 PM
pittsburgh,pennsylvania..we get some snow.yes projects out 6 feet and 12 wide.no not an exstension of main roof ,it comes out between(wow i hate when you spell words sometimes and they just dont look right)the 1st and second floor.house built 1926.
lefty
05-10-05, 10:48 PM
reelski,
I know what you mean about the spelling and things just don't look right!! Someday they'll put a spellchecker in here, and then we'll ALL be in trouble!
1926 -- guaranteed, it's not trusses. So yes, you should have real support posts for that roof. (And as an extention between the floors, there's no way it could be trusses.)
4X4 posts should be fine -- you just need to work them in. Start with the footings. I'm guessing that your frost line is 42". (Northeast -- cold -- that's just where it is.) Dig holes that are 4' deep, put a footing in the bottom of the hole that's a 12" cube, then use 8" sonotube that sticks out above grade 6" or 8" to bring the concrete up to grade. Fill in around the sonotube for the 1st foot or so, add concrete inside the tube for a foot, fill in the next foot on the outside, concrete on the inside, etc. until the concrete and the dirt are at grade. Extend the concrete up another 6" or 8" inside the sonotube. Then set a Simpson PB44 or CB44 in the wet concrete. Give that a few days to dry, then set your posts under the beam.
I know what you mean about the spelling and things just don't look right!! Someday they'll put a spellchecker in here, and then we'll ALL be in trouble!
1926 -- guaranteed, it's not trusses. So yes, you should have real support posts for that roof. (And as an extention between the floors, there's no way it could be trusses.)
4X4 posts should be fine -- you just need to work them in. Start with the footings. I'm guessing that your frost line is 42". (Northeast -- cold -- that's just where it is.) Dig holes that are 4' deep, put a footing in the bottom of the hole that's a 12" cube, then use 8" sonotube that sticks out above grade 6" or 8" to bring the concrete up to grade. Fill in around the sonotube for the 1st foot or so, add concrete inside the tube for a foot, fill in the next foot on the outside, concrete on the inside, etc. until the concrete and the dirt are at grade. Extend the concrete up another 6" or 8" inside the sonotube. Then set a Simpson PB44 or CB44 in the wet concrete. Give that a few days to dry, then set your posts under the beam.