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I'm almost afraid to ask
I live in a town house and had a deck built off the back.
It is 16' deep by 20' wide and is supposed by 3-8x8 posts
The middle post is splitting
Can I sister it with another 2x8 and screw it on both sides of the split?
It is the middle post
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How old is the deck? Was the post cemented in or is it anchored to a footing? I would replace it, especially if it is anchored to a footing and not cemented in, but then I have access to all the equipment I'd need to do that. If it is in cement, there's a technique you could use to cut it off below the split and splice in a new piece.
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Are you sure it's "splitting" or is it checking as it's drying. apparently checking doesn't affect the strength according to folks who use large beams for timber framing.
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If it's more than half through the thickness from top to bottom, then you would want to keep an eye on it to make sure it didn't progress any further. If it's not then it's structurally fine.
Cellulose runs through my veins!
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It looks like it is checking. The post sits on top of a 3' concrete footing.
The size of the check is what concerned me. The post is 9' tall and all three of them support the roof posts.
The deck is 8 years old and the posts were pretty wet when installed. They get direct sunlight. I'll keep an eye on them, but the thought of jacking up the deck and roof to replace this post makes me sick.
Thanks for the replies.
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if it's checking and not splitting and you are worried, I'd get 1/2" diameter 9" long galvanized bolts, nuts and washers and bore holes through the post and install the bolts along the check. You should be able to tighten those down enough to prevent the check from getting wider, if not close it up. I would not sister 2x8s on, water will sit between the 2x8s and the post and rot things out.
jacking the deck and roof up to replace the post isn't that bad, but then I've got access to the equipment and I've done it more than once.
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I was thinking the same thing, but use a forstner bit to counterbore just deep enough for the head and the nut, with flat washers. For cosmetics (counterboring), mainly.
Tom
“This place smells like that odd combination of flop sweat, hopelessness, aaaand feet"
