replacing steel balcony posts

[dan76n]

Hi all,
Just wanted to know if it is possible to replace my steel balcony posts with timber ie: 140 x 140 merbau or similar.
If so is it best to get a builder to do this and if so what sort of cost would be involved?

[mako]

you could screw merbau (19mm) on all sides of the posts with nice neat mitre joins on the corners. This would hide the steel post entirely and look like a nice solid timber post (as long as your corner joints are tight ) A lot cheaper than replacing posts.

[Dirty Doogie]

I agree with Mako's suggestion. If you want fatter timber posts just box them out with battens.

Doog

[dan76n]

Thanks Guys,
I started a post a while ago with the idea of doing just that. http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...ad.php?t=47665
Im just concerned that the metal will expand and contract causing the mitre joints to open, leaving an ugly job.

[johnc]

We did exactly that 25 years ago when we built our current house. The steel posts received a Douglas Fir cladding. We used a round over bit for the edges and left the joins proud on the but edges to hide/minimise the effects of timber movement. The posts get the full westerly treatment of sun wind and rain and still look fine, movement has never been a problem. The timber was simply screwed to the metal. At first the posts had a clear coating but this couldn't handle the elements so in the end we hit it with Solarguard and have had no problems since.

I would be reluctant to use mitre joins, the but joins withstand bumps and the effects of movement.

John

[mako]

yeah true on the mitre/butt joints john.

[Terrian]

clad them, if they are expanding that much to open the join I would be concerned about them holding up the roofline !

[billbeee]

Dan,
leave em as they are, you can't remove/replace them without and enormous amount of expense, engineer etc.
You cover them them up you are covering up that interface between the steel and the concrete. That's where trouble will show if at all, so why hide it.
You have what looks like a strong and well built structure, why change it to look like something it isn't?
Spend your time and money on something else.

Cheers
Bill

[johnc]

Dan,
leave em as they are, you can't remove/replace them without and enormous amount of expense, engineer etc.
You cover them them up you are covering up that interface between the steel and the concrete. That's where trouble will show if at all, so why hide it.
You have what looks like a strong and well built structure, why change it to look like something it isn't?
Spend your time and money on something else.

Cheers
Bill

I would agree the steel complements the style of the house, shoving in timber replacements would detract from rather than enhance the visual appeal of the house.

John

[ex-chippie]

Ever thought of cladding the post in cement sheet and rendering them to match the house, or would there be too much rendering? A different color perhaps?

Jason.