Rotten Porch/Canopy.....What to do?

[vards01]

Hopefully some one can help, the pictures tell the story really 120 years of neglect and this oak canopy has rotted severely at the bottom on one side only. Please could someone give me some advice on the best cause of action to take. Someone has suggested to me using wood hardener and filler, but I really think this is a bodge and as I'm planning on staying here want to do a proper job. I have thought about cutting some new timber in at the bottom but not sure how this will weather and you'll be able to see the joins, plus the practicalities of doing this insitu..i.e cutting scalf joints? Another idea I had was to support the porch and take the vertical and diagonal off and renew with some mirianti hardwood, I am concerned how I will tennon the horizontal piece in, plus the bolt which i will need to cut off and re attach as a dummy, probable use 2 recessed raw bolts top and bottom and fill the heads.........

Any advice much appreciated, I am a moderate DIYER so not a joiner by any stretch...

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• vards01
• 18 Aug 2011
• 1

Untitled

• vards01
• 18 Aug 2011
• 2

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[ladylola]

iI'd definately say forget the hardener ,as you suggest it's a bit of a bodge really.
Probably the best way short of taking the whole thing down would be to support and then scarf in a piece on the vertical timber against the wall ensuring your shoulder lines are cut at an angle to shed water away from the brickwork. The brace would be better to replace the whole section really rather than a spliced repair.
I'm not 100% sure but looking at the first picture of the wood that is visible I feel the timber is a softwood and not oak as you have said.

 

[vards01]

The wood on the other side is def oak as I stripped the paint off, I haven't stripped paint back yet so assume that side was oak too. I am just worried about having the ability to cut an accurate scarf in on the verital insitu, as the diag is morticed into the vertical part Im going to cut out shouldn't be to bad. Just concened the scarf will show with joining different timbers. It is really rotten though it goes right up into the timber.

I just wanted to get some idea of how a pro would tackle this really.......but I assume that would all be down to how much the customer wants to spend

 

[^woody^]

Modern epoxy/resin repair products are not a bodge, and can be a viable alternative. Otherwise its a full or face splice repair, unless you go the whole hog

The problem with splices, is the potential for subsequent shrinkage and opening of the joints

Prop the canopy with a bit of 4x2 if need be

Seems like a good enough reason to buy a Bosch or Fein multi-tool

 

[vards01]

With the epoxy repair system I assume I would still need to cut the rot out, as it is like paper gloop...and goes right up inside what is pictured.

Would have though I would do a scarf joint on the vertical away from the brick and re make the diagonal morticed into the bottom scarf?

What would I use the multi tool for?

 

[Alarm]

If this was mine, i would measure everything and make from new.
Then clear varnish the timber and not paint it white.

 

[cajar]

I'd do as alarm said, you might be able to sand down and reuse some parts, but in the end you'll know it's done properly.

 

[vards01]

Not 100% confident about recreating from scratch, plus the cost would be high I'm guessing for all new timber.

Now thinking poss best to take the whole thing down and take to a joinery shop.....

Woody - Would I be using the multi tool to finally trim the scarf join at the wall......so not to damage the bricks?

 

[ladylola]

You could always prop and just take down the rotten bracket and either repair or replace, just saw through the fixings where it meets the rafter and plate.

 

[vards01]

This is what I'm planning on doing now......any thoughts?

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• vards01
• 19 Aug 2011
• 1