Where to source 6x6x96” solid wood posts for turning into porch columns?

[HavinFun]

Hello,
I’m restoring and old house with two-level porches. The house was built in 1880s and has really nice architectural details. I want to rebuild both porches and I’m looking for the 6x6 posts to turn into columns. I can’t find any. The closest I’ve found is redwood posts for $900 apiece. Because I’ll need 6-10, the redwood is just too expensive. I don’t want finger-jointed or fiberglass. Most folks say to glue up what I need. I prefer not to go the route unless I have to as I fear they will separate at the glue joints eventually when exposed to New England weather, as the finger-jointed have done.
Other option is to try to mill up some posts and let them dry for a couple of years, which isn’t attractive because of the time involved and getting straight posts in the end. Thanks.
Best regards.

 

[Mad Professor]

Hello,
I’m restoring and old house with two-level porches. The house was built in 1880s and has really nice architectural details. I want to rebuild both porches and I’m looking for the 6x6 posts to turn into columns. I can’t find any. The closest I’ve found is redwood posts for $900 apiece. Because I’ll need 6-10, the redwood is just too expensive. I don’t want finger-jointed or fiberglass. Most folks say to glue up what I need. I prefer not to go the route unless I have to as I fear they will separate at the glue joints eventually when exposed to New England weather, as the finger-jointed have done.
Other option is to try to mill up some posts and let them dry for a couple of years, which isn’t attractive because of the time involved and getting straight posts in the end. Thanks.
Best regards.

You should be able to get someone to mill some up for you. Want to source some nice straight logs 4 good sides, you can box the heart on, hopefully something rot resistant. Make sure they are end coated and longer than you need.

If you can't stack and dry them, you might ask a mill with a kiln a price to dry them. Or better yet have them milled at a mill with a kiln.

Edit: Also look for any timber framers nearby. They will know where to get beams.

 

[HavinFun]

Hello MP,
I called several mills in my area (So NH), and they only did softwoods. I guess I’ll have to broaden my mill search. I was told maple would be good for turning on a lathe and last in the weather. Would you have a suggestion for a wood species ? The columns in place now, 140 yrs old, are still okay but don’t meet code. Wondering what wood species they’re made of? And thanks for the suggestions.
Best regards.

 

[J D]

Are the posts being painted or left as a wood finish/ stained?
Are you sure they are one solid post? They could be made in sections with a dowel/ metal rod through the center (especially where parts are turned).
If the posts in place now are 140 yrs old & still ok, one would have to question how much benefit there would be in replacing them with a modern "code compliant" post that is expected to last ~50 years in ideal conditions... I would have thought you sould be able to retain existing where it is still fit for purpose

 

[Mad Professor]

Hello MP,
I called several mills in my area (So NH), and they only did softwoods. I guess I’ll have to broaden my mill search. I was told maple would be good for turning on a lathe and last in the weather. Would you have a suggestion for a wood species ? The columns in place now, 140 yrs old, are still okay but don’t meet code. Wondering what wood species they’re made of? And thanks for the suggestions.
Best regards.

Didn't know you were going to turn them. What dia to turn too? Might want to start with 8 X 8? That's going to be a monster lathe!

140 years old the posts could be chestnut if you are lucky, if so save them.

Maple is not very rot resistant. S. NH, White oak, black cherry, have good rot resistance.

I worked at a mill years ago that did hardwood in Whatley Ma, Allard's Lumber. Not sure if the son's are still running it?

 

[HavinFun]

A fellow made a long lather where he joined two smaller ones together which I was in the process of buying until I found the scarcity or turntable blanks. The house in MA, and it’s a nightmare state. Could not wait to move from there, but kept the house. Railings need to be 36”, which would attach in the turned area of present posts.
Could be chestnut, there were a lot there before they all died. Shame. Posts will be painted, are solid one piece. If I get 30 years out of newer posts they will outlive me. Base and top will be 6x6. Thanks for ideas.

 

[les-or-more]

I know it is a little bit of a drive but there are lots of options in this area, there is a mill 5 miles or so from here with stacks of 4x4 and 6x6 cedar posts. Search lumber on market place likely mills closer to you, there is larch, oak, ash and locust 6x listed within a reasonable distance of me.

 

[HavinFun]

Hi Les,
Thanks. Don’t have a FB account, but need to get one for the marketplace. How would those woods turn? What state are you in? I like road trips.

 

[les-or-more]

Hi Les,
Thanks. Don’t have a FB account, but need to get one for the marketplace. How would those woods turn? What state are you in? I like road trips.

I have not turned any of them so cannot honestly tell you but I would think any of them would be alright with sharp tooling. I was focused more on rot resistance. Larch is highly resistant to decay , white oak machines well and weathers well it is heavy and hard. There are cedar posts here on the farm that were installed before I was born and have never seen any kind of preservative.

 

[diver64]

Do you need hardwood? I put in a couple dozen 8x8 on my 2 wrap around porches that were hemlock.

 

[Chainsaw Pete]

Cedar is fairly soft - I'm not sure about its load bearing ability.

Do they have to be solid? Our house in Cleveland, OH had four round, fluted columns - each about 5' high and maybe 12 - 14" in diameter (maybe 6', and slightly tapered) sitting atop a brick pier. They were glued up like a barrel and then turned. We sold the house last summer, so that makes those columns 104 years old - and the glue has not failed yet. I turned new plinths out of white oak that sits on a piece of sandstone atop the brick piers - after roughly 40 years they are showing more damage than the columns - and all were kept painted.

On two other houses, I boxed in steel columns to support porch roofs. These replaced the original solid wood columns. This would be more difficult with turned columns unless you could split them apart w/ no damage and then glue them around the steel posts. Resorcinol glue is structural and has been used in ship building for a long time. There are also epoxies that would make a permanent bond.

Most folks say to glue up what I need. I prefer not to go the route unless I have to as I fear they will separate at the glue joints eventually when exposed to New England weather, as the finger-jointed have done.

The original posts were no doubt old growth, and I doubt you will find wood of that quality today. Unless...see below. Your comment suggests little or no preventative maintenance. If glued up posts are painted and cared for, they should last a long time.

@Mad Professor had a great idea. Reclaimed timbers from old barns or houses might be the ticket, but again, prices for old wood vary all over the map but would likely be pretty expensive. Old wood warehouses are sought after by companies that dismantle them, slice up the old wood into flooring or mill it into decorative trim and sell it for a small fortune. That is who you will be competing against, unless you find timbers in a rural setting, waiting for someone to buy them.

Identifying old beams might be difficult. Bruce Hoadley used to identify samples sent to him, perhaps someone still does this. You might contact the U of Mass at Amherst and ask. Pick up his book at the library, there is a lot of good information about rot resistant woods.

 

[Mike Van]

I turned a cant hook handle out of black locust a week ago, for as hard as it is it turned nicely. Probably out last me. I'm not sure about where you are, but here in Ct. you won't find an inspector that will sign off on any ungraded wood for structural parts of a dwelling. You'd need an engineer or architect to approve it. I'd check first before your plans went any further.

 

[HavinFun]

Great information, thank you.

Diver: A mill nearby has hemlock, but told me that it would not turn well. Said it will splinter.

Chainsaw: I’ve considered using two shorter pieces of stock, gun drilling, then inserting rebar or some type of rod with glue-epoxy to hold together. I did think about boxing them around a post; prefer to turn, but still a solution. Wood will be painted. Epoxy glue-up should work. Thanks for heads-up on resorcinol. I worked rebuilding Iarge old windows in Gloucester, MA town hall years ago. We used mostly epoxy to repair the frames, but for glueing up that glue should work. I’ll look for Hoadley’s book, thanks.

MP: I didn’t think about reclaimed timber. Passed some up years ago that I regret doing. I’ll look for that as well.

Mike: I build to code. Have to, too risky not to. A large lumber yard/supply center engineers my projects to code before I start. Good suggestions.

The wood doesn’t need to be hardwood, but not too soft a wood. Just needs to turn well and last 40 years.

So, after all these great ideas, if I don’t find either good old growth timber or turnable, rot resistant blanks, I think glue-up will be the route to go. I want to get it done this summer, so will decide shortly.

One of the reasons I’m trying to stay true to style is that people who see this house comment on the beautiful details and styling. Real craftsmen put a lot of soul into it many years ago. I want to do my best to preserve their style. When we were last painting the place, someone suggested that I “just vinyl side it and you’ll never have to paint it again”. I thanked him for the suggestion.
Best regards.

 

[thenne1713]

Hello MP,
I called several mills in my area (So NH), and they only did softwoods. I guess I’ll have to broaden my mill search. I was told maple would be good for turning on a lathe and last in the weather. Would you have a suggestion for a wood species ? The columns in place now, 140 yrs old, are still okay but don’t meet code. Wondering what wood species they’re made of? And thanks for the suggestions.
Best regards.

Consider splicing in new wood repairs of the existing, or trying to find a pro to do that? Call TOH/ Tom Silva for referral?

 

[JD Guy]

So if I understand this correctly you’re wanting to have wood blanks custom turned to replicate the original posts? I would think the most challenging and expensive part of the process would be to find someone with a lathe with a large enough opening to accommodate the length you need. There is a column/post mfg in Troy, AL that has the machinery but don’t know they have the ability to copy your pattern. Worth a look. HB&G is name of company. They do have wood turned posts in the size you require not sure how close the pattern is to what you have though.

 

[Chainsaw Pete]

So if I understand this correctly you’re wanting to have wood blanks custom turned to replicate the original posts?

I was not sure if what you said is true or if he wanted to turn them himself. The latter is not difficult. Once the lathe is secured so it cannot move, rigging an outboard (beyond the ways) tailstock would not be impossible. Delta sold a free standing tool rest and I'm sure this too could be improvised.

Since he said $900 for the lumber was too much, I assumed he was going to turn them himself.

 

[Breckinridge Elkins]

If you were on the West Coast I have an uncle who could mill you anything you want out of redwood. Redwood would give you the greatest rot resistance. Those $900 redwood posts you mentioned aren't such a bad deal if you wanted to get another 140 years out of them. If they aren't 100% heartwood then they are worthless.
When I used to build homes out of milled lumber (including redwood) they would let us use full dimension lumber instead of rated lumber. In your case, I'm guessing your posts would be rated at the minimum diameter after turning. Actually, I'm surprised they aren't making you get an engineer's stamp on this project.
How long are these posts? Finding a lathe that could turn them might be a challenge.