About the 4x4s holding up my porch deck which is 27 years old. The small deck in front of my front door is 9-10 feet high, with stairs up to it. The deck is 6x11, and made of cedar. The decking boards are old, though ok. A couple of the joists are rotting though, so I'm replacing just about everything. But the 4x4 posts are still solid from top to bottom. I can't see anything wrong with them. I'd like to use them when I replace the rest of it. Any thoughts?
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4You will need to check with your local building department. I think building code as been updated to need 6x6 posts for new decks, but will to know if your work is just replacing some wood or is consider a rebuild needing new larger posts.– crip659Mar 24 at 23:40
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I haven't seen 6x6 being required, but the treatment rating for ground contact is often only readily available in posts of that size or larger. Anyway, are your posts underground? Have you inspected their entire length? Are they on modern frost footings? Please revise to add information to your question post. It doesn't belong down here.– isherwoodMar 25 at 14:25
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1 Answer
You absolutely can reuse your posts if they're solid. However, you may need to isolate them from the concrete according to modern standards. This may mean using steel standoffs or other devices, or using secondary foundation posts below. If they're in contact with the ground at all they'll need appropriate treatment.
There's no ageism in carpentry. If a board can do the job, it can do the job. Same goes for the carpenter.