# Suggestions for installing vinyl on porch posts please



## home2me (Aug 26, 2007)

Would like to install vinyl on my porch columns. The existing posts are structurally sound and I want to keep them in place, but don't want to be scraping paint and painting them to keep them looking good. The posts are 46 inches tall and are placed on a tall brick base with a concrete square on top of the brick. The posts taper from 10 1/2 inches at the bottom to 6 1/2 inches at the top. Any ideas for how to best do this? Have noticed some homes in my area that have siding installed on the columns. The rest of the house has the double dutch lap, is this too wide to use on the posts? Should I use the more narrow siding for this? Someone suggested that I  use soffit instead of siding on them. Any other suggestions or the pros and cons of doing this? Any other products that might work better than either of these? Would appreciated any advice. Thanks.


----------



## MTCquality (Sep 16, 2007)

I have the same issue with my old gingerbread posts and rails. the old wood work is awesome looking but beat up from years of neglect and abuse, I thought about beadblasting and MAYBE a spray on vinyl to coat them. I have heard nothing good about spray on for a house but I am looking at what it might do for my old porch.

Thanks

God Bless


----------



## glennjanie (Sep 16, 2007)

Welcome Home2Me:
Your porch posts can be covered with an aluminum coil stock that has a PVC finish on it. You will need an aluminum break and some savy for making seams on the corners. 
You could consult a sheet metal shop, a siding specialist or take the coil stock and your measurements to the sheet metal class in your local vocational school. The instructor and students will love to get their hands on a real live project and the work is usually free; you just buy the metal.
Glenn


----------



## solitude (Dec 27, 2008)

> Would like to install vinyl on my porch columns. The existing posts are structurally sound and I want to keep them in place, but don't want to be scraping paint and painting them to keep them looking good. The posts are 46 inches tall and are placed on a tall brick base with a concrete square on top of the brick. The posts taper from 10 1/2 inches at the bottom to 6 1/2 inches at the top. Any ideas for how to best do this? Have noticed some homes in my area that have siding installed on the columns. The rest of the house has the double dutch lap, is this too wide to use on the posts? Should I use the more narrow siding for this? Someone suggested that I use soffit instead of siding on them. Any other suggestions or the pros and cons of doing this? Any other products that might work better than either of these? Would appreciated any advice. Thanks.



The important thing is how you install the porch posts. I am tell you all the procedure with tips and chips so now first  mark out locations for your porch posts with spray paint and chalk before installation. Use paint on the dirt to mark out the position for each post, and use chalk on the hand rails to line up your posts.
*than*
Cut your porch posts to the right height to avoid problems with your porch roof. You can measure the desired height for your roof and preexisting hand rails to install posts of the correct size.
Excavate holes just outside of the perimeter of the porch before you install your posts. With a shovel, dig uniform circles slightly larger than your posts to avoid wiggle room.Spread a few layers of primer to your porch posts in an effort to maintain the color of the wood.Use a sledge hammer to install porch posts into the ground with sufficient pressure.Create concrete piers to install porch posts without excavation. These piers are concrete blocks with slots for your posts that possess enough weight to stay in place without digging any holes.Finish the installation process of your porch posts by applying an outdoor paint. Hunt down a color that matches the rest of your home exterior by finding paints designed for the outdoors by Pittsburgh Paints because its best.


----------

