I've got an old wrought iron post on my front porch that I'd like to replace with a solid 6x6 or 8x8 rough cedar post. The floor of the porch is concrete slab, I'm curious how I go about securing the post at the top and bottom without showing the connection. Anybody ever done this before? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Cover the connections with trim and moulding.

I watched two different home shows about this. One idea uses brackets that nail or screw to the cedar post then into the concrete with self tapping masonry screws. You can purchase caps/surrounds to finish out the post or use wood trim cut to fit.

The other show left the wrought iron but surrounded them with styrene/plastic boxes that formed the new column "look" then caps were added top and bottom. These could be painted to match the home's siding colors. This was done to an older detached carport and they turned it into an outdoor covered patio area and the columns/facade better matched the home.

I should also add when they used the cedar post the bracket allowed some clearance to keep the wood off the porch and water wicking possibility but kept the load bearing ability.

[This message has been edited by Mom Class of '03,'05 and '09 (edited 4/30/2011 1:19p).]

I put this one in to match another that was original with the house. It came out really well, at least as far as the match goes. I just attached a cedar 6x6 to the concrete using a Simpson post attachment bracket like in the link below. As Mom said this is to keep the post above any moisture that might accumulate on the ground. I did have to use a hammer drill to attach the bracket to the concrete. I then just used pieces of cedar fence board cut to size as the trim to hide the bracket. I can't remember how I attached it at the top. Probably a simple L-bracket of some type, though.


http://www.strongtie.com/products/connectors/AB-ABA-ABE-ABU.asp

[This message has been edited by bam02 (edited 5/1/2011 8:04a).]