Pergola post bowed - advice pls

[NewbieRaf]

Hey All

Just got back from a two week holiday and I’m sure that my pergola post has bowed just that little bit more than when I left (see picture Below). The question is should I change it? If so what sort of contraption do I need to extract it as I know it will be a hard job getting it out as it was hard work getting it in

thanks

 

[Thingybob]

You could create a boxing around the outside that would hide the bow small battons fastened to post taking care to keep verticle straightness then clad with feather edge or 6x1 rough sawn , Saves all the hard work trying to remove post and replacing

 

[Jacob]

Looks OK to me. You should see our place!

 

[Bingy man]

I would live with it but keep an eye on it and if it gets progressively worse then come up with a plan of action - possibly consider a thicker post . If removing it is difficult then although a bit pricey you could use galvanised angle iron on each corner and effectively clamp it in place with suitable bolts and then as thingybob suggested clad it in rough sawn timber to hide the steel - I used this method a few year’s ago to repair two porch supports that were badly split in the middle and it’s still intact to this day - I used reclaimed galvanised angle to reduce the cost as they were approx 10 feet long.. plenty of sash cramps left in place for as long as possible then clad or just paint the steel if your not bothered by the looks .

 

[NewbieRaf]

Thank you @Bingy man and @Thingybob. I’m having trouble visualising what you mean, can you perhaps find me a picture of what you mean?
I presume by an angle iron you mean a right angle price of steel to clamp to the horizontal and vertical?

 

[Bingy man]

Ok I’ve done a rough sketch - this is based on you not being able or wanting to remove and replace your post , you are basically wrapping enclosing the post with angle iron- flat steel bent in to a 90deg quadrant which imo will reinforce the post , you will in effect be able to pull the post straight to help straighten it , once all 4 corners are clamped you can then use suitable coach bolts to secure - or do 1 or 2 corners at a time . It’s easier with 2 people and the original post stays in situ. I’m pretty bad at drawing but hope you can see what I mean . It all comes down to how difficult it is to just replace the post you have . The steel ( galvanised is best as it won’t rust ) can then be covered with anything you choose- rough sawn or planed etc.

 

[Bingy man]

Ok I’ve done a rough sketch - this is based on you not being able or wanting to remove and replace your post , you are basically wrapping enclosing the post with angle iron- flat steel bent in to a 90deg quadrant which imo will reinforce the post , you will in effect be able to pull the post straight to help straighten it , once all 4 corners are clamped you can then use suitable coach bolts to secure - or do 1 or 2 corners at a time . It’s easier with 2 people and the original post stays in situ. I’m pretty bad at drawing but hope you can see what I mean . It all comes down to how difficult it is to just replace the post you have . The steel ( galvanised is best as it won’t rust ) can then be covered with anything you choose- rough sawn or planed etc.

Should of said the steel needs to be 3-4 mm thick for strength and extend the entire length of the visible post on all 4 corners ( vertically)

 

[baldkev]

Its a reasonable idea ( the angle irons ) but over that length, they will deflect. I set a 3mm stainless angle into a table once and when the wood moved, the angle bowed.... it was only 850mm across the grain. 5mm is stronger, but box section is stronger still. A box section 5mm mounted to one face might work. Youd fix the 2 ends, then straighten the post and fix the middle and maybe everr 300mm

 

[Bingy man]

Its a reasonable idea ( the angle irons ) but over that length, they will deflect. I set a 3mm stainless angle into a table once and when the wood moved, the angle bowed.... it was only 850mm across the grain. 5mm is stronger, but box section is stronger still. A box section 5mm mounted to one face might work. Youd fix the 2 ends, then straighten the post and fix the middle and maybe everr 300mm

What you say makes sense as the job I did was pretty straight - the post was split but I got to it before it warped / twisted. I guess it comes down to how bowed that post is

 

[Robbo3]

If you do decide to take it out use a farm jack with a length of chain.
I've removed fence posts with attached concrete larger than a bucket & a shrub with a 3 foot root ball that was so heavy I could only just drag it.

 

[Orraloon]

Grow a climbing plant up it and nobody will notice the bow in the post.
As said if the bow keeps getting worse then go to plan B.
Regards
John

 

[dzj]

Perhaps wrap some 1" stock around the post, in the manner of those faux beams people attach to their ceilings.

 

[NewbieRaf]

Thank you all and @Bingy man for the drawing as it explains it perfectly. Also the Farm Jack idea looks good. I think I’ll monitor and perhaps go with Plan A. If the wife complains at the look then onto the Farm jack I will go. Thanks a lot everyone

 

[Stevekane]

I think I would screw a piece of somthing like Gravel Board down the back and front faces, you can then fill in here and there with a few scraps down the sides where its low and finish of with more gravel board to cover the sides, it would beef up the appearance and add a bit of strength and you could hide the joints at the top too.
Steve.