Porch Post & Structural Repair in Bergen County, NJ
Rotted porch posts, soft columns, a porch roof sitting on wood that's giving out. We tell you straight whether it can be saved or has to be replaced, then fix the cause so it doesn't come back. Licensed, insured, family-owned out of Bogota.
We'd rather save it — but safety comes first
We're not quick to do full replacements. If a post can be saved, we'd rather save it. Part of the job is figuring that out honestly: is this a repair that merits saving the post, or does it need to be replaced? A post is holding up a roof, so once rot has taken enough of it that the porch is losing its structural integrity, it gets replaced. Safety comes first, before anything.
Real job: five porch posts in Oakland, NJ
A homeowner in Oakland reached out about his front porch. Two or three of the posts were more than 25% rotted. He'd already tried patching some of them himself, and the patches kept failing, because nobody had fixed what was causing it.
We went in planning to repair the two that didn't look as bad. On closer inspection, all five had rotted the same way, and the porch was close to losing its structural integrity. So we shored the roof and swapped all five.
Why engineered columns, not pressure-treated
Years ago, pressure-treated lumber was cut from old-growth wood, and it was pretty stable. Almost everything milled today is new growth, and as it dries out it's close to guaranteed to twist, bow or crack. The yards still sell PT posts, but put one in and you'll get the callback. So for posts we go engineered.
- Engineered column — structurally stable; it doesn't warp and twist like pressure-treated.
- PVC sleeve glued over it — water can never get in and touch the column again.
- Factory finish — no paint required. A repair like this should last 10 to 20 years.
Walkaround of the finished porch.
"Excellent experience replacing my porch beams. Edwin was friendly, professional, and provided several great options that matched the style I wanted. The workmanship and final quality were outstanding—the porch looks much better and feels solid and well built. I highly recommend them for carpentry, porch repairs, and exterior home projects."
What we look at
Soft or rotted at the base, or patched before and still rotting. Saved where we can, replaced where we must.
Posts sitting right on concrete, no standoff, water with nowhere to go. Fix the cause, not just the wood.
An honest call on whether a repair is worth it or the member is done. Text photos and you'll get it straight.
Rot on trim, fascia or deck boards? That's on our wood rot repair page. Deck structure? See repair or replace your deck.
Porch post questions, straight answers
Why did my porch post rot at the bottom?
Usually because it's sitting directly on the concrete with no standoff plate under it. Concrete holds water, and that water wicks straight up into the bottom of the post, so it rots from the base out. Patching the outside doesn't stop it, because the cause is still there.
Can a rotted porch post be repaired, or does it have to be replaced?
Depends how far the rot has gone. We're not quick to do full replacements, and we'd rather save what we can. But a post is holding up the roof, so once the rot has taken enough that the porch is losing its structural integrity, it gets replaced. Safety comes first.
Why engineered columns instead of pressure-treated wood?
The old-growth lumber that used to get pressure-treated was stable. Today's is mostly new growth, and as it dries it's almost guaranteed to twist, bow or crack. For posts that means a callback, so we use engineered columns and glue a PVC sleeve over them.
How long does an engineered column with a PVC sleeve last?
The sleeve keeps water from ever touching the column again, and it has a factory finish, so no painting. A repair like this should last 10 to 20 years.
How do I get an estimate?
Text a few photos of the post, column or soft spot to (201) 245-3443. We'll tell you straight whether it can be saved or needs replacing. Free estimate by text or video, no site visit needed.
Where we work
Porch post and structural repair across Bergen County, including Oakland, Tenafly, Ridgewood, Paramus, Teaneck, Hackensack, Englewood, Fort Lee, Glen Rock and more. See all the towns we serve.