Patio Cover Repair Suggestions (1 Viewer)

[liveoak]

My sister in Santa Fe had a patio cover built out of douglas fir and the beams have started to twist. The contractor doesn't want to do anything but replace the beams at a high cost. I was thinking of making some T shaped 1/4" metal plates that sandwich the connections together with 6 through bolts and try to twist them back before it gets worse. There are 2 post in the middle that the beams rest on that are twisting the most. The corners are twisting a bit but that isn't as bad. Does anyone have any other suggestions or does anyone want to tackle this project or know someone who could(obviously we would pay)? I may just drive out there from San Diego myself if I can't find anyone and maybe get some off roading in at the same time. Also, that's my Mom in the pic, not my sister.

 

[NMBruce]

They need to be sealed, a good weather seal like TotalBoat Penetrating Epoxy Sealer - https://www.totalboat.com/product/penetrating-epoxy. The boards are drying out and twisting. I personally would think a good contractor should know this.

The boards might be able to be cut to take the twist out of them. New boards that are installed and not treated will do the same thing.

This is hickory wood that I sealed with a cheap sealer, had 4 coats of a TotalBoat varnish on it and it got soaked on a trip to Texas, after getting back to Pagosa, the wood straightened right out. The other door cracked and split.

 

[alia176]

Chris,

Your plan sounds solid to me but I'm no expert. I can make up the Two Tees with holes and procure the correct length bolts/nuts/lock washers/washers.

Text me and we can sort it out.

 

[marcfj60]

I don't think there is any way to get the twist out at this point but securing with some beefy steel straps/Tees/lag bolts might stop further twist. And sealing them as NMBruce suggested is also a good idea. In that second picture, you could drill a through hole at an angle in the lower piece, upwards toward the upper piece, and then put a big lag bolt with washer that would draw that gap closed. But it's going to make the other end twist as well so you'd need to restrain the other end to keep it from twisting, or settle for something that splits the difference with the twist.