Guide To Repairing Rotted Post For Your Sioux City Garage Door Frame

Post-frame garages, just like many other types of custom post-frame buildings, are popular because they’re inexpensive and quick to build. Pole barn maintenance in the Tri-State area is also easy. But “easy maintenance” doesn’t mean “maintenance-free.” Sometimes a structure needs some TLC to get back to its original condition, and that’s when it’s a good idea to call Koskovich and Murphy.

Steps to Repair a Post Garage Door Frame

Let’s go through the process of repairing a garage door frame.

Gather Your Tools and Materials

The first thing you’ll want to do is make sure you have everything you need close at hand. 

• A circular saw and a reciprocating saw
• 2×4, 2×6, and 4×6 pressure-treated pine—match the existing lumber dimensions
• Three-inch galvanized screws
• Metal post anchor with a galvanized carriage bolt
• A claw hammer, pry bar, screwdriver, and utility knife or multitool 
• A caulk gun and silicone caulk (optional: keep isopropyl alcohol on hand for cleanup) 
• Concrete, a mixing tub, a pointed trowel, and a margin trowel
• A Shop Vac
• Exterior-grade latex paint and a paintbrush

Remove the Trim

The first thing you’ll need to do is carefully remove the trim from the affected area. If this was caulked, use the utility knife (or your multi-tool) to remove the caulk. Depending on how the trim was attached, carefully use either your screwdriver or pry bar to remove the trim, and set it aside. Don’t try to remove the jamb or post with the trim still on; this can damage the trim on the header, and may even damage the header itself.

Inspect the Frame

Before we proceed to the next step, we strongly suggest inspecting the other jamb, the header, and surrounding wood for signs of rot and termite damage. If you see that the jamb you planned to work on isn’t your only problem, you’re dealing with a more complex repair, especially if the rot has gotten into load-bearing components. Call a professional.

Brace the Header

Cut two equal lengths of 2×6, using one as a sill plate and the other, tapped into place with a hammer, to gently lift the header so the rotted post can be removed.

Remove the Rotted Post

Your reciprocating saw should make short work of the nails holding the post in place. Once that’s done, pull the post out, then dig any remaining rotted wood and other debris out of the hole where the post once stood.

Time for Concrete!

Mix a batch of concrete and shovel it into the hole where the post stood. Use a pointed trowel to work out any trapped air, then smooth the concrete with the margin trowel.

Anchors Aweigh

Put a galvanized carriage bolt into the metal post anchor, then insert it head-first into the concrete. Once the anchor is properly in place, put an anchor cap over the hex nut on the carriage bolt and let the concrete cure.

Next Steps

While the concrete is curing, cut away any decayed door jamb sections with your circular saw. Cut replacements, and also cut a replacement post from the 4×6. Once the concrete is cured, the 4×6 will sit atop the metal post anchor, whereupon you can tap the upper end into place beneath the header. Once it’s properly seated, you can fasten the top of the post to the header using three-inch galvanized screws.

Finishing Touches

Now you can install 2x4s under the door jambs, screwing them into the 4×6. When that’s done, you can remove the 2×6 support, then replace the trim, securing it with two-inch galvanized screws. Finally, caulk the joints, then step back and admire your handiwork. 

Pick Up The Phone

Conversely, you might’ve read this far and thought to yourself, “Y’know what? That sounds like an awful lot of work.” You’re not wrong. Calling an experienced pole barn contractor in the Sioux City area means not having to borrow tools from your neighbor, no safety concerns, no second-guessing whether it’s done right, and you get to do something better with your time than squashing your thumbs, or sweating and cursing at rotted wood and lumber.

Why Koskovich and Murphy for Post-Frame Repairs and Maintenance?

For nearly all your post-frame construction needs, from barndominiums to post-frame carports, get in touch with us. We offer design services, turnkey construction, maintenance, repairs, and more, backed by a 40-year warranty on parts and materials. It’s all a call or click away, so get in touch with Koskovich and Murphy today!