Dry Rot

[Bert Combs]

The picture is of the pillar supporting a corner of my porch roof. I belive the dry rot only involves the decorative parts and not the actuall load bearing structure. Can I simply cover the dry rot and replace those pieces that need replacing? (2×4's between brick and post) I guess what I'm getting to is do I have to remove all the dry rot or can i cover it and seal the seams? 

[Tom King]

Too hard to tell by looking at the picture.  That's not dry rot.  It's from water getting back under the cap sealant.  It didn't rot while it was dry.   Probe it good with an ice pick, or awl, to see how much solid wood is left before deciding how to proceed. 

 I'd use Sikkens construction sealant to caulk whatever you cap that base with.  You can find it in Home Depot over near the concrete, not where all the other caulking is sold in the paint section.

[Bert Combs]

Thanks Tom. Calling it dry rot is a clue to my experience level!

There is a planter directly over the area that did drip water over the years. Obviously the source.

The 2nd pic shows what it should look like with the Bondo I found that the original owner used trying to repair it years ago. 

If I can I'll simply replace the vertical pieces covering the damage. Ill also replace the 2x4's between the stone and the post and seal everything. 

By leaving some of the damage will more damage occur? 

[Tom King]

Let it dry out all the way before wrapping it up, and then redo it so water can't get back in, and it should be okay.   If it's still wet now, I'd soak it with bleach, and then let it dry out.

[Bert Combs]

Thank you sir...

[Wimayo]

The term "dryrot" is a bit misleading. It is actually caused by a fungus in the presence of moisture. I don't know if you have dryrot or not, but it is certainly damaged and needs repairing. With respect to Tom King, I think letting it dry and wrapping it up is just asking for a recurrence of the problem.  I'm assuming that the stonework is only decorative and the post goes all the way to the concrete slab. I'm also assuming that whatever is below the top of the stonework does not provide any rigidity or lateral support to the post; just vertical support. My solution would be to provide temporary lift and support to the porch roof, saw off the post just above the stonework, fill the cavity with concrete (slope the top edges for drainage), seal the bottom of the post. and then set the post and roof back down. Then add back new trimwork if you like. This will fix the problem and eliminate recurrence for the years ahead.

[Bert Combs]

Thanks for the advice. I need to keep this DIY just because of the lack of money issue related to your suggestion. I certainly don't possess the skill needed to accomplish that level of fix. 

Thanks tho...

[Wimayo]

Understood. You do what your are comfortable with. However, I know from experience that this kind of damage is usually deeper than it appears on the surface. I would do some serious probing with a chisel to make sure the post is not structurally compromised. Show us what you find.

I can't help but wonder if the outer part of the post is made of 1x8s (or similar) that box in an interior post; maybe steel. If so, it might be simpler to replace the outer boxing; assuming the interior post is still sound.