Galvanised windposts

[vfrdave]

I have 4 wind posts in my new house which were made as requested by contractor, unfortunately this is incorrect and they are too short.

 

What options do I have? Can I get them extended with a welded section on the end or do I need new posts?

 

All ideas welcome.

 

PS said contractor is no longer employed for a number of reasons.

[Jeremy Harris]

Welding galvanised steel can be done, but the fumes are toxic, so it has to be done with care, and the galvanising has to be ground off where the welds will go.  I hate welding galvanised, personally, as it's pretty evil.  There's also the problem that you lose the corrosion protection for the welded on section and around the weld.  You can use something like Galvafroid cold galvanising paint to protect the steel, though, in my experience it works well.

 

I think my first choice would be be to see if there was any way of bolting on an extension.  Drilling some bolt holes would be a fair bit simpler than grinding, welding and then adding corrosion protection, if it's practical to do this.

[Triassic]

I'd make up an extension piece with a bolt pad on each end, bolt the extension peice to the holding down bolts and site the wind post on the pad and bolt in place.

 

Google "spool piece" and you'll get the idea.

Edited May 25, 2017 by Triassic

[Triassic]

Just a thought, I have a pair of wind posts in my TF build, I wasn't going to get them galvanised, I was just going to paint them. Which should I be going for, galvanised or painted?

[Jeremy Harris]

I've ripped out an ordinary, "red lead" primed UB that was around 40 years old and there was no sign of rust on it.  The flip side is that I've also seen a thick bit of angle iron used to support brickwork over a fireplace opening corrode away to nothing after maybe 20 years or so.

 

I'd guess that if the steel is enclosed in the fabric of the building, and not subject to condensation or other moisture, then it probably needs nothing more than a coat of paint.

[PeterW]

If they are inside the main part of the build they will last decades without exposure to the elements. 

 

Paint is quick and easy if they have been shot blasted. Still not too difficult if they haven't as you just need to give them a good wire brushing.  

Edited May 25, 2017 by PeterW
Crossed with JSH

[vfrdave]

21 minutes ago, Triassic said:

I'd make up an extension piece with a bolt pad on each end, bolt the extension peice to the holding down bolts and site the wind post on the pad and bolt in place.

 

Google "spool piece" and you'll get the idea.

Sounds like a sensible option will run it past BC just to check.

 

Thanks

[vfrdave]

To keep this current our solution was in fact determined by the structural engineer and consisted of a concrete pad shuttered and poured in the wall within the subfloor area (not bridging the cavity) to allow for the wind posts to be increased in height.