# Cover old basement pole



## coolbordel (Feb 9, 2021)

Hello

I would like to cover those support poles of my basement but I am not sure how to proceed because of the size of the footing.
The footing is 14x12 '' which is huge compared to the post which is 4x4''. 
How would you suggest me to do it ? 
Should I box around the 4x4 from the flat area at its base, then find some molding to cover the bottom part ? Or should I just box from around the footing right to the ceiling ?
Also, can I nail or screw into those support post ? I think they are old Douglas fir 4x4.

Thanks a lot
Tom











http://imgur.com/PPfjlbb


Thanks a lot


----------



## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

Whether you cover the larger area encompassing the footing or just the post is a matter of aesthetics. What is going to look best to you.

What are those posts supporting?

George


----------



## shoot summ (Feb 21, 2014)

I agree with George.

The challenge is scale, if you trim out the base, the post will look very small on top of it, IMO you will need to make the post look larger.

For the post pictured, by the time you trim it out there is very little room left between it and the wall, have you considered just bringing the wall out and around it?


----------



## coolbordel (Feb 9, 2021)

The post supports one of the beam of the house. There are actually two posts like that i would like to cover, the other one is in the middle of the room. This one is indeed very close to the wall. I was thinking maybe I could include it into a shelf built between it and the wall. But I am not sure how to start.


----------



## johnep (Apr 12, 2007)

Note that the post is wood and not structural steel. Looks good as it is to me.
johnep


----------



## coolbordel (Feb 9, 2021)

I agree, I think it would look great as it is, if only the footing was not that big.
Do you think there is any risk to its structural integrity, if I nail or screw boards into it to cover it ?


----------



## Unfinished Projects (Mar 9, 2021)

Darn footing, a lifetime of tripping.


----------



## JayArr (Sep 18, 2018)

I find it odd to see a footing poured proud of the floor that way. 

In my neck of the woods we would dig down about 18-24" to undisturbed earth and then pour up to the floor level.

Is there a reason it sticks up like that?


----------



## johnep (Apr 12, 2007)

Looks to me that post sits on floor and footing put round to stop it moving.
johnep


----------



## TomCT2 (May 16, 2014)

the post near the wall I'd make a return into the wall. if shelving is to go along the wall, interrupt the shelf runs at the zigzag, artfully....

the middle post: what the basement use?
a round bottom with a footrest plate + column up to a round/square/hex/octagon table,,,, some place to hold my beer while throwing darts....

otherwise I'd do a round barrel stave design, diameter to enclose footer. tapered to ceiling, if you want more fancy.

looks like a precast base, to keep the end of the post dry. the floor looks to have been cut - one could presume to put a proper footer under a settled(?) post.


----------



## johnep (Apr 12, 2007)

I am using posts to support the roof of my shed. I have held the posts firm by a couple of brackets. In you case I met take away the pittings and use 4 bracket screwed to he post and bolted to the floor. The post could not move.
johnep


----------



## coolbordel (Feb 9, 2021)

Thanks for the suggestions TomCT2. That what I would like to do, to make an open shelving from the post to the zigzag part of the wall. This part, behind that post will be a small cinema area with the screen on the wall behind that post. The other part of the basement will be a office / guest room area. Here a few a pictures for a bigger view of the room (sorry it is a mess down there).

I do not know why the post is like that. Could it be possible that the floor was digged after the post and its foot were installed ?


----------



## TomCT2 (May 16, 2014)

the house / construction looks to be older - in the good old daze it was not uncommon to plunk a support post right on a 4" slab and call it good - i.e. 'no foundation support' other than the slab.
my guess is stuff was sagging so the floor above got additional supports installed - or someone simply wanted to take the bounce out of long span....
In which case the concrete floor would be cut, dug to a depth&area, a larger footer poured, the precast used to keep the post off the floor - rubble stone basement walls? like would have had water time to time....

other odd things than can happen.... seriously rearrangement of load carrying structure for the house above...stuff like removing walls, installing beams for a larger room... hard to say without a complete inspecting/checking.

in our own house searching we've come across stuff that was a simple "Can you believe _that_?" - people can get very 'creative' with DIY solutions....


----------



## coolbordel (Feb 9, 2021)

I think you are quite right. The house is 100 years old and there was at some point some big renovations on the foundations and the floor, I would say in the last 20 years. They added new floor joists, new post (not the one in the picture), and they probably done those footing modifications. The foundation are indeed rubble stone, in a very good state, well maintained and parged (never saw any water in the 5 years I lived there). Thanks for the historical info !


----------



## coolbordel (Feb 9, 2021)

About covering the post. I am thinking about boxing the footing with 2x2, then covering the post until reaching the beam. I think I will avoid nailing or screwing anything into the post and will just surround it. I will anchor the structure to the concrete floor and the beam. I will use pressure treated 2x2 around the concrete footing. 
=> Do you think there is any risks to drill holes to the concrete floor, that close to the footing to anchor the 2x2 with tapcons ?


----------



## TomCT2 (May 16, 2014)

coolbordel said:


> => Do you think there is any risks to drill holes to the concrete floor, that close to the footing to anchor the 2x2 with tapcons ?


nada issue - if precast, as is probably, it extends 10-12 inches below the current floor level.


----------



## Packard (Jul 27, 2018)

Solve the tripping problem with a "bench around the tree" option. It obviously would have to be scaled appropriately.


----------



## thetazva (Apr 30, 2021)

coolbordel said:


> Hello
> 
> I would like to cover those support poles of my basement but I am not sure how to proceed because of the size of the footing.
> The footing is 14x12 '' which is huge compared to the post which is 4x4''.
> ...


It appears that possibly at some point the bottom of the post was sitting on the floor and rotted, the floor was dug up to put in the proper footing to support the load and the old post cut off to fit the new pier . You can see where the floor was cut and patched. I would tie the enclosure of the post into the wall as well.


----------

