Charlie:
Donald from Commerce, Texas. You know where that is?
Tom:
No. I’ve heard it, but I don’t.
Charlie:
Up near Mount Pleasant.
Tom:
Okay.
Charlie:
It’s far beyond the reach, the terrestrial reach, of 610. I’m sure he’s listening on the podcast or an online fan.
Tom:
Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Charlie:
Appreciate you being out there, Donald. Here’s his question. “I have a 10 foot overhang with a covered 2 by 4 posts about 10 feet apart,” he says. The vertical height’s about 7 or 8 feet. He wants to know would 4 inch schedule 40 PVC pipe work to replace them?
Podcast: Play in new window
Tom:
No. That would not be good.
Charlie:
I’m just writing no. I could put several O’s on the no that I’m sending him. Why?
Tom:
If you fill them full of concrete, it would.
Charlie:
Then it’s a concrete post, really.
Tom:
That’s right.
Charlie:
A clad concrete post.
Tom:
No, it will flex and bend. If you don’t believe me, just take a 20 foot piece and start bending it. It’s crush resistant, but it’s not bend-proof.
Charlie:
It doesn’t have tencel strength.
Tom:
Yeah, it’s not a good idea.
Charlie:
It’s kind of like when they tried doing Hardie fencing.
Tom:
That’s a little different, but still.
Charlie:
That’s good against the wall, but-
Tom:
Yeah, it’s not a great idea.
Charlie:
All the other Hardie stuff is.
Tom:
Perfect.
Charlie:
But, Donald, that’s your program. If you’re going to do the PVC, fill it with concrete.
Tom:
That would work. I mean, it would be a lot of work, but it would work. I’m not sure what he hates about the posts or if he wants to rebuild different posts or whatever, but the PVC schedule 40 will not work.
Charlie:
Is there an alternative to wood? Because I think that’s kind of what he-
Tom:
Steel. Steel posts will work.
Charlie:
Steel