Porch Column Wrap — PVC Wraps Over Rotted Porch Posts
The bottom of the porch post is soft, the paint is peeling, and the old wood wrap has split at the corners. We fix the post and wrap it in PVC so it stays fixed.
A porch column wrap is a PVC sleeve that goes around an existing post so the post stops rotting and the porch looks finished. JMB Builders installs column wraps across the Twin Cities metro: we support the roof on a temporary post, cut out rot at the base of the post and splice or replace it, then fit the PVC wrap, cap and base and seal it. Priced per unit, quoted from photos within one business day.
- Priced per column
- Roof held on a temporary post while the base is repaired
- PVC wrap, cap and base, glued and sealed
- Quote from photos in 1 business day
- Licensed MN contractor BC809005
Most porch columns are a treated 4x4 or 6x6 post with a wood box built around it. The box rots first, at the bottom, because it sits on the concrete or decking and soaks up water every time it rains. Then the post inside starts to go. By the time the corners of the wrap have split and the paint is bubbling, the bottom few inches of the post are usually soft too.
A PVC column wrap kit is the standard fix. It is four PVC boards that lock together around the post, with a cap at the top and a base at the bottom that cover the joints. The wrap never rots, and if it is held up off the concrete and sealed, water does not get behind it. The part that matters is what happens before the wrap goes on: the roof has to be supported on a temporary post, the old box has to come off, and the rot at the bottom of the post has to be cut out and replaced with sound treated wood or a post base that keeps the post off the slab.
We do the whole thing in one visit per column. The wrap goes on white, filled at the nail holes and caulked at the cap and base. Painting is quoted as a separate line, or leave it white and be done.
What you supply
- Photos: the base of the column up close, the whole column, and the porch from the yard so we can count columns and see the roof
- Wrap size and style, or leave it to us and we match the width of the existing box
- Your trim color if you want the wraps painted rather than left white
What JMB supplies
- A temporary post and jack to carry the roof load while the column is open
- Removal and haul-away of the old wood wrap and any rotted post material
- Post repair: the rotted base cut out square and replaced with treated stock, or a new treated post when the rot goes too far up
- A metal post base or standoff so the new wood is held off the concrete
- PVC column wrap kit, cap and base, fitted, glued at the corners and fastened to the post
- Exterior sealant at the cap and base, with the bottom edge left open to drain
- Photos of the finished columns in your job folder
- Painting the wraps when you want it done, quoted as its own line
How it is priced: per unit
Quoted in writing from your photos within one business day. What moves the number:
- Rot in the wood box only, or in the post itself, which means a splice or a new post
- Column height and width, which sets the size of the wrap kit
- Plain square wrap vs. tapered, fluted or a wrap with a separate cap and base molding
- Whether the post sits on concrete, on a deck, or on a pier that also needs attention
- Roof load above the column, which decides how it is supported while we work
- Number of columns done in the same visit; a full porch is cheaper per column than one
Push a screwdriver into the bottom of the post inside the old wrap, if you can reach it, and tell us what it does. That tells us whether the post needs a splice.
How long it takes
One column with a base repair: about half a day. A porch with four columns: a full day or a bit more. Painting is quoted as its own line.
How your project works
- 1
Send photos, get a written quote
Send three photos of the space and a sentence about what you want. You get a clear, itemized quote within one business day. We only come out to measure first when the job needs a tape measure — no pressure, no games.
- 2
Pick materials, or bring your own
We help you choose profiles and materials that fit the house and the budget, or match your existing millwork exactly — or you buy the door or trim yourself and we install it. Everything is confirmed before the crew is scheduled.
- 3
Clean, precise installation
The crew shows up on time, protects floors and furniture, and installs with tight joints and consistent reveals. Photos of the finished work go in your job folder.
- 4
Walkthrough and invoice
We walk the finished work with you. If anything is not right, we fix it before we call the job done. Then one invoice, paid by check or direct deposit — no card fees, no payment links.
Situations and options
Wrap only, post is sound
The old box is rotted but the post inside is solid. We strip the box, set a standoff at the base, fit the PVC wrap, cap and base, and seal it. Fastest version of the job.
Post base spliced
The bottom few inches of the post are soft. With the roof on a temporary post we cut the bad section out, splice in treated stock with a lapped joint and through-bolts, set it on a metal base, then wrap it.
New post
The rot runs too far up to splice. We carry the roof, pull the post, set a new treated post on a metal base anchored to the concrete, and wrap it. The wrap makes the new post look like the rest.
Full porch, all columns
Every column done in one visit with matching wraps, caps and bases. We work one column at a time so the roof is never on fewer supports than it should be.
Porch Column Wrap — PVC Wraps Over Rotted Porch Posts: questions, answered
What is a porch column wrap?
A column wrap is a hollow sleeve, usually cellular PVC, that goes around an existing porch post. Most kits are four boards with locking or mitered corners that assemble around the post, plus a cap piece at the top and a base piece at the bottom that cover the joints. It is a cover, not a structural post: the post inside still carries the roof, which is why the post has to be sound before the wrap goes on.
Can you wrap a porch post that is rotted at the bottom?
Not without fixing the post first. A wrap hides rot, it does not stop it, and a post that is soft at the base will keep going until the porch roof sags. We support the roof on a temporary post, cut the rotted section out, splice in new treated wood or replace the post, set it on a metal base off the concrete, and then wrap it. The wrap is the last step, not the fix.
Do you have to support the roof to repair a porch column?
Yes, whenever the post itself is being cut or replaced. We set a temporary post and jack next to the column, take the load, and then open the column up. If we are only replacing the wood box around a sound post, the post never comes out and the roof stays on it. We work one column at a time on a porch with several.
Will a PVC column wrap rot like the wood one did?
No. Cellular PVC does not absorb water, so sitting near a wet slab does not hurt it. What can go wrong is water getting inside the wrap and sitting against the post, which is why we hold the wrap and the post off the concrete, seal the top at the cap, and leave the bottom edge open so anything that gets in drains out. The post inside stays dry and the wrap stays clean.
Can a column wrap go over a 4x4 post?
Yes. Most wraps are sized to fit around a 4x4 or 6x6 with room to spare, and the finished column ends up wider than the post, which is what people usually want on a porch. We shim between the post and the wrap so it stays square and does not rattle, and pick a size that matches the width of the old box so the porch looks the way it did, only new.
Do porch column wraps come painted?
PVC wraps come white and can stay white. The corners are glued, nail holes filled and the cap and base caulked. If your trim is another color, painting is quoted as a separate line, or leave it white and paint it yourself. PVC takes exterior paint well as long as a lighter color is used.
Get a written quote for this job
Three photos and a sentence is enough. You hear back within one business day. Or text the photos to 763-204-2099.
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Read morePage reviewed September 24, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All exterior trim pages
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