Bracing a Porch for Support

Remove the nails from the decking, or floorboards, on the top of the porch with a hammer. If the boards do not come loose from the porch base once you pry them up with a hammer, gently tap a putty knife under each board where it sits against the frame to break through any paint or stain that may be holding the wood together.

Check the posts and crossties currently installed beneath the porch for stability by touching them and seeing if they move. If the boards do not sit firmly in place, add additional concrete around posts to secure them in the ground and tighten any screws that hold the crossties in place to secure them to the posts. If any boards or posts show signs of rod or water damage, remove these boards or posts for replacement.

Add additional posts to provide additional bracing to support the porch if the porch feels unstable. Cut the posts down to the same length as the posts already in place, plus another 6 to 8 inches. Dig a hole for each post to a depth of 6 or 8 inches, depending upon the additional length you added to each post, place the post in the hole and pour concrete around the bottom of the post inside the hole to secure it in place.

Add extra crossties between posts to add bracing to the porch structure. Use a board between each set of posts on both sides of the posts, or even double up the boards on one side of the post, lining the boards up and securing them with screws long enough to pass through both boards and into the post.

Replace any hollow columns on a porch with solid wood posts. Secure the posts to the ceiling of the porch by attaching metal angles to the tops of the posts and to the ceiling with screws. Secure the posts to the floor of the porch by attaching metal angles to the bottoms of the posts and to the floor.