Q: I have a traditional patio with a roof on it that has been on my house for about 35 years. Now two of the three supporting beams are getting rotten, and in one corner of the patio some of the concrete has cracked and broken off. Can I clean up that concrete and put a form in and then fill it with new concrete? My eventual plan is to replace the rotten beams as well. I have a screw jack to use for that job.
A: After you’ve cleaned up the old concrete, you can build a form and fill it with fresh concrete. You might want to put some rebar in it to connect the new area to the older concrete. Make sure the concrete has thoroughly dried before proceeding with the rest of the job. If you’re planning to remove the beams yourself, you need to support the roof, of course, when you take the old beams out and replace them. And if you have a screw jack to do it and know how to use it to lift moderately heavy weights, then that should work.
For more do-it-yourself tips, go to rosieonthehouse.com. An Arizona home building and remodeling industry expert for 25 years, Rosie Romero is the host of the syndicated Saturday morning Rosie on the House radio program, heard locally from 8-11 a.m. on KNST-AM (790) in Tucson and KGVY-AM (1080) and -FM (100.7) in Green Valley. Call 888-767-4348.
