Expert: Dan Griffin - 11/24/2007

Question
I have 3 lally columns in my basement on the load bearing wall. The end of the run at both ends rests on cement blocks and looks fine. The middle lally column has wicked water and is weeping water. I want to replace. Home Depot has the permanent columns. I can borrow 2 adjustable columns. I would like to cut off the old column at the bottom with a saw and grind it down to floor level. Then remove. Then install a new column that has been filled with cement and cured. Then I could secure it into the concrete floor with bolts and do the same at the top with lag bolts. Does this sound do-able? Do you have any suggestions or other way to do the job?
Thanks,
Paul

Answer
Paul, I answered this question last week, but it still shows up.  I hope you did receive the answer I sent.

Here is a short version:
I am surprised that you have that much water and maybe you need to consider subsurface drainage, though if you not having any other problems I guess I would let it go.  Inspectors often require trapping the bottoms below floor grade so the uneducated don't think they can just take a bearing column out for the pool table or whatever.

As a repair scenario you could grind through the thin shelled steel pipe around the column and smack it good with a sledge to break the concrete liner.  Make sure you have the load shored, make sure you have the shores resting on heavy timber or some such to spread the load across lots of floor as it was not designed to carry the load, there is undoubtedly a footing under the existing column.  You may need a 25 ton type hydraulic jack and 4x4 to unweight the existing column depending on how much load is involved.  You probably should and will hear cracking/creaking/popping  when you do unload the column.

You can go back with a similar column with a surface base plate that is held by concrete anchors to the floor over the old column.  I would tar the top of the old column, add one or several layers of tar paper, and another layer of tar to isolate the new base plate away from the wicking water.  If it is a steel beam overhead, the top plate should be bolted; a wood beam should have a Lally column top shoe pinned to the sides of the beam.  These plates should be welded to the pipe.

It would be possible to have a heavier walled column made with base and top plate already welded.  You will need to know the load capacity of the existing column or know the loads imposed on the new column to get it sized properly.  The type I'm talking about do not have or require concrete fill.  I'm sure you could carry the loads involved on either round pipe or square tube.