In this video I teach you how to raise and level a sinking porch deck using basic building materials and a car jack that you might have at home or can borrow.
In this case one corner of a neighbor’s porch sunk about 1.5 inches over the last couple decades. The corner was only being supported by one column. For less than $20 and a couple hours time I was able to level the sinking side of the porch.
First I cleared out a level area under the porch next to the sinking support column. I used a 12″ x 12″ x 1.5″ concrete paver to create a stable base to build parallel column.
Using 8″ x 8″ x 8″ half cinder blocks I build a column to support the jack I would use to raise the porch.
The 4-ton jack that came with my Ford Transit van was more than sufficient to raise the porch a couple of inches. The jack did all the work.
Fortunately, the adjustment I needed to make was a common size. I was able to slide another 1.5″ concrete paver beneath the now raised porch support column.
This is a straightforward DIY solution for a common problem with old house porches. I spent less than $20 on the materials used to raise and shim the sinking support column. If you don’t have a jack you can purchase a cheap 4-ton or greater hydraulic jack like the one linked below for less than $20.
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