I need to replace the flooring on my front porch and the front support beam. The flooring has rotted under the columns and the column is sinking on one side. I know I have to jack up the porch roof but I don't know how the columns are attached to the roof. Any help in this would be appreciated. Kevin

When you jack up the porch roof do it slowly and just enough to slide the new boards into place. As you jack it up the columns will either fall or stay in place depending on how well they are secured to the porch roof. They are could just be toenailed into place. You can remove them and place them in the exact place that you want them then just refinish the nail holes and add some new paint!

More information is needed about the columns. What material are they? What shape are they, round or square? Are they built-up of several pieces of wood (ifv they're wood) or just one solid piece? What kind of base do they have (meaning, are the bases vented?)? Are the columns hollow?