Your opinion please on cedar post

[rickyb01]

I have my outdoor porch almost completed. Getting ready to put on the rails and I’m concerned about these checks in the cedar post. The porch was built with 8” cedar post and second story had a waterproof membrane added and tiled. The water proof membrane goes up each cedar post 2”. My original plan was to add a 31/2” wrap of cedar on the bottom of post and caulk. Mostly to hide the waterproof membrane. I have also treated the cedar post with 3 coats of Sikken.

Now I am faced with a couple of choices. caulk these checks so water doesn’t possible drain down into the porch framing or wrap these post with 10” cypress to keep water out.
Here are photos of post with checks. Framing of post during construction and after. Any advice on what you guys would do.

 

[jaxs]

Your concern that water can reach underling framing is justified. My experience is caulk isn't a long term solution so I would do the wrap. Conventional wisdom might say 20 year caulk behind trim that cover's membrane is sufficient but that rarly works.

 

[RNeumann]

Yep- to be blunt it was framed or built wrong. You have a clear path for water to get into the framing and rot. The posts should have been set on top of the second story decking- since you went with a “waterproof” type decking. The best you can do at this point is to keep everything as open as possible to allow air movement. Anything you do to seal things up will only accelerate damage and rot.

 

[rickyb01]

I’m going to wrap the post. I just don’t see how water can get in if the cypress is placed over the waterproof membrane. Of course I know we don’t really know but where do you think is the weak link here? The waterproof runs over and down the fascia which is covered by drip edge. I agree it could have been done different but it’s what I got

The caulk you u see around the post is not what is keeping the water out. It’s more for joint movement in the wood.