DoubleDongle-F t1_ivomjxk wrote
I don't have a clear vision of exactly what's too short here, but it sounds a lot like it could be solvable with a cedar shim shingle or a carefully cut piece of PT wood, jammed into the gap. Not sure what the inspector would think of that, but it'll bear a load okay. The holistic solution is probably to cut the bracket off with a sawzall and cut a new post of the correct length, then install a new bracket.
mightynifty_2 t1_ivoo45c wrote
I've added a picture for more info. My only concern with using a wood shim is the potential instability. Wouldn't in be likely for the shim to degrade over time and leave the gap in place?
DoubleDongle-F t1_ivouc9d wrote
You'll want to use a material which has similar properties to the column or stronger. Nothing wrong with a metal plate, but if the columns are PT lumber, then a PT shim should be OK. Wood does compress more across the grain than along it, but not by enough to be a big deal in a deck. Cedar is also pretty rot-resistant. If you've got an inspector coming around, the metal plate others have suggested may be better, if for nothing else than because it looks like you took it seriously. But the way to actually take it seriously is to replace the column.
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