Decorative Front Porch Columns.

You are interested in adding a touch of classical elegance to your home with decorative front porch columns. The Mediterranean look.

Reviewing Styles.

That’s going to include sifting through various styles and figuring out what will best suit your space. Whether you are shopping for decorative front porch columns for a remodelling project or your new house, the criteria are pretty much the same.

In the past, my clients have been very creative with the ways that they have referred to stone columns, but knowing the exact term isn’t crucial. I’m going to show you how pictures and drawings clarify these ideas and get you exactly what you’re envisioning.

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A Huge Selection To Choose From.

The world of stone columns is vast and diverse. The most common type? The tapered column. It’s a classic choice for a reason. But if straight lines are more your style, straight shaft columns could be the answer.

And for something a bit more unique, the Solomonic, or ‘barley-sugar’ columns, bring an artistic twist. And there are still more…. square, barrel, fluted, and I expect I have missed some. It’s pretty wild how a simple design change can alter the look and feel of a column—and by extension, your home.

Diameters, Why It Matters.

The diameter of stone columns isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s primarily about structural needs, not because they hold the building up, no it’s because the requests are for specific diameters to fit over structural steel columns that do hold the building up—especially for those Decorative front porch columns. That means the column must be chosen early on to ensure everything fits and aligns perfectly with the steel support structures.

Now, I know this sounds overwhelming. And you might be wondering, ‘Do I really need to think about this now?’ Yes, and here’s why: Addressing these considerations early in the design phase can save you from headaches down the road. Like with alignment issues or having to make last-minute changes to the steel fabrications. Believe me, a little bit of planning early goes a long way when installing stone columns.

Selecting the Perfect Stone Columns: Bases, Capitals, and Installation

Choosing the right stone columns for your home isn’t a decision to make lightly; it impacts both the aesthetics and the integrity of your design. Let’s explore the bases and capitals that can beautifully cap off your columns. If you adore the ancient charm of classical architecture, you might lean towards bases and capitals from the Tuscan, Doric, Corinthian, Ionic, or Composite orders. Don’t forget, there are also Scamozzi and Temple of the Winds styles that might just be the unique touch you’re seeking

Custom Column.

Or you might want to design one just for your own home. I have been requested to do this several times in my career. Redesigned decorative front porch columns. Sometimes minor changes or additional details have to be thought through to overcome onsite conditions.

These may stem back to the early design stage, or other factors not considered. In some cases the overall heights may cause a rethink. Or balustrades may be going to be fitted, whether iron or cast stone. It may be wise to think about adding newell posts and caps to let the balustrades die into them. This gives strong anchoring points. They will extend the overall height of your columns and add a little flair to the process.

Alternate products.

There are new column products on the market, but capital designs are limited to Doric Style. These have great weight advantages and are made of ‎Fiberglass Reinforced Polymer. They can be purchased in many different sizes and configurations. They might be worth checking out, especially if you want a smooth colonial-style finish. These are suitable for inside and out applications and they can be used to cover up structural steel poles. They can also be used as formwork to pour a structural column, engineered by others.

Soffit Size.

Another very important point is to know the size of the soffit area where these decorative front porch columns are intended to sit. This is because you may need to choose, the size of the column shaft first to dictate the cap size. Then a cap can be chosen to fit your soffit.

The Doric capital has the least additional space requirements at the soffit. Whereas the Corinthian style needs far more space. There are creative ways to make things fit should the numbers not work. It should be noted that different manufacturers can quite commonly have different interior core sizes on their columns, bases and caps. And the overall size of their bases and caps could also be different, so ask for confirmation and a shop drawing.

Points To Consider For Decorative Front Porch Columns.

• Size and position of any structural steel columns
• Size of the existing soffit and its alignment with the steel column.
• the style of shaft needed to suit your conditions.
• Style of capital to suit the space available.
• Is there a need for further detailing with stonework at the capital or base area

However, it’s not all about looks. I’ve seen clients get wrapped up in the visual aspects of their decorative front porch columns but forget about practical considerations. Here’s a tip: always discuss your vision in the context of your project’s timeline and budget. Custom designs can be stunning, but they also come with longer lead times and quite costly additional mould costs. Make sure you’re okay with the wait and the expense.

Double Check.

I’ve mentioned previously that some columns are purely decorative, while others serve to cover a structural purpose, discreetly housing steel support posts. It really matters to get this distinction right. Why? Because improper planning could send you back to the drawing board, incurring added costs and delays. The inner diameter of the column needs to fit with at least a little space to spare over any structural supports, so accurate measurements are critical, not just for height, but for position also. So contractors need to know early to hopefully avert issues like this.

Installing Decorative Porch Columns.

Finally, when it comes to installation, achieving alignment with steel support columns is non-negotiable. If there’s even a slight misalignment or if the structural steel needs adjustments, you’ll want to know early. Your design might even call for several columns lined up in a colonnade. Then the new fibreglass-reinforced polymer columns would be great for this application. Consult with your architect or contractor to avoid any last-minute surprises. Remember, getting stone columns is as much about their application as it is about their visual appeal.

If you have any questions or need assistance please get in contact via our form above, we are sorry that you have to confirm your wishes but it is how the government wants us to operate.

Written and compiled by Rob