Enhancing Your Home’s Architecture With Porch Columns
Porch columns add beauty and curb appeal to your home’s exterior. Whether structural or decorative, using the right style of fiberglass columns enhances the look of your home.
Traditional Designs
Most porch columns you see today evolved from styles used in historical architecture. Some popular designs are listed below.
- Egyptian: Tapered at the top with decorative elements like horizontal rings
- Tuscan: Simple, straight and unadorned
- Doric: Greek style with a smooth top and fluted sides
- Romanesque: Square with decorative features
- Craftsman: Square and dramatically tapered
The Best Materials
While traditional styles look great, the best way to build them is with today’s materials. Fiberglass columns are light and sturdy. They are strong enough to be used as load-bearing with proper configuration. The material is also suitable to wrap around an existing column. Unlike wood, fiberglass is resistant to weathering and will hold up against bright sunlight, moisture, heat and cold.
Columns made from modern materials are almost maintenance-free. They can be cleaned easily with soap and water, saving you from the time-consuming labor of sanding and staining that is necessary for wood columns.
Design Choices
Your choice of porch columns can be as unique as your home, but the best look will be one that matches your architectural style. Ornate columns will suit a Victorian house, while mid-century modern porches call for a minimalist style. You may choose to purchase custom fiberglass columns for a look that is all your own.
Other Uses
Columns aren’t limited to the porch. Homeowners can use smaller columns as pedestals for decorative elements, like sculptures or garden features. Inside the home, columns help define spaces with an open concept. Columns make a dramatic statement in a large foyer or entrance. A staircase becomes a statement piece in the home when decorative columns are added.
Whatever the style may be, fiberglass columns are the perfect choice to enhance your home’s architecture and add to its functionality and beauty.