Fiberglass Columns: Everything You Need To Know

Remodeling or restoring your home comes with many choices to decorate and inspire the living space. Fiberglass columns offer a great way to enhance the interior of the home. Fiberglass or composite fiberglass offer the most popular way to enjoy an architectural column. But what’s the difference and which is best for your home?

Capitals

Decorative capitals are the bases and caps of the columns. Not all decorative capitals fit the column material the same. Both fiberglass and composite columns suit the Tuscan style base and capital the same because they are easily trimmed and don’t increase the height of the column. Different installation methods are needed for more decorative styles and dictate which column is best. Other styles include Scamozzi, Modern Composite, Roman Corinthian, Temple of Winds and Ionic.

Support

When choosing which fiberglass columns to use, be aware of whether or not the column is trying to hide structural support. If the column is acting as structural support, those capitals for the composite columns work well for load-bearing support. However, a hollowed-out fiberglass column can wrap around a support structure, unlike a composite column. Determining which column is ideal depends on how they are installed, if the column is supporting part of the structure and the decorative style used.

Size

Columns made of resin and fiberglass only are lightweight with a 3/16-inch wall thickness designed for decorative wrapping. Larger columns above 18 inches are more expensive in composite and weigh considerably more. The cost of columns between 14 and 18 inches is similar for either fiberglass or composite. For smaller columns, composite columns offer cost savings in sizes ranging from 6 inches to 12 inches diameter.

Speak to your contractor or architect about the best fiberglass columns to use in your space. The design may work better with certain sizes. Whichever you choose, the options are endless for enhancing the interior décor of the home.