I’m considering using fiberglass or composite columns and bases to replace a bunch of rotting wood columns on my exterior porches. I need plain, non-fluted columns with a Tuscan base/cap. Couple of questions:
1) Any recommended manufacturers? Ones to avoid?
2) Can these columns take a screw or nail in order to mount railings? Similar holding power as wood or do I need to do something different?
thanks
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Replies
Best prices can be from reginal suppliers
You need first to determione if they will be structural or not and how they will have to be installed - if you have to place a 4x4 PT or4 steel in place first then you have to buy the half rounds that get glued together and finished in place
Holers have to be carefully drilled and right fasteners as recommended nby the manufacturer used. placing too much tension - say from a #10 screw in a #8 hole - can result in a fracture running right through a composite tube
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They are definitely structural in that they hold up the porch roof above. The flat porch roof above is accessable via an exterior door and has it's own railing. No other walls or roof above that. One side of the porch has a small finished, sunroom above. Sounds like I need a structural accessment before I start buying replacement columns...
Some columns are capable of only 2300#loading whiole others can handle over five tons, but your needs sound minimal. unless that deck is twenty feet spans and you get a heavy snow load.
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I've used round fiberglass ones before. If I remember they hold about 8,000 lbs each, but it depends on what size you go with. I got those through my local building supply house, they were dixie pacific columns. Pretty much all the builders around here use those, best price and quality. Don't bother with fypon, they cost huge $$ and the exterior are foam which can chip, dent, etc. The 9' x 10" I used were about $180 ea. They paint well, look nice, are pretty easy to install, etc. My only difficulty was attaching the railings to them. I wanted to hide everything was much as possible so the best option ended up being to use construction adhesive, and small angle brackets which were screwed to the underside of the railing and attached to the columns with toggle bolts.
Other than not being able to nail into them, no complaints. I'll use them instead of wood anyday. Here's a link below. You should be able to get these from most supply houses.
http://consumer.schlage.com/brands/dixie/prodcat/fiberglass.htm
I agre that Fypon is pricey , but they don't chip or dent without being abused, and they can be easy to fasten to without compromising the structural capacity. You may have noticed that FG will chip tooI usually use a composite model from a local manufacturer that runs about 230 to 300 depending on size...
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I used Chadsworth's Columns (http://www.columns.com). Customer service / support was fabulous, the product was great. These are a composite of fiberglass / rosin / and marble dust. You can NOT screw into them - through holes only.
I've attached a picture of the porch project right before the columns went in so you can see bracing technique - if I get a chance I'll ake some after pictures today so you can see the columns in place.
Bill.