Replies

1. 
   McDesign | Mar 31, 2006 11:33pm | #1

   I like and use fiberglas columns from http://www.dixie-pacific.com.  I prefer the Tuscan capital and plinth, personally myself.  You can split them with a circ saw, and re-glue them easily with PL and strapping tape, or they'll take lots of vertical load.  On a pergola, I would worry about the bending moment.  I would set a 4x4 in concrete below grade, and slip / split the column around it.

   The (9) columns on the side of the house below are 8" x 8' round, no fluting.  Don't get non-tapered, though - a column IS tapered - if it's straight it's just a post!  Can you say entasis? 

   These columns with base and capital were about $150.00 each, I believe.

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   Forrest

   
1. 
   McDesign | Mar 31, 2006 11:56pm | #2

   Oh yeah - and this is the little bitty old house I put the porch monster behind -

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   Forrest

   
1. 
   CAGIV | Apr 01, 2006 09:54am | #3

   The permacast brand I was looking at, many because that is what my yard can order, sound similiar, I won't need to split them,  I was planning on setting them in CC and slipping them over the top, Ironic you mentioned Tuscan capital and base as that is the style I was planning on using.

   The PermaCast come out to just under 200 each including cap and base for an 8x8x8'

2. 
   MVAgusta | Apr 01, 2006 12:51pm | #4

   If you need to attach a handrail to them, a good trick is taking a PT 2x6 and planing it to fit inside. Glue it in with PL and you've got a much better material to hold a nail or screw than the brittle, chippy fiberglass.

3. 
   BillW | Apr 01, 2006 01:00pm | #5

   I used Chadsworths (http://www.columns.com).  Excellent product, excellent customer service.

   What do you mean when you say you are going to install them in "CC"?

1. 
   CAGIV | Apr 02, 2006 12:22am | #8

   CC, concrete.

   We will set 6x6 PT posts into concrete footings to give the structure stability and strength

1. 
   wrudiger | Apr 02, 2006 05:32am | #9

   I have two of the fiberglass columns in my house, in earthquake land.  They are holding up a structural paralam beam, and the engineer signed off on this attachment method for sheer:  angle brackets bolted to the post and lagged into the beam;  4 in the base and 2 at the top.  My GC was very impressed with the columns - this was the first time that he'd used them. 

4. 
   Matt | Apr 01, 2006 06:21pm | #6

   I'm about 95% sure those are the ones I used on my own house.  Somewhat heavy - the ones I used were 10" x 10' with a slight taper and it took 3 of us to get them up there.  The painters painted them with oil paint and they have held up rather well for 6 years.  No complaints.  Much preferable to wood.  They "feel" quite solid.  You can cut them to length with a circular saw.  It's a little like cutting fiber cement siding.

5. 
   andybuildz | Apr 01, 2006 08:27pm | #7

   I installed over a dozen of them on a house near here. They're heavy but I installed them all myself. Be careful though...I let one end get away from me and it barely touched the ground and smashed anyway. They're strong yet fragile. Easy to cut.

   If Blodgett says, Tipi tipi tipi it must be so!

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