I’m currently working on renovating a custom home that was built in the early 50’s. The front and back porches have 17 fluted 7″X7″X8’columns that will need to be replaced. They were constructed of clear, rift sawn pine. The lady who owns the home almost choked when I quoted a price for fabricating new ones that duplicate the material and look of the originals. I can’t really use any design other than the square fluted columns since the theme is carried all through the house. Even the wainscoat in the den/living area has fluted faux columns for panel breaks. The columns are directly exposed to weather so they have to be able to handle lots of sun and rain.
I was just wondering if there were other materials that might work.
Thanks guys (and gals)
Sink
Replies
Are they painted?
Are these column wraps, covering the structual support or are they carrying the load?
CAGIV,Sorry about not including those details. The columns are load bearing. They were constructed of 4/4 clear, rift sawn pine and assembled with rabbets, glue and finishing nails.Sink
Replace with steel columns trimmed with esthetic jackets? The jackets could be any weather resistant material as the load is taken away from them? PVC columns are made with metal load posts within?
I assume that clear rift sawn pine was pricy?
If so, and I think you said they were painted, why not use cypress. Its not all that expensive and works great for outdoor use. Paints well.
Just a thought, Do you have a picture of the columns that your are talking about, might make it easier to come up with better material ideas if we could see what one looks like.
Doug
I had a similar problem a few years back. we opted for mahogany, but before we began we bacame aware of azek. I ended up keeping several thousand dollars of mahogany that I'd already ordered for future use, and used the azek for the columns.
we thought of cypress too, but decided it moves too much.
the azek mills like pine and isn't too hard on your tools and cutters.
if you follow the manufacturer's directions you'll get very satisfactory results with this weatherproof substrate. personally, I overkill it with rabetts to help with alignment and give extra glue area.