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I am planning to build a classic porch soon for an old
farmhouse. I am in need of some round Doric columns 8”x7′ long.
Can anyone lead me to a good source to purchase them.
Thank you,
John Keller
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John, my building supply house can order wood or composite columns from several manufacturers. Lean on your guy to look in his catalogs. Do some searching yourself here:
Also, check in the ads in FHB, JLC, etc.
Good luck, Steve
*Steve, Thanks for the advice. I have a brochurecoming and will get the lumberyard to checka catalog.John
*there ar usually several mfgrs advertising in finehomebuilding. chatsworth is good - has a web site.
*John - If your columns were more typical, say Tuscan 9"-10" x 8'-9' tall, I'd say that a number of the 'cheaper' column manufacturer's could handle them. At your small size, you want to invest in pretty high quality with good capitals IMO - I'd get a quote from Schwerd (412) 766-6322 (Pat, Elmer) / (412) 766-2262 fax or Chatsworth as mentioned above. Doric style typically has no base, so drainage around the base will be important.Do take the venting of the shaft seriously, and go for cedar or other rot-resistant wood. I've also found a neat way of keeping birds from making nests on top of the capitals inside the porch - silicone copper roofing nails point up on top and paint them white (or to match the woodwork) - just don't forget that they are there when 'poking around.'Jeff Clarke
*I used the HBG non-wood ones and they look great and get a lot of compliments. I was afraid that I would not like teh "feel" or sound of them but they are remarkably solid feeling. They are also rated to support 8 to 10 times what the wood ones support. I picked teh HBG based on what I believe to be a better shape and more true to the classic proportions. When the wood columns down the street - costing 3 or 4 times what mine did - showed peeling paint and the joints between staves within a year - I wasn't interested. (yes - and they appear to have vented bases and are vented at the top)