I am replacing a front porch roof and will need 2 load bearing columns. I’ve been looking at columns online – and interested in the marble and stone dust composite columns. I have not found a local supplier. There are advertised to be maintenance free – I love the idea of no painting… Anyone have any experience with these? Any recommendations and ideas? Thanks!
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Greetings Lab,
As a first time poster Welcome to Breaktime.
This post, in response to your question, will bump the thread through the 'recent discussion' listing again which will increase it's viewing.
Perhaps it will catch someone's attention that can help you with advice.
Cheers
"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived."
Parolee # 53804
Well, let's try running this thru again.
bump
Got a link for the ones you are talking about?
I use the round fiber-cement style columns on my houses if round columns are called for but I wouldn't exactly call them maintenance free or not in need of painting. Here is an example of what I'm talking about. I call them fiber cement, but I think they are actually some kind of stone dust and a resin mixed together. Anyway, the several different brands have the plinth (base) and capitol (top) made out of various different materials, all of which need to be painted that I know of. Secondly, at least for the ones I have been getting lately, the surface of the columns are not entirely smooth and would look a bit rough from close up. I have those painted too. Lastly, the gap between the columns and the plinth or capitol needs to be caulked, and I prefer caulk to be painted too.
The big box stores have the smaller ones like 8"x8' but for a better selection and many more sizes check a real lumber yard.
Hi Matt-
Thanks for your comments and link. You made a good point re: the caulking, caps and bases. I took a second look at the info I have and it does not appear that the caps and bases are maintenance free and I had not thought about the caulk issue. The ones I have looked at are called PolyStone and Marble Tex. They are a composite of marble dust, polyresins and fiberglass. (http://www.columns.com and http://www.meltonclassics.com) My search will continue...but I am thinking we will probably wind up using ones like you suggested- I was really hoping to get out of painting :)
I just installed 18 12inch by 9 foot polystone columns from Pacific columns. We sanded and painted them 3 coats each before putting them up. They were tough. especially 18 of them. the material is incredibly hard, but supposedly doesn't absorb water, which I believe, because you have to scrub them before priming. My advice would be to try to find them pre- primed at least. then the paint should last a long time. Get the bases made of the same material for durability.
The ones on my personal house are 10"x10'. The painter I had back then painted them with some kind of primer (can't remember) and then oil. Said we would get better longevity out of oil. And actually after 7+ years I just had them powerwashed and the look nearly new...
The painter I'm using now just paints them with latex based primer and then latex based acrylic paint and there are at least a few houses that have lasted ok for a few years... Hands down though, the oil looks better.