Installation of Outdoor Porch Columns

Size of Columns Matter

• A post's or column's dimensions affect curb appeal. Bulky columns are often needed to balance the overall porch design with the home's architecture. Using skimpy columns not only looks unappealing, but might not support roof weight. Be sure to find out if posts have a metal core or other special features. Draw the house and porch to get an idea of porch column dimensions that are needed, whether round or square in shape.

Select Proper Style

• Choosing the style of columns depends on house architecture. Consider smooth, round wooden columns for a colonial two-story, for example. These posts usually taper off to a small dimension at the top. Large square posts can look appropriate for a ranch house porch. Drive around neighborhoods in your locale to see various styles of columns close up. Keep in mind that the lower half of the column can be stacked stone and the upper half brick, for example.

Design Correct Placement

• Spacing of the columns is important to give the house a totally balanced look. Proper spacing should work seamlessly with window placement and entrance steps, so the house has a symmertical look from every angle. Once you select the style and size you think you will need, use graph paper to create the final drawings before you buy the columns or build them onsite. You may need to use just four columns across the front of a bungalow house porch, or you may need to space columns every 8 feet around a wraparound porch.

Insert Columns Gently

• Installation techniques should not disturb the existing porch structure. If you buy new premade columns, you may need to remove old columns in place. Gently diassemble the old columns and pry loose nails from the original columns' installation. You don't want to place any pressure on the porch roof, or you may tear the porch loose from the house framing or damage flashing. Fitting new columns into place will require nailing them into the roof framing, but you want the fit to be within 1/4 inch of needed height. Forcing a new column into place may cause structural damage.

Add Railing Support

• Porch columns often work well with railing structures. New columns gain stability and visual appeal when combined with premade railings. You can use either round or square columns with round or square balusters on the new railings. Be sure to fit them around the placement of the columns -- not the other way around -- so they look united. Columns will draw the most focus when looking at the house from a distance, but railings should look as if they are part of a singular structure with the columns.