A. Wood columns, like other wood products, require special attention to detail and special care in making and installing them properly. You can replace the columns exactly by having them custom-made, or change the look with a fresh new set. You need to be specific about style, material, finish, price range and availability. When it comes to style, you have many choices, but the most important first issue is scale - that is, the columns' width (or diameter) and height. I'm sure you've driven through developments of homes that have those toothpick-like tall, thin columns that are totally out proportion to the homes and the roofs they support. The Greeks who popularized columns in their architecture would cringe at these homes, designed by the untrained. Sounds snobby to say, but the truth is that there are some really bad designs out there.
Material selection comes next. Wood columns can be ordered or custom-built, but there are some basics you need to know. Columns can be made of everything from pine to maple, oak, poplar, redwood, western red cedar, cedar and mahogany. Hardwoods behave better, since their fibers are tighter, they expand and contract less due to their inability to hold moisture, and they hold stain more uniformly, since they tend to have less sap in their grain.
Incidentally, you should never paint columns. Opaque stains in the grain will react better to temperature and moisture changes than paint, which smothers the grain so it can't breathe, then cakes off, requiring much more work to maintain. A stain will still have a uniform, smooth finish, but will last longer and require less maintenance. Pre-finished columns, coated in a controlled environment, have a definite advantage over raw columns finished in the field, again, provided the columns can breathe.
Cost will depend on the value and availability of the raw material, how much labor went into its preparation, and how it was marketed. Pine columns generally cost the least, since it's a faster-growing species that's more available than, say, mahogany. But I've seen even mahogany fall apart prematurely because the installation didn't allow it to breathe or drain.
And that leads to the detail of installation and performance. If the columns aren't placed properly, allowing water to run off the top cap instead of through the column, and if there's no provision for bottom drainage or a way for the center of the column to ventilate, it will fill with water and or separate at its staves or joints. Then it will begin to crush, shrink, and bring the portion of the roof it supports down with it.
Where to get them: Call Melton Classics (800-963-3060), Pacific Columns (800-294-1098) or Colonial Columns (877-681-2583), or find them online. Another source is www.shopcolumns.com, which will help you select a manufacturer to meet your needs. Good luck!
Readers are encouraged to send questions to: HERALD Homes379 Central Avenue, P.O. Box 220, Lawrence, N.Y. 11559-0220Attn: Monte Leeper, architect.
