Many homes and businesses have columns for structural support. While wood and steel are the most common materials used for this support, they are often not the most desired. Wood is known to warp and require a lot of maintenance and the risk of rust with outdoor steel is just too high. Today we are going to explore three materials that are much more ideal for use on columns: PVC, aluminum, and fiberglass.
PVC
PVC columns are relatively new to the market and seem to be among the most popular at this point in time. It fits that with many new houses having white trim, PVC is a great material to make the columns match well. The benefits of PVC columns include being durable and unlikely to scratch and dent, as well as providing a clean finish that is aesthetically pleasing. PVC columns also come in different styles such as smooth, panel, fluted, and craftsman. Smooth and craftsman are the trendiest styles of columns right now.
One drawback of PVC column wraps is that installation can take a significant time and require the contractor to schedule a return trip to finish the job. This is a problem that is solved with Superior’s new, patented Snap-Tite PVC column wraps. Learn more about that here.
Aluminum
Aluminum columns, unlike PVC, are load-bearing. This means that they can function as a wrap over a wood or steel column, but they can also be the column itself under the proper conditions. Aluminum columns come in many finishes and styles including square smooth, square panel, square fluted, or round fluted.
An additional bright side of aluminum columns is that they will not rust, leaving you with beautiful, structural, low-maintenance columns for many years!
Fiberglass
Fiberglass columns, like aluminum, are load bearing up to a certain weight. They are more difficult than other materials to transport and cut due to their fragility but they are workable. They are highly customizable as they can be painted and come in styles such as round, fluted, or square. Fiberglass is also low-maintenance as it will not rot, warp, or split.
Fiberglass is the ideal column material when you want structural support with a highly customizable finish. The cost of fiberglass columns is comparable to traditional styles of the other materials.
Regardless of what type of columns are the best fit for your project, Superior can help. Check out our Where to Buy tool or give us a call (800-548-8656) to get started.
