To determine which product is the best for your project, you’ll want to consider several things: location, style, size, and plan type. Not all styles, sizes or plan types are made in all materials.
All Turncraft products (except the Craftsman Series) are manufactured whole and are designed to be load bearing. If you need to wrap an existing load support, all of our columns are able to be split in half at the factory or by the installer and re-assembled, or they can be split to be used as pilasters.
Craftsman Series columns are square, tapered or non-tapered, and are shipped KD (knocked-down) to be assembled around an existing load support. Craftsman Series pedestals are unique in that they may be used to add a pedestal look to any existing column, or combined with any of our other products to create a pedestal/column look.
I. Determine the location:
Where this product will be used – interior or exterior. All of our products are fine for interior use. Wood may be a more familiar material to work with, but all products can be installed with standard carpentry techniques and tools.
Best for exterior: Poly-Classic® products (low maintenance, lifetime warranty, waterproof), and Turncraft Architectural cedar columns. A large selection of styles are available. Poly-Classic® products require painting (except Poly-Classic® Porch Posts).
II. Determine the column line:
Turncraft Architectural:
columns.
III. Determine the style:
Perhaps most important, is of course style. This includes the classical orders of architecture: Greek Doric, Tuscan, Roman Doric, Ionic and Corinthian, with the addition of our own Colonial style. All round columns are available plain or fluted (except DuraGlass™), and most square columns are available plain, fluted or
with panels.
Greek Doric
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BRING HOME THE ELEGANCE OF THE PARTHENON. The Greek Doric Order is unique among column styles with its absence of a base and astragal. The column height in ratio to its diameter varies greatly when viewed in antiquity: the architectural proportions can range from four to six diameters. Normally fluted, the Greek Doric has twenty flutes, with no fillets, so the flutes come to a peak (arris flutes). The depth of the flute is approximately one-sixth of the flute width. Greek Doric columns are most commonly recognized as those found on the Parthenon in Athens.
Tuscan
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SIMPLICITY GIVES YOUR DESIGN CENTER STAGE. The distinguishing characteristic of the Tuscan Order is simplicity. Seldom fluted, the minimal mouldings and stylishly clean lines provide a robust appearance. When used in true architectural proportions, the height of the column, including cap and base, is seven diameters. Tuscan columns in antiquity are found on the Temple of Piety in Rome.
Roman Doric
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CLASSIC DESIGN REACHES NEW HEIGHTS. The Roman Doric order features an increase of decorative moulding over the Tuscan Order. Vignola’s Denticulated Doric Cap has a stepped, three-fillet support of the echinus instead of the single-fillet support of the Tuscan Order. The Doric base is similar to the Tuscan, but the addition of a bead above the torus moulding is an elegant embellishment. According to Vignola, the height of the Doric Column, including cap and base, should be eight diameters. Vignola Denticulated Doric is imitated closely from the Roman Theater of Marcellus.
Ionic
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ADDED EMBELLISHMENTS CREATE IMPRESSIVE SPACES. Embellishing the Ionic Order are ornate scrolls decorating the capital of the column. These scrolls derive their intriguing shape from the Nautilus shell. We include the Temple of Winds and Roman Doric Ornamental capitals, with their intricate designs, in our Ionic styles. Most commonly, Ionic columns incorporate twenty-four flutes separated by fillets that are about one-half the flute width. Customarily, the Ionic Order column height, including capital and base, is nine diameters. A prime example of the Ionic Order as it was used in Rome is the Temple of Fortuna Virilis.
Corinthian
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MAKE IT THE CROWNING JEWEL OF YOUR PROJECT. Columns of the Corinthian Order are crowned with an inverted bell-shaped capital. The capital is richly adorned with Acanthus leaves. This column is almost always fluted. Like the Ionic, the Corinthian column exhibits twenty-four flutes and an Attic Base. The height of Corinthian columns, including capital and base, is ten diameters. This is a common Roman order that was used on the Temple of Mars Ultor.
Arts & Crafts
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THE STYLE IS TIMELESS. NOW THE COLUMN IS TOO. Born out of the understated, practical tradition of the early 1900's Arts and Crafts movement, the square tapered column has become popular in modern adaptations of the Craftsman, Prairie, Bungalow, Country, and Mission style homes of today. Also available non-tapered, this timeless style is manufactured from expanded cellular PVC for quick, easy assembly and virtually maintenance-free performance! Now you can recapture the simple, honest artistry of yesterday’s craftsman with today’s most advanced materials and construction techniques.
DuraStone™ Texture
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MAKE IT THE CROWNING JEWEL OF YOUR PROJECT. Columns of the Corinthian Order are crowned with an inverted bell-shaped capital. The capital is richly adorned with Acanthus leaves. This column is almost always fluted. Like the Ionic, the Corinthian column exhibits twenty-four flutes and an Attic Base. The height of Corinthian columns, including capital and base, is ten diameters. This is a common Roman order that was used on the Temple of Mars Ultor.
Colonial Wood
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ELEGANT NEW WORLD ENHANCEMENTS FOR YOUR HOME. As with many iconic Old World items, New World designers have taken the basic column concept and adorned it with a unique, more contemporary style. The Colonial style redefines the column with simplicity, yet retains the elegance desired to make bold statements for entryways and interiors. Available smooth or fluted, the entire line of ornamental capitals is also available for personalizing the column to fit any décor.
Porch Posts
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MAKE IT THE CROWNING JEWEL OF YOUR PROJECT. Columns of the Corinthian Order are crowned with an inverted bell-shaped capital. The capital is richly adorned with Acanthus leaves. This column is almost always fluted. Like the Ionic, the Corinthian column exhibits twenty-four flutes and an Attic Base. The height of Corinthian columns, including capital and base, is ten diameters. This is a common Roman order that was used on the Temple of Mars Ultor.