Vintage Porch Columns: Get Inspired & Buy Here

Just how enduring is the look of grand porch columns? The style can be traced all the way back to the massive stone posts of ancient Greece and Rome. In American architecture, wooden columns are a fixture in several home styles, used to enhance front porches and entryways.  In the 21st century, true vintage porch columns are a crucial component to updating historic properties and crafting authentic older styles.

At Turntech, we’re a custom wood turning shop that specializes in porch posts and columns. Due to our one-of-a-kind craftsmanship, we often build vintage porch columns that look identical to the originals made more than a hundred years ago. Discover the traits of these historic porch columns, see some examples of what we can build, and work with us today!

New brick home with historic porch columns supporting roof

 

Key Traits of Historic Porch Columns

From sprawling antebellum country estates to stately city residences in historic districts, these grand columns are a hallmark of so many amazing old properties. There are a few unifying characteristics that the vast majority of historic porch columns have in common:

 

Traits of Decorative Wooden Posts:

  • Round and Thick Design – The signature look of a classic column is the rounded shape paired with a thick circumference. While this has a practical advantage of being able to support large porch roofs, it also contributes to the impressive grand style. These historic pillars typically start with a diameter of 8 inches yet are often far larger!
  • Mostly Smooth – When it comes to the design on the actual face of the pieces themselves, most historic columns will be fully smooth. This creates the clean and formal look we often associate with historic properties. While smooth may be the primary style, fluting (straight indents running the length of the piece) adds an extra degree of complexity to the design and are always popular.
  • Gently Tapered – Tapering is the design touch in which the top of a column is more slender than the base. As the column widens towards the bottom, it creates an elegant appearance that draws the eye. A gentle taper is a common trait in most of these historic porch columns.
  • Made of Cedar or Mahogany – These wood species were a popular choice for building columns over a hundred years ago. Both of these hardwoods are strong enough to hold up huge porches and have natural resistance to rot, mold and wood boring insects. While matching the material isn’t necessary when replacing vintage porch columns, it is an option with Turntech!
  • Painted White – Although traditional Victorian style porch posts often feature a wide range of bright colors or stains, vintage porch columns are almost always painted pure while. Contrasting the white of the columns against brick or colored siding looks absolutely stunning. On the other hand, pairing white columns against a white house creates a upscale feel that nothing else can match.

 

See and shop our most popular column designs right here!

 

Let us Match Your Current Columns

One of the advantages of working with Turntech is that we can exactly match most porch posts and columns – even hundred-year-old historic ones. The ability to create the identical matches can be vital when only replacing one column in a series or maintaining strict historical accuracy. In order to do this, just send us a few pictures from different angles of the column you want to mimic. We’ll take care of the rest!

Learn more about the custom matching process.

Classic white porch columns on single story home

 

Shop Vintage Porch Columns Now

When you’re ready to learn more about what we can build for you or place your order, our experts are standing by. While we may be a custom woodshop that is dedicated to the classic architectural styles, we’re also a 21st century company that offers helpful modern convenience too. For example, we provide online shopping and ship our vintage porch columns all over the country!

Reach out right now to get started building with us!

 

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Our Google Reviews

Excellent
Turntech
Based on 64 reviews
Dear TurnTech,
I had ordered 3 custom posts for the porch refurb project back in August 2024 (reference invoice #36387). I finally got around to installing them (sometimes life gets in the way). Attached is a photo. I still need to stain the deck, but the tough part is finished. Posts look great!

Regards,
Steve Coladonato
Abingdon, MD
Response from the owner:Looks fantastic, Steve! We're so glad you're enjoying the posts - thank you for the great review!
Turntech was a company that I was searching for for several years by way of many cabinet and kitchen companies with no success. But another specialty company referred me to you, and I'm so glad they did. Many thanks for the rope trim and prompt delivery!
Response from the owner:Thanks, Christopher! We’re thrilled to hear you’re loving the rope trim!
Thank-you for the great service. We received our material in good time and is just what we needed. Also thank-you for the gift we received. I don't know of any other company that does this. I will try and remember to send photo's of the finished product may be a while.
Response from the owner:Thank you so much, Betty! 🙌
This wooden ball is going to be perfect for the stairs!!! Just wait until it’s finished!!!!
Response from the owner:Thank you so much!
Had a few legs turned for a table that was commissioned. Exceptional Service and communication, quoting was quick, product was turned in perfect tolerances, exceptional lumber choice, and turnings were properly protected for shipment. I Will definitely be using them on future projects.