Porch posts are great for smaller exterior porches because they offer so much detail. For these porches, the increased number of porch posts is usually necessary to support various roof designs - even more than would be needed with columns.
One reason that porch posts are popular is that they come in a variety of materials. The most common materials are wood, polyurethane, and polyethylene. One disadvantage is that they cannot be customized like columns can; you have to choose one material or style for the whole thing.
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Considerations When Choosing the Right Porch Posts
One of the most important things to consider when choosing a porch post is how much weight it can support. A beam’s size and thickness are not the only factors to consider when choosing which one can handle more weight. In some cases, you may be drawn to a larger beam for its appearance, such as being thicker or having a larger diameter- but beware!
As you can imagine, the weight-bearing capacity of a porch post depends on what it is made of. Be sure to check the structural integrity of your favorite options before buying one.
Factors including structural integrity, weight-bearing capacity, and degree of upkeep can make a big difference in post material type. Fiber cement or engineered wood posts will require significantly less maintenance than other materials such as natural wood.
Homeowners should consider the upkeep requirements of various porch post materials when making a decision. Additionally, homeowners may also want to take visual design preferences into account when choosing materials. When considering the type of porch post to choose for your home, you should consider the design of the rest of your house.
In addition, be mindful of what you want the porch to do. Do you want it to draw attention and serve as a focal point in the design? Or does it blend seamlessly into your larger house image? This can help determine which type of posts will work best with your project.
Porch Post Materials
In your search for a perfect patio, you’ll come across countless different materials that can be used on the poles. Here are some of the options you may want to consider before deciding which material best suits your needs.
Traditional Wood Porch Posts
Wood porch posts are traditional and create a classic feel, but they require regular maintenance. To keep the porch posts looking in good condition, you will need to repaint them periodically, reinforce the weak ones, or replace those affected by moisture.
Treated Wood Porch Posts
Treated wood porch posts recreate the traditional look of natural wood but with added strength and durability. It makes them require much less maintenance.
Vinyl Porch Posts
Vinyl porch posts offer a cohesive look when coupled with other vinyl components such as siding. However, they can be easily damaged by impact or moisture and are susceptible to wind damage. Vinyl posts can often chip, warp, or crack over time. Without regular maintenance and replacements, vinyl rails are not the ideal choice for a porch post.
Aluminum Porch Posts
Aluminum is a low-cost building material with the strength of steel, but it varies in quality depending on which manufacturer produces it. Thin aluminum will quickly become dented if exposed to hail or other extreme weather. In addition, aluminum must be periodically treated with an anti-rust liquid to prevent it from being corroded by the weather. That is something that must be considered when choosing aluminum as the material for the porch post.
List Of porch post ideas
Decide which type of porch post will work best for your house. Perhaps it is similar in architecture to your home or has a style you prefer. Maybe you’ll find a post that adds some flair. Without further introduction, here we go!
Back Porch Post Design
Having a large backyard will be an asset for particular houses. It can serve as a nice outdoor space with a relaxing atmosphere and porch posts that match the geometric shape of the home, perfect for adding variety to one’s decoration.
You can also use furniture to create a casual lounge space that spans an open concept plan. You’ll be able to spend time with your family in the lounge space. With wooden benches, you can enhance the natural feel of your exterior design. Try to paint it using a dark hue to give your backyard additional definition.
The railing on the terrace is made of wood, painted white to create a bright and welcoming exterior space.
Colorful Porch Posts
A multi-hued home front is one of the best designs to aspire for ambitious home builders. These custom porch posts play a big part in tying together the different styles and colors of this home. This house has an exciting curb appeal with the red band on these tapered posts. I’m also captivated by the corbels connecting the post to the porch ceiling.
Log Cabin Porch Post Ideas
The use of logs in this architectural style may be a theme throughout the home, with raw logs being used for walls and porch posts. Some porch posts are left with their bark untouched to contrast the logs that were cut down and brought into the house.
Basic Vertical Beams Porch Posts
Image Credit – thespruce.com
A conservative and classic style for porch posts, a basic vertical beam provides clean lines that blend well with matching banisters, railings, and soffits. This is a great choice for homes when there is already some ornamentation in an otherwise small space.
Wooden Railings Porch Post
The wood around the house accentuates it with detail. The eye is drawn to the house, and it feels warm because of its design. Privacy is provided by posts, which also give some visual interest to this beautiful home.
Blue-Banded Porch Posts
These ornamental porch posts illustrate some of the intricate details that can be found in pillar design. This blue band on the columns ties into both beautifully painted siding and other accents, providing a color accent for your home that is sure to stand out among its neighbors!
Made Of Wood Porch Posts On Craftsman House
Craftsman houses are noted for the excellent craftsmanship that goes into each detail. Craftsman pillars balance out the house’s height by making it appear taller. These porch posts are typically made of wood or stone and are most often found on Craftsman homes. Outdoor elements like these help Craftsmen stand apart from other popular home styles.
Wooden Buttress Style Porch Posts
Image Credit – ceburattan.com
Mimicking the design elements of interior or exterior buttressing on the porch posts is a great way to make them look more impressive and strengthen the building.
Bungalow With Square-shaped Wooden Posts
In the style of homes known as bungalows, you will find a large porch. It is usually enclosed by an overhanging roof and characterized by thick square columns called bungalow columns.
White Classic Style Porch Column
This traditional porch design provides the perfect balance between simpleness and elegance. The brick wall is complemented by a simple pillar, allowing it to retain its simpler appearance while giving an elegant feel with its beige hue.
The porch is empty, and this leaves all the focus on its minimalist décor. The brick walls are given a fresh appearance with their beige color style, while the dark window shades bring in some character and texture.
Attempt to paint your porch with a bright color, as this adds to the house’s aesthetic. You may also want to add some benches, but it is up to you whether or not that will fit in with your design.
Leaving the porch space bare only yields a minimalist appearance. It becomes an elegant nuance to your home exterior design if you use it correctly.
Cover Wrought Iron Porch Posts
If you have a small terrace area, you may be inclined to use it for your porch post. However, using wrought iron is a good alternative solution in this scenario.
You can install a minimalist porch with the look of wrought iron on your home, which offers a beautiful entrance beyond your front door. The black color will blend with the design of your elegant exterior.
You can also complete the design with potted plants on both sides. This reminds me of a park, and it will create a stunning exterior design.
Stately Design Porch Posts
Image Credit – backyardboss.net
Cylindrical porch posts, especially those that are sculpted in a solid white color, can carry an appearance of stateliness. Redbrick siding complements this style wonderfully and makes for timeless classics.
Farm House Porch Post Ideas
A porch is one of the most important features of a farmhouse. They represent an outside-inside space where farmers can enjoy nature in comfort. Porches are typically located in areas where the outdoors and indoors intermingle. On porches, outdoor activities can be enjoyed inside while feeling comfortable. Farmhouse porches are often made of natural materials such as wood and are either stained or painted white. They may be comprised of a 4×4 post.
Earth Tones Wrap Porch Posts
Image Credit – backyardboss.net
Natural aesthetic lends itself well to earth tones. Natural wood porch posts are examples of natural elements seamlessly complementing exterior features like stone siding and dark wooden siding.
Mountain House Porch Post Ideas
Mountain homes come with a post and beam construction, which is perfect for attaching porch posts to extend the home that reflects its structure. These beams typically are very sturdy thanks to their brackets intertwined across them, so homeowners can easily support heavy roofs or snowfall during harsh winters.
Multi-Level Porch Posts
Image Credit – backyardboss.net
To create the most visual impact for a double-decker porch, consider placing your porch posts to take advantage of the height.
Victorian House Porch Posts
Victorian porches are typically decorated with ornamentation. Bright colors and intricate details can be found on the thin, curved posts of Victorian porches giving them a warm appearance.
Wood Beam Southwest House Porch Posts
Wood beams are often used in southwestern homes, which use them for porch posts. These posts include decorative braces to help hold up heavy roofs made of ceramic tiles. Strong beam support is needed to keep the weight of these roofs from causing stability problems with the house.
Simple And Functional Ranch House Porch Posts
Ranch-style homes are single-story houses with long, low-sloping roofs. They’re known for their large porches, which generally feature simple and functional posts. In this picture, a simple double column is featured.
Florida Home Porch Post Extensions
A Florida home often has a Mediterranean style which is traditionally finished in stucco. The porch posts are also made of or finished in stucco, and they also support the veranda roof - which is very wide to accommodate heavy ceramic shingles.
Cedar Porch Column and Rails
Classic porch post ideas create an inviting space for owners by combining durable metal parts with cedarwood elements. The combination produces a warmer appearance reflecting traditional style.
However, using metal railings on the exterior of your house can create a modern and elegant look that will make a beautiful impression. You could use some benches or chairs made from wood to complete the effect.
Additional decorations such as flags are a great idea for decorating porch posts. Painting the wall beige is a good choice to make the whole exterior calm and serene. Leaving the wall unpainted with some textured brick on it is also an excellent way to achieve this effect.
Versatile Style Posts
If you thought porch pillar ideas were only possible in a home with an otherwise incredibly unique design, these posts should prove otherwise. A simple post can do wonders for any suburban home. Take this example: the basic circular shape of the porch spindle is enhanced by a designing element of delicate spiral patterns carved into it.
A more simplistic porch pillar idea can have as much impact as a complicated one. Those that love the porch pillar ideas from afar but thought they couldn’t work for theirs home, these posts should prove otherwise. These columns would go well with any suburban house- just like they did here.
Take note of how the simple, circular carving complements the intricately carved porch spindle design. This detail proves that a modest pillar idea can have just as large an impact as a very elaborate one.
Vinyl Porch Pillars Ideas
Instead of going complicated, a vinyl exterior can be a good option if you want to add beauty to your home. The use of white as the main color in an exterior seems to be popular these days. The combination with gray appears to be a favorite combination at home.
The modern house was designed with a simple color scheme and an exquisite porch post on its side. The classic design sets it apart from other homes in the neighborhood. Putting some lights on the wall can help create a stunning porch appearance by producing a warm color set when night falls.
Moreover, the black window accents will complement the room’s contemporary design. It will be a great place to welcome guests with an inviting and comfortable vibe.
Square Fluted Aluminum Porch
Adding an elegant house façade with a simple appearance is not difficult when all you need is a square-shaped porch. A modern design can be achieved by adding an aluminum railing around the porch, and this will also help create minimalist designs for your exterior house.
If you have an L-shaped porch with a squared pillar, then try using a bright white color to make its appearance more remarkable and add flair to your home’s exterior. Finish by painting the walls brown for a simplistic feel that compliments everything beautifully.
You can even paint some layers on the wall to make it look shiny. The shinning texture brings an aesthetic touch to the house design.
Two Story Porch
If you don’t have a lot of space to create an outdoor room, sometimes the only place to go is up. A two-story porch like this one gives your porch more use and can really enhance the appearance of your home.
In this case, the columns are necessary for both structural and decorative purposes. Both stories use two-part story elements at the design corners, while the lower portion also uses columns to frame the main entranceway. On the railing of each porch, there is a design that circles to create a cohesive look.
Mid-Century Modern Style Porch
Porch columns have soared in popularity over the last several years, and as a result, they have become the centerpiece of many homes. These columns are popular due to their close connection with scenic aesthetics on multi-level porches and outdoor living spaces.
In Closing
There are many types of porch posts, so you’ll find it harder to choose the right post without being informed and getting some inspiration. What type of home style best suits your post’s need will depend on the architectural structure, plus what post styles can be used with that particular porch design.