I need columns

[Amy Leigh Baker]

In the process of a living room remodel I have removed a load bearing wall to open up between dining room and living room. I have it supported with temporary braces for the time being, and eventually plan on installing a knee wall with columns from the top of the wall to the ceiling. These will need to be approximately 3 feet, and will most likely be painted white.

I have had no luck with finding columns of different lengths. All I find at the borgs is floor to ceiling columns.

If I had a lathe I would plan on turning some, but I don't, and can't buy one.

Any ideas?

[Brad Townsend]

Do a Google search on "columns" and you will get lots of hits on companies that make and sell columns.

[Brian Weick]

Columns~ If you can give me the dimensions ,width,hight ~ would you like them fluted/stop flutes , what ever you want~ I can tell you what it will cost once I have the specs if you are interested. You have yourself a great day!
Brian

[Amy Leigh Baker]

Do a Google search on "columns" and you will get lots of hits on companies that make and sell columns.

But all of the columns I am finding, including websites, are 8' or taller. I need something closer to 3 feet.

[Matt Ocel]

Amy -

Have you tried a local millwork supply co. or local lumber lard?

Thats where I would start.

[Greg Heppeard]

What about using some hefty table legs?

[Dennis Lopeman]

what about buying the BORG ones at 8' and then cutting them into the pieces you need?

[john bateman]

http://www.tablelegs.com/AlderColumns/Fluted-Large-Doric-Columns-36.aspx

this one has down to 48": http://www.spartanbuild.com/woodcolonialtaperedroundpricing.shtml

[Keith Outten]

Amy,

You have a table saw right? You can make six or eight sided columns of any length easy and cheap. You can even purchase a router bit that will give you perfect edge angles every time...if you like the look of columns that aren't round.

.

[Dave Anderson NH]

Try Outwater Plastics. They are one of the best sources around for architectural millwork (including columns).

Standard disclaimer: I have no affiliation in any way with Outwater Plastics.

[Brian Effinger]

You might want to try Osborne Wood Products at http://www.osbornewood.com/ or Classic Designs at http://www.tablelegs.com/

Or you could take Brian Weick up on his offer.

[David DeCristoforo]

My favorite source is "Classic Designs" at:
http://www.tablelegs.com/Default.aspx

[Paul Simmel]

You can't support a load by placing a column on top of a knee wall, especially since you removed all of the studs.

[John Seiffer]

I recently made columns (about 16 inches high) from 4 inch pvc pipe fitted into circular grooves in a base and a top made from mahogany. I painted them with textured paint and they looked pretty good.

I know you need a structural solution - I put a 2x4 inside the pipe and screwed the top and base into it so it would hold together. I'm sure you could do something like that so that the 2x4 (or maybe two of them) would support the weight if they were the right length.

Having said that, you probably should consult an engineer if it's a load bearing wall, and as a previous poster mentioned you'd have a problem with the studs gone - you need some beam across the top and make sure the kneewall is built so it supports the weight.

I'm not an engineer and I didn't even stay at a Holiday Inn last night.

[Amy Leigh Baker]

When I say "load-bearing wall" I use that term loosely. Based upon the configuration of the room, the location of the wall in relation to the two rooms, and the construction of the previous wall, there is no doubt that columns will support the load. It should actually be considered a partition wall at best. Two (2) oneXfours running vertical with another oneXfour connecting them at top. Inside the frame was stained glass that had become old and dingy. It was a decorative wall that also shouldered some weight.

In another house I removed a load-bearing wall that we did not think was a load bearing wall. We found out after cracking that it was. We fixed it with an I-beam running across the top and resting on a steel post on either side. It was all covered with sheetrock.

[Matt Hutchinson]

Brian Weick is a friend of mine, but I thought I would throw my hat into the ring as well. :) If you want staved columns, he's better equipped for that. However, I am equipped to make non-staved, solid or hollow columns. Also, I would imagine there are some people locally who could make them, and you wouldn't have shipping fees.

Hutch

[Peter Quinn]

A wall is either load bearing, or it isn't. Sort of. Unless the house is like mine, 100+ years old built with undimensioned lumber by standards considered over spanned by modern codes, so some walls bear a load that was some what unintended by design.

Any way, does your design require columns, or can you fabricate boxes to cover structural posts? I'm thinking craftsman style here.

[Gary Lee]

Have you tried looking at stair newel posts? These are available from approx. 39" to 50". Try searching under "LJ Smith", "Coffman" or "Babcock". Babcock is the brand that the orange borg carries.

I would also suggest that perhaps you have a local builder look to see what exactly is needed to support your ceiling. Whether it needs to be a flush header/beam or a dropped one. If your lucky, you may have end bearing trusses, which means you need no support anywhere in the middle.

[Jim Becker]

Amy, I'd suggest you consider using the floor to ceiling lally columns to support the load and build the wall and "show" column around them. This gets you the best transfer. But be sure that the transfer has something to carry it UNDER the room, too. Likely to you do if you're replacing a wall, but be sure that you're covered well right at the point the weight will be pointed at. BTW, I used this column technique when I did my kitchen renovation back in 2003. It replaced a short column sitting on top of a cabinet/counter. Here's a couple pics:

http://sawsndust.com/images/kitchen-remodel/demo/kr-demo14.jpg

http://sawsndust.com/images/kitchen-remodel/demo/kr-demo17.jpg
http://sawsndust.com/images/kitchen-remodel/demo/kr-demo56.jpg

On that last example, your column would be more embedded in the wall rather than being at a cabinet like here. Note that the two lally columns are directly over a pier that is under the brick floor so that the weight of the second floor is transfered down to the footings.

[Charles Cannon]

I would not set a column on top of a wing wall that had any load on it. What I have done is build a square fluted column 6 1/8 outside and 4 5/8 inside. I cut the higth of the wing wall off one of the 4 5/8 pieces, assemble the column, flute it then slide it over the sheetrocked wall. This will hold some weight but when more support is required you can add 2 studs to each end of the wall and install the short side of the column after it is slid over the wall and studs.
Cannon

[William OConnell]

In the process of a living room remodel I have removed a load bearing wall to open up between dining room and living room. I have it supported with temporary braces for the time being, and eventually plan on installing a knee wall with columns from the top of the wall to the ceiling. These will need to be approximately 3 feet, and will most likely be painted white.

I have had no luck with finding columns of different lengths. All I find at the borgs is floor to ceiling columns.

If I had a lathe I would plan on turning some, but I don't, and can't buy one.

Any ideas?
I had a similar dilema on a job several years ago and just started having fun with maple. I left 3) 2 by 4s inside and just mitered the outsides of them to except an octagon column that I made mostly on site using biscuts and glue.
I ended up being real happy with them and was glad they werent round. It pulled all the maple work I did in the rest of the room together
http://woodworkers.us/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=835&g2_serialNumber=2&g2_GALLERYSID=96415e98fed3d1d7230512a29d8361ee
Heres a link to a better picture of this
http://woodworkers.us/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=833&g2_GALLERYSID=96415e98fed3d1d7230512a29d8361ee
Heres a view of the other column on the other side of the room
http://woodworkers.us/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=838&g2_serialNumber=2&g2_GALLERYSID=96415e98fed3d1d7230512a29d8361ee
And again a link with a better picture

http://woodworkers.us/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=836&g2_GALLERYSID=96415e98fed3d1d7230512a29d8361ee