Attractive Column Choices For Your Pergola
For that elegant and classic look you've been wanting for your pergola, you wouldn't like ordinary posts to hold it up - you'd need columns.
Where the lattice roof is covered in vines, the pillars of a pergola not only provide support but lend to the total aesthetic feel of your backyard.
Choosing a type of pergola pole that fits your lawn and the rest of your house is therefore important.
A pergola column would have three main parts: the capital or top part which supports the beams, the shaft which makes up about 80% of the post, and the base which holds the pergola to the ground.
The capital may have plain gussets or support wedges, elaborate carvings following the style of the pergola, or plain rings or slabs jutting out.
The shaft of your pergola post could have a round or square shape and its surface may be smooth, fluted (with grooves), spiral, or carved into figures or intricate designs.
The base would complement the capital with a less elaborate design and may compose the smallest part or be dramatically raised in a similar or contrasting round or square shape as the rest of the pergola pole.
Roman: Roman columns follow the three classical architectural styles and render a Greek feel to your pergola.
Normally fluted, a wide shaft is considered Doric while a narrower one is Ionic.
If the capital has an elaborate design with scrolls, leaves, faces, and other images embossed into its flat beam, it is considered Corinthian.
Tuscan: Pergola with smooth shafts and uncomplicated designs for the capital and base are considered Tuscan.
These are ideal for those wanting a pergola with an Italian or Mediterranean ambience.
Narrowing the shaft and elevating the base would make the pergola look taller and more open, giving it a more modern look.
The simple style of Tuscan posts allows arched and straight gussets to blend with the pergola without making it look too heavy.
Solomonic: Solomonic pillars are distinguished by their rope or serpent-like shafts.
Their grooves provide great support for climbing vines on their way to the pergola's roof.
These posts give an old-world look and are suited for a pergola with a Byzantine or Baroque motif.
Stone: Stone supports are more expensive but add drama to your pergola.
Manors and large estates favor stone pergola pillars carved with reliefs of people or animals.
Climbing vines on the columns are not recommended though as they make the pergola look overrun and neglected.
Lattice: You can also match your vertical supports with your pergola roof.
The trellis would also help climbing vines crawl upwards better, something to consider for a garden pergola.
Whatever column style you choose, make sure they blend in well with the other elements of your pergola and backyard.
Don't make them overload the entire pergola either.
Strategically place furniture and curtains to help balance your pergola out.
Where the lattice roof is covered in vines, the pillars of a pergola not only provide support but lend to the total aesthetic feel of your backyard.
Choosing a type of pergola pole that fits your lawn and the rest of your house is therefore important.
A pergola column would have three main parts: the capital or top part which supports the beams, the shaft which makes up about 80% of the post, and the base which holds the pergola to the ground.
The capital may have plain gussets or support wedges, elaborate carvings following the style of the pergola, or plain rings or slabs jutting out.
The shaft of your pergola post could have a round or square shape and its surface may be smooth, fluted (with grooves), spiral, or carved into figures or intricate designs.
The base would complement the capital with a less elaborate design and may compose the smallest part or be dramatically raised in a similar or contrasting round or square shape as the rest of the pergola pole.
Roman: Roman columns follow the three classical architectural styles and render a Greek feel to your pergola.
Normally fluted, a wide shaft is considered Doric while a narrower one is Ionic.
If the capital has an elaborate design with scrolls, leaves, faces, and other images embossed into its flat beam, it is considered Corinthian.
Tuscan: Pergola with smooth shafts and uncomplicated designs for the capital and base are considered Tuscan.
These are ideal for those wanting a pergola with an Italian or Mediterranean ambience.
Narrowing the shaft and elevating the base would make the pergola look taller and more open, giving it a more modern look.
The simple style of Tuscan posts allows arched and straight gussets to blend with the pergola without making it look too heavy.
Solomonic: Solomonic pillars are distinguished by their rope or serpent-like shafts.
Their grooves provide great support for climbing vines on their way to the pergola's roof.
These posts give an old-world look and are suited for a pergola with a Byzantine or Baroque motif.
Stone: Stone supports are more expensive but add drama to your pergola.
Manors and large estates favor stone pergola pillars carved with reliefs of people or animals.
Climbing vines on the columns are not recommended though as they make the pergola look overrun and neglected.
Lattice: You can also match your vertical supports with your pergola roof.
The trellis would also help climbing vines crawl upwards better, something to consider for a garden pergola.
Whatever column style you choose, make sure they blend in well with the other elements of your pergola and backyard.
Don't make them overload the entire pergola either.
Strategically place furniture and curtains to help balance your pergola out.
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