Blog
Column Caps and Bases Are Ordered Separately
On a Spectis column, the shaft is one line. The cap and the base are separate lines. A neck ring, if you need one, is separate too.
Match the hole in the cap or base to the shaft diameter. A 12 inch shaft with a 10 inch base is the wrong part, not a variation. A Tuscan base is the classical foot under a round shaft. A neck ring sits at the top of the shaft, under the capital.
A hollow shaft wraps a post that already carries the load. If the column itself has to hold the porch, order the structur
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Sep 30th 2026
Hollow Spectis Columns and Structural Columns
A hollow Spectis shaft has no structural value. It wraps a post or a pipe that is already carrying the load. The plant can supply the shaft in two halves so the wrap closes around that support. Glue the halves with PLP100 and sand the squeeze-out before paint.
A structural column is a different part. It has a 4-1/2 inch steel post in the center. The published maximum safe load for that steel core is 10,000 pounds. If the column has to hold the porch, order the structural part. Do not ask a hollo
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Sep 30th 2026
How to Install Spectis Decorative Column Installation Instructions
Decorative Column Installation Instructions
Spectis offers decorative columns, which can either be ordered with a one-piece shaft that can be used alone as a non-load-bearing member, or with the shaft split vertically to wrap around existing load-bearing members. In addition, some column designs have the cap and base telescoping around the column shaft, while other designs have the cap and base attaching directly to the ends of the column shaft (non-telescoping). They can be installed using seve
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Nov 10th 2018