Here’s How Woodworking Columns Can Complete Your Remodel

If you’re thinking about remodeling your home, you’re probably planning on new paint, flooring, or lighting. Columns might not be the first item on your design checklist. But once you see how they can change the way a space looks and feels, you’ll wonder why you didn’t consider them. They’re a detail that make a massive difference.

Woodworking columns can be decorative, but they also can create structure and add depth to the home. In some cases, even more importantly, they support weight.

When they’re used the right way, columns can:

👉 Click here to browse some examples of custom wood columns we’ve created for customers.

Let’s take a look at some types of transformations where wood columns can alter the impact your home has on guests.

Most homes built in the United States in the last few decades use simple supports for their porches. They’re usually thin metal posts or plain 4×4 pressure-treated wood. These do the job, but visually, they leave a lot to be desired. The porch feels like an afterthought instead of a central part of the home’s design.

Replace these boring supports with turned wood columns and the entire front of the house changes. Now, you have and can play with shape and detail, like a taper or a spiral design. The porch becomes an intentional feature, not just a slab with a roof.

Making this kind of change doesn’t require tearing the house apart. Swapping in new columns is one of the highest-impact, lowest-effort upgrades you can make to your exterior. It’s especially powerful when paired with fresh railings or a new front door.

Basement remodels often hit a block, which is the support post. The steel or treated-wood beam in the center of the room might be necessary, but it’s usually ugly and at odds with your finished floors and painted walls. It doesn’t feel like it belongs in a livable space. Most people try to hide it, ignore it, or box it in with drywall that still looks like a workaround.

There’s a better option available, which is to wrap the post in a real wood column. A custom-turned or boxed wrap gives this central support purpose beyond support. Add a thick base, clean trim, and stain or paint that matches the rest of your home, and you’re good to go.

This method is effective in basement lounges, home gyms, or rental units. A finished column improves the space without the need for major framing or structural changes.

Many homes leave their staircases underdeveloped. The railings are basic, the landing is just a platform, and the transition from one level to the next is one big missed opportunity for a special feature.

Adding a pair of short wood columns at the landing instantly changes that. They can act as newel posts or standalone details and add symmetry, give your stairs a “bookend” feel, and make the whole area feel more custom and crafted.

If your home has high ceilings, you can go even further and place tall columns that rise past the handrail to emphasize vertical space. Even in modest homes, this can bring lightness and detail to a flat design.

When the staircase looks intentional, the entire flow of the home improves.

Not all woodworking columns look or feel the same. The overall effect of a column depends largely on its size, shape, and finishing details.

Thicker columns tend to feel more traditional and have a formal presence in entryways or porch setups. Slimmer columns have a more modern appearance that works well in open interiors or transitional spaces. Height plays a role too! Full-length columns that reach from floor to ceiling can naturally make a room feel taller.

Shape adds another layer to consider. Turned columns have rounded and decorative curves and bring movement to more traditional homes. Square columns are often used in modern projects. Tapered styles are wider at the bottom and narrower at the top and are common on exterior porches.

The finishing touches complete the look. Adding fluting or other carved details introduces texture to columns. Bases and caps make the column feel like part of the home’s architecture. And of course, whether you choose to stain or paint the column, matching the surrounding woodwork is what ties it all together.

We produce all major column styles in custom lengths and wood types, built for both indoor and outdoor use.

This is where your remodel plan goes from good to great. Columns aren’t flashy, but they create a presence for your home. And when they’re done right, they never go out of style.

You don’t have to be a builder to know when something looks better. That’s what woodworking columns do. They make your space look better, feel stronger, and stand out from the rest.

We’ve worked with thousands of homeowners, builders, designers, and architects who want real wood columns made to order. If you’re replacing porch posts, upgrading your stairs, or improving the look of your home’s interior, we can help. We’ve been doing it for over 100 years!