The traditional designs for outdoor columns all stem from designs that were created first by the ancient Greeks and then adapted by the Romans during the heyday of the Empire. The simplest designs had smooth facing, in the case of both round and square columns. These shaped stone columns were used principally in public buildings and as architecture grew more elaborate, some of the column designs included tapered shafts and some had decorative trim on the column facing.

The most popular of the ornamental innovations was applying fluting to the column shaft. Narrow, parallel channels were carved into the length of the column, creating slender raised areas that gave the column grace and minimized its bulk. Fluted square columns are widespread among the structures that remain from those civilizations, particularly the Roman. Today, you can use fluted square columns in your home design or remodel and apply them in a number of areas.

The modern fluted square columns are manufactured from a fiberglass polymer, and can be either a weight bearing column or can be installed over an existing support such as a steel pole. The fluting of the column stops short of both the base and the column’s top, which is called a capital. The capital flares out from the column a few inches above the top of the fluting to a flat square surface that is a couple of inches wider than the column on each side.

If you want to disguise that round steel support pole, you can order a split square fluted column that can be installed around the existing support. When the two sides are joined together, a little sanding and painting will hide the seam completely. You can employ square fluted columns in your backyard with trellises or pergolas. In the front of the house, the can add elegance to the main entrance by supporting a small overhead structure above the front door.