Painting your new exterior columns

Column Guru OFFERS COLUMN PAINTING SERVICES, for columns we have installed. We only offer WHITE coloured paint as we found that choosing the correct colour and matching colours can become too costly and time consuming. WIth that in mind, if you'd like any other colour, we ask that provide the paint and we will paint the columns for you. 

If you'd like to paint the columns yourself, it's not a difficult task once you have the correct tools and a the proper paint selected. 

Heres a few things to take note of before you start.

• Clean the columns with a wet rag before painting, this will get rid of any dust or dirt that may have accumulated. 
• The Columns do not need sanding before painting, they are ready to be painted out of the box. You can always sand if you feel it is required. 
• The columns can be painted one hour after installation. Once the caulking is dry, they are ready for a coat of paint. 
• You will use the same paint on the Column Shaft and the Capital/ Base

A small roller will do the trick for either the Square or Round Columns, you will need to use a small 3" Paint Brush for the Capitals and Base. The shaft is always flatter and easier to finish with a roller, whereas the cap/base has edges, curves and spots that can only be reached with a brush. 

We recommend that you use a good quality primer, we recommend KILZ3 which will adhere to just about any material and can be found anywhere paint is sold. For paint, we recommend any 100% Acrylic Exterior Paint. This type of paint will adhere best to non porous materials such at Fiberglass and PVC. There is no specific brand that we recommend, however make sure you buy a better paint as it will last you longer (Over 15 years). Once the columns are painted, the paint will not flake off or peel off, it will only fade over time, at which point it will require another coat. 

The paint type mentioned above will sometimes be available with a Primer already mixed in, however you may have to purchase a separate Primer with the same properties mentioned. You can then purchase a standard paint to go over its the primer will adhere to the Fibreglass/ PVC and the paint will adhere to the primer. 

PVC Column Wraps will require the same type of paint, however, they can only be painted in lighter colours as per Manufacturer Specs. The darker colours will attract the sun and deteriorate the PVC (Plastic) in a shorter amount of time. There are Heat Reflective paints available in all the colours if you require them. These paints will not prematurely fade and will protect the PVC even under the harshest of sunny conditions. 

Below are some manufacturer links to their painting specs.