Frequently Asked Questions

 No. Filling the column restricts air flow and condensation evaporation. You will void the warranty by putting anything (except a structural post) inside the column.

We do not sell direct to customers, but you can find a link to our dealer locator HERE.

No, the post comes prefinished white. There are no recommendations for painting due to the material and you will void the warranty.

Things You Will Need:

• Circular saw with an abrasive fine-tooth carbide blade
• Low-Tack Masking Tape
• Marking Pen or Pencil
• Protective Eyewear

Measuring the Opening and Column before Making the Cut

• Take four measurements before making any cut to the column. Most porches will have a slight slope to them. With that being the case, take four measurements to be certain that your column is going to sit flush at the top and bottom.
• Measuring from the ceiling to the finished floor, take a plumb measurement from the front of the column, back of the column and each side. This should give you the proper length to be able to make your cut.

Preparing to Cut the Fiberglass Column

• Place the column on its side and brace it for stability. Measure to the desired length and mark the column at the cut line.
• Apply a layer of low-tack masking tape around the column at cutting length in order to protect the cut edge from being chipped by the saw blade.
• Use a circular saw with a masonry or fine-tooth carbide tip blade and make the cut through the masking tape, rotating the column as needed to complete the cut. If the column is tapered, make sure to cut only from the bottom in order to keep the aesthetic and proportion of the column.
• Remove the cut portion and the masking tape from the cut end and install your column.

When using screws to secure the column to the ceiling or floor or applying a railing system, you need to pre-drill the holes before installing the screws. Failure to do so may cause the column to crack or chip off. You may not notice the column chipping off because most of the time it will chip off from the interior wall of the column. When this happens, the column will now have a weak point and the weight load that the column will carry will be reduced.

Never add concrete inside the walls of a fiberglass column! By doing this, your fiberglass column is guaranteed to split in many pieces. The expansion and contraction rate of the column is different than that of the concrete and within days after adding concrete inside a fiberglass column’s walls it will begin to crack.

You can paint these products, but they cannot be painted dark colors. Dark colors are considered any color that falls within the L value of 56 to 0. L is a measure of lightness of an object and ranges from 0 (black) to 100 (white). Your paint manufacturer will be able to provide the L value if you are unsure.

Our RoughSawn® column are the only product that can be stained with a solid-body acrylic stain.

Our round tapered and square craftsman must be cut from the bottom so as not to cut into the taper of the column. Our square and round no-taper columns can be cut from the top or bottom because they are a uniform width from top to bottom.

Yes. We sell a product called Mor-Shade®. There are three options in our Mor-Shade collection. The shade sail is a single fabric piece that connects at the four top corners of the pergola columns. Our canopy system is a retractable fabric option giving you more flexibility for your shade needs. The last option is our Mor-Shade purlin. These purlin are wider than the normal purlin giving you more shade without the need for a fabric option.

Yes, both options must be removed or retracted when severe weather is anticipated or the warranty is void.

The kit includes an MMA (Methyl Methacrylate Adhesive) type adhesive, bonding plates, and straps to hold the column together while the adhesives cure. MMA adhesives are formulated with modifiers to provide tough bond lines that resist peel and cleavage stresses as well as impact.

Yes! Our round taper and no-taper, square, and craftsman fiberglass columns can be split to surround existing support posts. Our PermaLite®, RoughSawn®, and PermaCast® Recessed Panel columns cannot be split by HB&G.

Yes, a beveled cap and base option is available for Square PermaCast® and PermaLite® columns. Sizes vary so please check our online catalog for your options.

Do HB&G round tapered columns hold true to Architectural Accuracy? Yes! In the first century B.C., Vitruvius, a Roman architect and engineer, wrote one of the most influential works on classic form, De architectura. In it, he elaborates on the discovery by the ancient Greeks of entasis, a gradual tapering of the upper two thirds of the round column which offsets the undesirable illusion from eye level that the column shaft grows larger as it ascends. HB&G round tapered columns hold true to this classic form.

Remember, when trimming a round tapered column, cut from the bottom! Parallel dimensions are used to specify where a column begins to taper. These dimensions use length from the bottom of the column shaft to the point where the taper begins. This is necessary to determine how much a column can be shortened before the base begins to fit loosely. Filler and caulking may be used to fill the gap between the base and shaft if it is necessary to shorten the column beyond the parallel dimension. Please see our online catalog for a full list of Parallel Dimensions.

Yes! Please check our information center on the website for more information on load bearing capabilities of our products.

The “Safety Factor” on the allowable load was recently increased from 2.5 times to 5 times the listed average allowable load. Please see our online catalog for an eccentric and concentric load bearing table specific to each size and style of column

Yes! HB&G Building Products is the only fiberglass column manufacturer with an evaluation service report from ICC attesting to its compliance to the 2018 IBC/IRC and Florida Product Approval.

Remember that you are hypothetically inserting a square peg in a round hole! Consequently, it is the “diagonal measurement” of the 4”x4” post that you are interested in. you must take into account the fact that a round tapered column has a smaller inside dimension at the top of the column shaft that it does at the bottom. You will need to use an 8” round tapered column in order to wrap a 4”x4” post.

Yes! Prime the column with high quality exterior latex bonding primer in accordance with the paint manufacturer’s instructions. A light coat of primer should be applied and allowed to fully cure before applying a top coat of paint.

Yes! Our warranties vary based on the particular product purchased. Please check in the Information Center for more information

Yes! Our continuing education course is approved by AIA. Upon completion the attendee will receive 1 hour of HSW continuing education credits. Please contact HB&G or a local sales representative for more information.

Drawings and plan take-offs are submitted to the HB&G CAD department for processing. Drawings are processed within 48 hours of the original request. Plan Take-offs with materials list will take up to 72 hours depending on the work load of the CAD department.

It is not recommended. Installations of this type exceed the products designed use and will void your warranty.

Yes, attach the flagpole with coarse-thread pattern screws. Remember to pre-drill the column to avoid cracking.

A surface crack can be repaired with Bondo. If the column is load bearing, the crack goes through the wall of the shaft, and the columns are uninstalled, they can be returned for credit at the place of purchase. If the columns are installed, please email our Warranty Department at warranty@hbgcompanies.com to request a claim form.

HB&G PermaCast® columns require a non-acetone construction type adhesive. Acetone will harm the column and is not recommended. PVC Columns can be installed with SiroFlex Adhesive, Adhesive Caulking, or standard PVC Cement.

It is not recommended. Installations of this type exceed the products designed use and will void the warranty.

PermaCast columns are connected via L-Brackets. These are included in the Tuscan cap and base set or available for purchase separately. If you wish, you can purchase your own brackets from a local hardware store. Be sure to pre-drill into the column prior to attaching the screws. Failure to do so may cause cracking.

Adding a trellis/eyebrow is a quick and easy way to enhance the look of any garage or large window on your home. The trellis/eyebrow styles at HB&G are made of fiberglass rather than wood, so you don't have to worry about them rotting or discoloring over time. Our most popular sizes are 11', 18' and 20', but we can also accommodate custom sizes and profiles to fit your unique needs.

Learn More About Trellises/Eyebrows

Privacy screens are the perfect way to add privacy to an outdoor patio, pool area or garden without having to completely fence off your yard. HB&G offers beautiful slatted fiberglass privacy screens that will deter any prying eyes while enhancing the aesthetic of your space. The slatted design of our privacy screens also allows wind to move through them freely, so you don't have to worry about them falling over in the event of a bad, windy storm. You can choose from either a single panel or a corner style, both featuring Napa tails and Square PermaLite® columns.

Learn More About Privacy Screens

Putting up a pergola is an easy way to turn a plain patio into a beautiful outdoor living space ready for entertaining. HB&G offers PVC pergolas and Fiberglass Pergolas that you can customize based on your unique vision. Contact us to learn more about our pergolas, the sizes we have available and how to use them to create your dream outdoor living space.

Learn More About Pergolas

If you have questions about the installation and finishing process for any of our pergolas, privacy screens or other products, visit our information center to view product drawings and instructions to help bring your outdoor living space to life. For further assistance, please contact our team! We'll be more than happy to help.