RESTORATION OF WOOD COLUMNS AND COLUMN CAPITALS

The six monumental wood columns in the portico of Trickett Hall (built in 1917) were found to have deteriorated sufficiently to require removal so that all wood elements, the column bases and plinths as well as the column shafts, could be fully inspected and restored.  By cradling the column capitals and supporting the portico, we were able to remove all column parts and to furnish reproductions or wood restoration (with epoxy or new wood), as necessary.  We replaced one column column base, in wood (see image below) and all the column plinths with a new custom design in cast stone that featured improved interior ventilation throughout the length of the columns.  By furnishing an air inlet through the middle of the bottom of the column, conditions inside the columns will not be as supportive of wood rot as they have been up until now.

A. Thayer Smith III, Inc. restored the column capitals over the portico columns, as necessary.  We made similar repairs to the ionic capitals over the pilasters on the clock stage of the tower.  At each corner of the octagonal belfry stage of the tower were columns that had long ago lost their capitals to exposure and rot.  We had developed for another client molds for Ionic column capitals that just happened to fit the tops of these belfry columns.  With the architect's approval, we produced new replacement capitals from these molds, at considerable cost savings to the client.