Columns are a nice addition to any porch. In fact, porches are the most popular places on a building to put them. Sometimes they stand alone and sometimes they are incorporated into the porch railing. While they used to be pretty basic, now they come in a variety of designs that are all used to help define the entry way to a person's house or a business's building. They can also be made from both synthetic materials as well as wood.

If you were thinking about adding them to your porch, here are some of the different types you can choose from: The Doric, the Ionic, the Corinthian, the Egyptian and the Romanesque.

The Doric is the oldest and is the simplest of the Greek-styled ones. You'll recognize these as the type used for the Parthenon. It has a smooth and rounded top and fluted side. It does not have a separate base.

The Ionic column is recognized most easily by the ornaments that are at the top. These ornaments are scroll shaped. This one, unlike the Doric column, has a rounded base.

The Corinthian is the most modern of the three basic styles of Greek designs. It also has some Egyptian influences to it at the top. This Egyptian influence is personified in the use of the inverted bell-shaped decorations at the top. These are often decorated with laurel, acanthus or olive leaves if they are available. Its base is similar to the ionic one in that it, too, is rounded.

Some historians believe that the Egyptian designs are modeled on the shape of the lotus flower. The lotus flower is indigenous to the Nile River, so this theory makes sense. They typically taper out at their tops and look very pretty when decorated with palm leaves.

The Romanesque columns were made extra famous by Henry Hobson Richardson who used them to support the arches in the Romanesque revival homes he built. These are square and squat. They usually rest on bases that are massive and shaped like trapezoids, though sometimes they rest on piers. Their tops are sometimes decorated with flowers. The pier columns, which are simpler than the Romanesque ones are very popular with Craftsman and Mission styled homes.

Columns for porches can come in many shapes and sizes, this article was merely a primer to help you get started on your quest to perfectly augment your home or business building's porch. Regardless of the style you choose, they often add great character touches to a home and to the fronts of business buildings. They do not have to be expensive and can be installed with your own hands.