How to Update Skinny Porch Posts with PVC Trim

With summertime wrapping up, we wanted to try to squeeze in one more outdoor project. We’ve lived in our home for three years and are slowly making headway on the exterior finishes. Something I knew would make a big impact on the curb appeal of our home was trimming out the posts on our wrap around front porch. On this blog post I’ll share how to update skinny porch posts with PVC trim!

Until now, our porch posts were untouched. When building our home, we had simple square porch posts installed to support our wrap-around porch. We knew eventually we wanted to dress these up a bit but just never had the chance! To see what they looked like before, check out this blog post from last summer.

I loved the square shape of the porch columns and wanted to keep any trim or detailing fairly simple. There are lots of ornate and pricey ways to dress up a porch post but I wanted something timeless and budget friendly. To achieve this look, we came up with the idea to install a few boards of flat trim around the top and bottom of each post.

I wanted the trim at the bottom of each post to be a little “chunkier” or wider than the trim at the top. I’m so glad we chose to do this – it made all the difference! For the top of each post, we used 5 1/2 in wide PVC trim. To differentiate a bit from the top, we used 7 1/2 in wide PVC boards to trim out the base of columns. We opted for PVC trim to avoid any warping or rotting we could eventually have gotten with wood trim. We paid a little more up front but I think this is the right choice in the end!

To install, we simply measured our porch post sides and cut the PVC boards using a miter saw. We chose to cut each side of the trim at a 45 degree angle to achieve a seamless look. Essentially, we had four pieces to adhere around the top of the post and four trim pieces for the bottom. After each side of the trim was cut, we attached the trim to the post using a nail gun.

After a bit of caulking and paint, our porch posts were looking better than ever! It’s amazing what a little bit of trim can do to complete an unfinished space. The cost of the column trim will depend on how much trim you need. For us, the total came to around $150. Which got me thinking – we should have done this long ago!

Eventually, we may choose to add corbels but for now I’m loving the simplicity! I think the porch columns look complete just as they are. I’m really happy we went with something timeless that isn’t too ornate or style-specific.

I hope this post was helpful if you’ve been looking around on how to update skinny porch posts using PVC trim. It was a pretty simple two-day home improvement project. Let me know in the comments if you decide to try this porch column trim for yourself!

xo,

sarah jane