a. Columns. A vertical member, designed to carry the live and dead loads placed upon it is called a column or a post. It can be made of wood, metal, or masonry. Wooden columns may be solid timbers or several wooden members nailed together with 16d or 20d common nails. Metal columns are made of heavy pipe, large steel angles, or I-beams.

b. Column Spacing. A good arrangement of the girder and supporting columns for a 24-foot by 40-foot building is shown in Figure 1-14 . Column B will support one half of the girder load existing in the part the building lying between wall A and column C. Column C will support half of the girder load between columns B and D. Likewise, column D will share the girder loads equally with column C and wall E.

c. Bearing Plates and Footings. Regardless of the material used in a column, it must have some form of a bearing plate at the top and bottom. These plates distribute the load evenly across the column. Basement posts that support girders should be set on masonry footings. Columns should be securely fastened at the top to the load-bearing member and at the bottom to the footing on which they rest.

d. Column Fastening. Figure 1-15 shows a solid wooden column with a metal bearing cap drilled so that it can be fastened to the column and to the girder. The bottom of this type of column may be fastened to the masonry footings by a metal dowel. The dowel should be inserted in a hole drilled in the bottom of the column and in the masonry footing. The base is coated with asphalt at the drilling point to prevent rust or rot.