Classic Style - Faux Brick Driveway Lamp Post
We recently received these project photos from a Barron Designs customer who created a driveway lamp post with classic brick style using one of our easy-to-install post covers.
Some people scoff the first time they hear us argue that there are many ways in which 'going faux' can be better than the real thing, but these recent project photos go a long way towards proving our point.
Driveway lamp post clad with a Carlton Traditional Brick post cover in Bordeaux color
These customers wanted to install an exterior lamp post with electrical outlets and a photo-electric light; and wanted it to look as if it was built from weathered, old brick.
The problem was, of course, that a towering column made from one-by-one brick wouldn't have been very secure - even with mortar to support the bricks it would have been liable to bend and crack; inevitably snapping in two. It's the same design physics at work that are used to design skyscrapers; with limits on how high you can build using bricks alone.
Close-up view shows the lamp post's realistic brick look
Modern skyscrapers use a steel central core which has the exterior attached onto it; and the homeowners behind this project used exactly the same science to create their column. They used a 4x4 length of timber to create the structural center - the wood being flexible and lightweight enough to be self-supporting - and then installed two of our Carlton Brick Bordeaux Column Covers, one on top of the other, to give the illusion that the column was made from brick.
In addition to creating a brick-look structure that wouldn't have been possible using the authentic material, it was also possible to run the wiring for the electric outlet and the photocell light underneath the panels; meaning all of the cables and wiring were completely hidden. Once again, this wouldn't have been possible with a brick column; assuming you'd even build one that high.
Another way this cover does what a REAL brick column couldn't - concealing the light's wiring.
The end result looks vividly realistic - and it's impossible to tell from a glance that it's not manufactured from real brick. However, in terms of practicality and cost, 'going faux' proved to be a far superior option.
We're thrilled to feature this project because it demonstrates how our faux products can achieve even more than the 'real' thing, and you don't need to compromise on the striking look of brick to reap those benefits.
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