Replacing porch column bases with vented composite?

[SouthBend]

My porch column bases/plinths are rotten. Numerous years of no one properly taking care of the rot and multiple coats of Duration created a water balloon effect. One stab with a awl and they deflated into water soaked mush.

There's 14 bases to replace. I've priced out 8 different manufacturers or so. 2 quotes for wood came out to be about $6,300 and am worried they won't last or even worse cause the column to begin to rot since the new bases won't absorb the moisture anymore.

I've checked the profiles with calipers, overall height, separation between plinths, and everything seems like it should work great. Previous owners also joined some of the plinths together with putty but not others but they'll all be separated now. Going to go with Brockwell because the dimensions offered were near perfect, price was right, and the salesperson was very helpful. They'll be hollow, load bearing, fiberglass composite, with weep openings on two sides.

I'm uneasy about how much they will stick out as not wood after multiple coats of brushed paint. Also uneasy because The Old House Guy said it would be heresy to do this but he's very opinionated to begin with.

Anyone have an opinion or experience going to composite route?

[mjt]

I have no experience going the composite route. If you could find a piece of rot-resistant lumber that is the right dimension and if you had the proper tools to shape it, you could reproduce those disks. Dollars to donuts that on yours there are separate pieces of lumber under each of the paint colors. It might even be a fun project. But you're always going to be fighting the potential for rot.

So I don't see why composite isn't a reasonable option.

[1918ColonialRevival]

In addition to figuring out what to replace it with, one key element is to figure out what caused the damage in the first place. From looking at the pictures, it looks like most of the damage came from water pouring from above, such as drainage off a roof that either had clogged or improperly fitted gutters. If that's the case, a weep hole won't do you much good.

If it were me, I'd replace wood with wood; however, I would craft the bases out of a resistant species of wood like mahogany. A cheaper alternative would be oak. I had to replace a column base a few years ago and was able to get a local lumber yard to supply me with mahogany to do it with. The materials cost a couple hundred bucks. So far, it's held up well.

[Gothichome]

Southbend, here is some reading for you from the preservation people.

https://www.nps.gov/tps/how-to-preserve ... orches.htm

Your posts just might be supported by brackets, the foot plate my just be trimming and was meant to be replaced every century or so.
Judging from your pictures this just might be the case, the rot has not gone beyond the foot plate with that much rot I would rot up as well as around.

[1918ColonialRevival]

One thing I forgot to ask - was Willy Wonka the previous owner of your house?

[phil]

i'd make a two piece fiberglass mold from what's there, then make a fiberglass boot for each post from that mold.