Choosing the perfect post cap is a big part of any project. Whether you opt for the ball, pineapple or pyramid profile, you’ll first have to determine which size you need—something that can be a little tricky with all the terminology out there.
Let’s go over what you need to understand before choosing your post caps:
NOMINAL/DRESSED
- Nominal/dressed are one in the same
- When a post cap fits a nominal or dressed post, the post measures 1/2″ less than the listed measurement
EXAMPLE: a nominal or dressed 4″ x 4″ post cap fits a post that measures 3.5″ x 3.5″
ROUGH LUMBER/UNDRESSED
- Rough lumber/undressed are one and the same
- When a post cap fits a rough lumber or undressed post, the post size is the same as the listed measurement
EXAMPLE: a 4″ x 4″ rough lumber or undressed post cap fits a post that measures 4″ x 4″
STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS
- Carefully measure your post or if you just purchased the post, check the label or receipt
- If your post, for example, measures 3.5” x 3.5”, you can begin to search for post caps. Using the terminology for nominal/dressed or rough lumber/undressed, you can understand a wider range in which would fit your cap based on how they’re described.
- For example, your post could fit a nominal 4 x 4 cap
or
- A rough lumber 3.5 x 3.5 cap
Tip: Depending on how the cap installs (pressure fit, with screws, etc) and the material, some may have a slight gap larger by a few mm but can still fit your post once fully installed.
- Double-check the cap sizing
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- If in-store, re-measure the inside portion of the cap where the post goes ensuring you don’t include the edge or rim that would be on the outside.
- Online, check the images or features of the product and they should provide this information.
Tip: Some post cap manufacturers such as Nuvo will provide the ‘Actual’ size in the features to ensure you know the size of the cap to match the actual size you’re measuring.
Check out all our post caps here to browse the post cap sizes and styles we offer.
Visit our ‘Where to Buy’ page, select ‘Accessories Dealer’, and choose your range to see the stores nearest you with our caps.
