cabled fluting

architecture

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Last updated

June 22, 2026

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Cabled fluting is an architectural decorative technique where concave grooves (flutes) on a column shaft are partially filled by a convex molding, or bead. This ornamentation is typically found on columns in Classical architecture, specifically in the Ionic, Corinthian, and Composite orders, where there are usually 24 flutes. The cabling effect does not extend beyond the upper third of the column's shaft. Fillets, which are rectangular or square bands, can also be found between the flutings of columns in classical architecture.12

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fluting and reeding
…and are then known as cabled; this decoration does not usually extend higher than one-third of the shaft. Sometimes channeling, slightly resembling fluting, is found on Norman pillars, an instance of which is found in the crypt of Canterbury Cathedral, Kent, Eng. Exactly the same kind of ornament occurs frequently…
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…and are then known as cabled; this decoration does not usually extend higher than one-third of the shaft. Sometimes channeling, slightly resembling fluting, is found on Norman pillars, an instance of which is found in the crypt of Canterbury Cathedral, Kent, Eng. Exactly the same kind of ornament occurs frequently…
Read More