Continuous‐bed columns of 200 μm inner diameter containing sol–gel bonded small‐pore (5 μm, 90 Å) and large‐pore (5 μm, 1400 Å) octadecylsilica particles were prepared for capillary liquid chromatography using a sol–gel process. These columns were found to be mechanically strong and permeable. The back pressures per centimeter column bed for columns packed with the same particle size were nearly the same, regardless of the pore size. The large‐pore and small‐pore continuous‐bed columns generated efficiencies of 1.16×105 and 0.57×105 plates per meter, respectively. Since conventional liquid chromatography packing materials were utilized to form the continuous‐bed columns, selectivities similar to conventional liquid chromatography were obtained. The small‐pore continuous‐bed columns exhibited stronger retention than the large‐pore continuous‐bed columns because the small‐pore particles possessed higher surface area and carbon load than the large‐pore particles. The sol–gel bonded continuous‐bed columns were inert to aromatic amines primarily due to the incorporation of a deactivation precursor in the sol–gel matrix. ©2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Micro Sep 12: 6–12, 2000