diff --git a/pandas/io/pytables.py b/pandas/io/pytables.py
index 66b8089537e8d..347d60f8a7354 100644
--- a/pandas/io/pytables.py
+++ b/pandas/io/pytables.py
@@ -34,10 +34,12 @@
 from pandas.core.dtypes.common import (
     ensure_object,
     is_categorical_dtype,
+    is_complex_dtype,
     is_datetime64_dtype,
     is_datetime64tz_dtype,
     is_extension_array_dtype,
     is_list_like,
+    is_string_dtype,
     is_timedelta64_dtype,
 )
 from pandas.core.dtypes.generic import ABCExtensionArray
@@ -2353,16 +2355,48 @@ def set_atom(self, block, data_converted, use_str: bool):
             # set as a data block
             self.set_atom_data(block)
 
-    def get_atom_string(self, shape, itemsize):
+    @classmethod
+    def _get_atom(cls, values: Union[np.ndarray, ABCExtensionArray]) -> "Col":
+        """
+        Get an appropriately typed and shaped pytables.Col object for values.
+        """
+
+        dtype = values.dtype
+        itemsize = dtype.itemsize
+
+        shape = values.shape
+        if values.ndim == 1:
+            # EA, use block shape pretending it is 2D
+            shape = (1, values.size)
+
+        if is_categorical_dtype(dtype):
+            codes = values.codes
+            atom = cls.get_atom_data(shape, kind=codes.dtype.name)
+        elif is_datetime64_dtype(dtype) or is_datetime64tz_dtype(dtype):
+            atom = cls.get_atom_datetime64(shape)
+        elif is_timedelta64_dtype(dtype):
+            atom = cls.get_atom_timedelta64(shape)
+        elif is_complex_dtype(dtype):
+            atom = _tables().ComplexCol(itemsize=itemsize, shape=shape[0])
+
+        elif is_string_dtype(dtype):
+            atom = cls.get_atom_string(shape, itemsize)
+
+        else:
+            atom = cls.get_atom_data(shape, kind=dtype.name)
+
+        return atom
+
+    @classmethod
+    def get_atom_string(cls, shape, itemsize):
         return _tables().StringCol(itemsize=itemsize, shape=shape[0])
 
     def set_atom_string(self, data_converted: np.ndarray):
-        itemsize = data_converted.dtype.itemsize
         self.kind = "string"
-        self.typ = self.get_atom_string(data_converted.shape, itemsize)
         self.set_data(data_converted)
 
-    def get_atom_coltype(self, kind: str) -> Type["Col"]:
+    @classmethod
+    def get_atom_coltype(cls, kind: str) -> Type["Col"]:
         """ return the PyTables column class for this column """
         if kind.startswith("uint"):
             k4 = kind[4:]
@@ -2373,18 +2407,16 @@ def get_atom_coltype(self, kind: str) -> Type["Col"]:
 
         return getattr(_tables(), col_name)
 
-    def get_atom_data(self, shape, kind: str) -> "Col":
-        return self.get_atom_coltype(kind=kind)(shape=shape[0])
+    @classmethod
+    def get_atom_data(cls, shape, kind: str) -> "Col":
+        return cls.get_atom_coltype(kind=kind)(shape=shape[0])
 
     def set_atom_complex(self, block):
         self.kind = block.dtype.name
-        itemsize = int(self.kind.split("complex")[-1]) // 8
-        self.typ = _tables().ComplexCol(itemsize=itemsize, shape=block.shape[0])
         self.set_data(block.values)
 
     def set_atom_data(self, block):
         self.kind = block.dtype.name
-        self.typ = self.get_atom_data(block.shape, kind=block.dtype.name)
         self.set_data(block.values)
 
     def set_atom_categorical(self, block):
@@ -2401,7 +2433,6 @@ def set_atom_categorical(self, block):
 
         # write the codes; must be in a block shape
         self.ordered = values.ordered
-        self.typ = self.get_atom_data(block.shape, kind=codes.dtype.name)
         self.set_data(block.values)
 
         # write the categories
@@ -2410,12 +2441,12 @@ def set_atom_categorical(self, block):
         assert self.kind == "integer", self.kind
         assert self.dtype == codes.dtype.name, codes.dtype.name
 
-    def get_atom_datetime64(self, block):
-        return _tables().Int64Col(shape=block.shape[0])
+    @classmethod
+    def get_atom_datetime64(cls, shape):
+        return _tables().Int64Col(shape=shape[0])
 
     def set_atom_datetime64(self, block):
         self.kind = "datetime64"
-        self.typ = self.get_atom_datetime64(block)
         self.set_data(block.values)
 
     def set_atom_datetime64tz(self, block):
@@ -2424,15 +2455,14 @@ def set_atom_datetime64tz(self, block):
         self.tz = _get_tz(block.values.tz)
 
         self.kind = "datetime64"
-        self.typ = self.get_atom_datetime64(block)
         self.set_data(block.values)
 
-    def get_atom_timedelta64(self, block):
-        return _tables().Int64Col(shape=block.shape[0])
+    @classmethod
+    def get_atom_timedelta64(cls, shape):
+        return _tables().Int64Col(shape=shape[0])
 
     def set_atom_timedelta64(self, block):
         self.kind = "timedelta64"
-        self.typ = self.get_atom_timedelta64(block)
         self.set_data(block.values)
 
     @property
@@ -2558,16 +2588,20 @@ def validate_names(self):
             # TODO: should the message here be more specifically non-str?
             raise ValueError("cannot have non-object label DataIndexableCol")
 
-    def get_atom_string(self, shape, itemsize):
+    @classmethod
+    def get_atom_string(cls, shape, itemsize):
         return _tables().StringCol(itemsize=itemsize)
 
-    def get_atom_data(self, shape, kind: str) -> "Col":
-        return self.get_atom_coltype(kind=kind)()
+    @classmethod
+    def get_atom_data(cls, shape, kind: str) -> "Col":
+        return cls.get_atom_coltype(kind=kind)()
 
-    def get_atom_datetime64(self, block):
+    @classmethod
+    def get_atom_datetime64(cls, shape):
         return _tables().Int64Col()
 
-    def get_atom_timedelta64(self, block):
+    @classmethod
+    def get_atom_timedelta64(cls, shape):
         return _tables().Int64Col()
 
 
@@ -3922,8 +3956,11 @@ def get_blk_items(mgr, blocks):
                 errors=self.errors,
             )
 
+            typ = klass._get_atom(data_converted)
+
             col = klass.create_for_block(i=i, name=new_name, version=self.version)
             col.values = list(b_items)
+            col.typ = typ
             col.set_atom(block=b, data_converted=data_converted, use_str=use_str)
             col.update_info(self.info)
             col.set_pos(j)