Exterior Architectural Cornice
Buildings that have a uniform texture and color can be monotonous; exterior architectural cornice is an effective and very simple way to enhance the design and visual appeal of most types of buildings. Architectural cornice serves a number of aesthetic functions. First, it can provide variety and excitement to most buildings. A building with architectural cornice will invariably be more pleasing to the eye than an identical building that does not contain this element of design. Second, cornice provides a sense of balance to structures. The lower portions of most buildings have a thicker and heavier area, and architectural cornice ensures that the top of the building will as well. Exterior architectural cornice also provides a definitive finishing touch to the building by crowning it.
Aside from the numerous aesthetic benefits of adding architectural cornice to buildings, it is also a very functional design enhancement. Reinforced cornice acts as a type of mini awning on buildings, and serves as a source of shade. By diverting some of the sun's heat away from the building, exterior architectural cornice can actually help lower air conditioning costs during the hot summer months. Like rain gutters, architectural cornice also helps prevent potentially damaging elements like rain and snow from coming into contact with the building. This preserves the building's visual appeal by preventing staining, streaking, and discoloring, and also reduces the problem of water infiltration that can weaken the structural integrity of some materials and lead to problems like mold and mildew formation.
Exterior Architectural Cornice: Design Options
Stromberg has a large number of stock architectural cornice designs to choose from. Once you've found a design that you think would work well with the exterior of your home or building, the next step is to choose a material. GFRP cornice and GFRC cornice is available. Both are extremely lightweight, and can usually be installed without additional supports. GFRC cornice is available in a special finish that can be painted with almost any type of paint, so it is probably the best choice if you want your architectural cornice to blend in with the building. Both materials are available in a variety of textures, and can be made to resemble metal, stone, wood, and precious metals like gold. Stromberg's fiberglass reinforced cornice offers all of the beauty of these materials without the associated problems. They're a fraction of the cost of precious metals and limestone, won't rust or corrode like many metals, and will never rot or be infested with termites like wood. This, along with the fact that they are also extremely resistant to the elements and extreme weather events like hurricanes, means Stromberg's exterior architectural cornices are virtually maintenance free.
The professionals at Stromberg would be happy to assist you in choosing architectural cornice for your building. We know that sometimes stock designs just won't cut it, which is why we also offer custom cornice. Bring us your drawings, design ideas, and instructions, and we can develop molds to produce one-of-a-kind architectural cornice that you just won't find at your local cornice manufacturer.