You want your building or home to reflect the quality and pride you have put into its design and construction. Whether you are just upgrading or building from the ground up, the details that you use will make or break your building's impression. Sometimes adding special details to a construction project can absorb a good portion of the budget because of the time dedicated to the design and needed for the installation of the features. Adding decorative cornices to your design is an impactful way to enhance the appearance of your building by adding visual interest. The variation in depth of cornice molding creates visual interest when used either indoors or out.

When designing a new home or looking to facelift a building's exterior, selecting the right fiberglass cornices can add style and elegance to the finished project. Also known as FRP (fiberglass-reinforced polymer), fiberglass cornices are decorative projections installed at the top of walls or other architectural features.

Perhaps some of you have made this observation, too. Before I became aware of cornices and other specific architectural features, there were buildings in my New York City neighborhood that I passed frequently—and that just "impressed" me. As classy. As "finished." I could not have told you, then, exactly what it was.

Fiberglass cornices are among the most subtle and flattering details you can add to your home. Made of incredibly sturdy fiberglass, cornices are essentially ridged and shaped strips of decor that line the eaves, dormers, and upper details of a modern home rooftop. They are reflections of the wood and even stone cornices carved to adorn much older buildings in an architectural nod to the beautiful ways we used to build in the past. Cornices are a wonderful addition to a home or commercial building because they add just a hint of style, texture, and accent without overwhelming the design.

In the construction world, cornices are a part of your everyday life. Cornices can be found on both commercial and structural residences and are one of the final additions before completion. Cornices can also make or break the look of a room or building. A cheap and poorly built cornice will take away from the attractiveness of the structure and make for very unhappy clients. Just as you take care to pick out the best quality materials for the flooring, walls, ceiling, etc. It is just as important to make sure that you choose suppliers who provide only the highest quality cornices with the best possible service. Failure to choose the right supplier and you will end up with a product you aren't proud of, wasted money, and frustrated customers. Let's take a look at 12 specifications that high-quality builders need in their cornice suppliers. 

The Purpose of Cornices

As a builder, you know that there are two types of cornices: interior and exterior. While interior cornices are primarily for looks, exterior cornices serve a dual purpose of functionality and decoration. Cornices serve the following purposes:

• Protect both the inside and outside from environmental elements
• Helps with the energy efficiency of the building by reducing the overall temperature inside the structure
• Certain styles of cornices even offer shade for passersby
• Adds to the visual appeal of the structure
• Cover and hide imperfections at the seams

Quality cornices should last for many, many years if not a lifetime. However, more often than not builders get ripped off by false promises and attractive prices only to find that you get what you pay for. Choosing the right supplier from the start will ensure that you have set yourself up for success. What should you look for in your cornice supplier?

Many elements help make a building distinguishable from all the others around it. A cornice is an excellent example of these elements. Designed to direct rainwater, snow and debris away from the wall, a cornice can also significantly add to the beauty of your project. However, this depends on the material used. A fiberglass cornice, for instance, has the potential to make a huge difference to the entire structure, not only aesthetically but also in functionality.

Whether you are looking to give your building's exterior a makeover, or you are designing a new home, choosing the right cornices can help to give your finished project an elegant and polished look. However, if you are unfamiliar with architecture and building design, you may not be sure what cornices are, or which ones you should choose for your project. Cornices are a molded or decorated projection that tops a building wall or architectural feature. While cornices once served an architectural function, they are now mainly used as decoration to enhance the look of a building. However, cornices can help to throw rainwater off of the face of a building, protecting the siding and foundation from water damage. If you are considering adding cornices to your home or storefront, then you may want to consider the benefits fiberglass cornices can provide, as these cornices provide a variety of benefits over other traditional cornice materials such as timber, stone, and plaster.  Here are just a few of the reasons fiberglass should be the material of choice when adding cornices to any building. 

A cornice is the decorated projection used as crowning at the top of the wall of a building or an architectural element. In the modern architectural world, a cornice is mostly used as a decorative item rather than just for functional purposes.

For many contractors, trying to blend service with customer-centricity can be tough. You want to provide best-in-class construction elements, but you also want to "wow" the customer with your in-depth knowledge and strategic advice.

From Ancient Greece with Love

The Encyclopedia Britannica defines a cornice as "the decorated projection at the top of a wall," but that bare definition fails to conjure up the elegance that a well-carved cornice can add to a building. A better introduction is to think about the etymology of the word cornice, which comes from the Greek word for "curved" and also gives us the English word "crown." A cornice is the decorative carved stone that sticks out from where the wall and the roof meet. In many ways, it's the crown of the building.