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Pilasters are a form of door
and window trim modeled on the classic designs of columns used in the
architectural designs of the ancient Roman and Greek civilizations.
They are distinctive vertical frames lining the sides of entryways
and in some cases, windows.
Pilasters are designed to mimic classic
columns and are typically fluted, smooth, or paneled. They can be as
narrow as four or five inches and as wide as eleven inches, extruding
from the wall perhaps three inches like a column in bas-relief. |
Pilasters are usually topped with plinth blocks, which provide connecting
points for the horizontal piece of trim that extends over the top of
the door or window. Often substantial and ornamental pilasters will
support an equally substantial crosshead, as the upper horizontal piece
is known. The crosshead often has a protruding lip at the top that
is milled like a classic entryway beneath and has mitered corners that
extend back to the wall.
While the standard designs have a flat
surface and are decorated with fluting or paneling, there are also
designs available with arced surfaces that mimic round columns.
The front door and windows of today’s home can be trimmed
to look like a classic Georgian or Victorian home with the choice
of pilasters available today. |
- While traditional pilasters were crafted from wood,
there are quality substitutes available today that are
manufactured from
urethane.
- Urethane architectural products are resilient and weather-resistant,
molded to look exactly like their wooden counterparts.
- Urethane will not split, crack or peel, unlike wood
that has been exposed to years of winter weather.
- Because they are an attractive
home improvement, these mini-columns framing the doors
or windows of a newer home will not only
add elegance but should add to the home’s resale value.
- Synthetic architectural trim is much easier to work
with than traditional wood, because the pieces are pre-cast
and
designed to match with one another.
- The modern pilasters, crossheads and pediments available
for home improvements can provide traditional flair to the
most basic homes today.
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