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University of North Carolina Charlotte – Student Union

One of our recent fiberglass cornice projects is now ready for the students returning to school.  We completed our work over a year and a half ago, but the first full year of service for the UNC – Charlotte Student Center is beginning.  The Student Union at the University of North Carolina in Charlotte in welcoming students for a new year.  We supplied the large fiberglass cornice, pilasters and columns in our Cornicestone FRP material.  This runs around the perimeter of the upper section of the building and around the centerpiece rotunda. 

While we are always pleased to work on a project of this scope, it was especially exciting to be working on a campus that is growing and reinvesting in itself.  Working for Balfour Beatty Construction of Charlotte, North Carolina, we supplied the Cornicestone FRP based upon a cast stone finish provided by the architect.  The exposed aggregate finish was to appear to be large pieces of pre-cast or cut stone.  The large parts could have only been done in fiberglass without redesigning the buildings structural support for all the unnecessary weight.  Cornicestone FRP allows the appearance of a stone with an exposed aggregate, but the large profiles only require light gauge framing to support.                   

The Cornicestone fiberglass cornice was over 7’-8” high at the 2nd levels with staggered false reveals and over 3’-6’ high at the upper cornice section.  The rotunda was configured of large radius panels, radius cornice and 11’ high pilasters.  We supplied over 1,005 separate parts.  All of this material totaled to 47,573 square feet of custom fabricated Cornicestone FRP.                        

As with all of our cornice projects, we detailed the exact profiles on our submittals but also identified the location of each of the parts on all levels of the building.  We indicated the location of the joints, the size of the factory assembled corners and the means for attachment to coordinate the installation.  This attention to detail not only helped identify field issues before they occurred, it also set an expectation level for the architect and the general contractor. 

While we produced this fiberglass cornice in our Cornicestone FRP material, we have produced other cornice applications using our GFRCnext material, our Echo-Stone material, and our standard FRP. So whether you are using an existing or custom cornice profiles, use an expert with over 30 years experience in making cornices for all types of architecture in the right material for your application.  Let DEC provide the solutions to your architectural vision.

http://www.decassociates.com/materials/index.aspx

http://www.decassociates.com/materials/cornicestonefrp.aspx

http://www.decassociates.com/products/index.aspx

Products: Cornice

Huntersville Town Center – Huntersville, NC

We have recently concluded another Cornicestone project, our aggregated FRP material, which looks like stone.  The Cornicestone FRP was used in lieu of cast stone or EIFS on a new building built for a city hall, community center and museum in Huntersville, North Carolina.  Working for Spectrum Interiors of Greenville, SC we supplied the fiberglass cornices and brackets based upon the design of the architectural firm Narmour,Wright,Creech of Charlotte, NC.

The fiberglass cornice was cast with an aggregate finish was made to match the precast stone on the building.  This is achieved by custom casting the cornice, brackets and recessed panels in an architectural fiberglass (FRP) with our proprietary stone finish.  Unlike cast stone or EFIS, we cast the radius shapes and complex intersections in large sections.  Since the parts are rigid, thin wall FRP and weigh only 2 pounds per square foot, the installation of the 15,716 square feet of material went very quickly and easily for such a large profile.

This is a good example of how a structure can get the upscale look of a cast stone, but with a huge cost savings by eliminating the need for a heavy supportive structure and stacked stone installation.  Since the architectural intent was for a dimensional stone appearance, Cornicestone can achieve this where EIFS would look too monolithic and featureless                 

The Cornicestone fiberglass cornice was over 4’-4” high at the upper levels and over 2’-6’ deep.  We supplied large recessed panels that were 6’-0” high and as long as 12’-0” wide and over 70 brackets that mounted on the underside of the cornice.  All of this material totaled to 15, 700 square feet of custom fabricated Cornicestone fiberglass cornice.                   

As with all of our cornice projects, we detailed the exact profiles on our submittals but also identified the location of each of the parts on all levels of the building.  We indicated the location of the joints, the size of the factory assembled corners and the means for attachment to coordinate the installation with Spectrum Interiors.  This attention to detail not only helped identify field issues before they occurred, it also set an expectation level for the architect and the general contractor, Rogers Builders of Charlotte, NC.                      

While we produced this cornice project in our Cornicestone material, we have produced other cornice applications using our GFRCnext material, our Echo-Stone material, and our standard FRP. So whether you are using an existing or custom cornice profiles, use an expert with over 30 years experience in making cornices for all types of architecture in the right material for your application.  Let DEC provide the solutions to your architectural vision.

http://www.decassociates.com/materials/index.aspx

http://www.decassociates.com/materials/cornicestonefrp.aspx

http://www.decassociates.com/products/index.aspx

While we have always produced our architectural fiberglass (FRP) in a class one fire rated material, this often required us to demonstrate how to review an architectural FRP application with a code official.  The application of the code was often a difficult and time consuming process since FRP was not specifically addressed as a specific material for many of the architectural applications.  Decorative cornice applications, for example, were addressed in the code, but the cornice material was under a different section. FRP was identified as a plastic material used for signage and that section did not really apply to the application we were having reviewed.  Throughout this process of explanation and interpretation, we felt our efforts were sometimes viewed with suspicion when we asked for a compliance review.  This all changed in 2009 after years of effort, the architectural FRP industry proposed and got included our own section of the building code specifically for FRP.

The American Composite Manufacturers Association –Architectural Division http://www.acmanet.org/index.cfm collectively developed, funded and argued for the addition of Section 2612 of the 2009 IBC building code to include architectural fiberglass (FRP) in its own section.  This has been a tremendous step forward for our industry, but also for our customers, our architects and ultimately the building owners.  This now opens up the market to a new set of possible solutions to building ornamentation.  This was so significant to the construction industry that Construction Specifier Magazine did a front page article covering this development http://www.kenilworth.com/publications/cs/de/200908/pageflip.html. 

Our efforts now will be to continue to educate the building industry about the code change, encourage all the manufacturers to comply with the new standards and to show the architectural community the benefits of architectural fiberglass FRP, Cornicestone and Woodgrain FRP.

For over thirty years, providing solutions to your architectural vision….. 

Custom Fabrication: FRP, GFRC and GRG

One of the most common questions we get involves the cost and details needed for us to provide a custom item.  In our thirty years of business, we have created thousands of molds to produce products for our customers. During that time we have been asked to create shapes and forms in an endless variety of textures. While we always suggest a mold that we currently have in-house, some items are not really substitutable or we do not have a mold that is close enough in size to be utilized.  This means that we are going to have to “custom fabricate” the product.

Nothing strikes fear into mind of the architect and contractors alike than the word “custom”.  Visions of budget busting numbers and fabricators getting rich come to mind immediately.  In reality, custom fabrication is the majority of the work we do and as a result, we have become very efficient at it.  The cost for a custom mold on a project can be a significant single charge, but when amortized over the number of parts for a project, it can be a very reasonable cost.  If you can spread a $3,000 mold charge over 500 parts, this cost will be $6.00 per part, so quantity is a key determining factor.  Also, if the part has some repetitive shape as others on the project, blocking of molds or modifying the molds to accommodate both profiles will allow that cost to be spread over two different profiles.

It all starts with the architect’s or designer’s drawings of what they need.  We have developed skills to reproduce an architect’s exact drawing into three dimensional realities.  We then take the drawing, manipulate it to include draft angles, location of mold seams, attachment points etc.  All of this is detailed in the shop drawing process and reviewed with the customer.

Each “custom item” requires us to make the item once from scratch so that we can make a mold to produce multiples. This first item is called a “master” or “plug”.

We utilize our in-house craftsmen and artists to create “masters” from wood, foam, clay or rubber to make the original part for many of these molds. We also use three dimensional CAD machines to exactingly create other “masters”. We even take old remnants of items and repair them to their original condition to become another type of “master”, thus allowing us to accurately create reproductions of historical restorations. This is the key first step in making a mold to produce the job.  Time spent on a quality master will result in consistent and true parts when produced in mass.

The next step in the process is producing a mold.  This is a different step requiring a new set of skills and will be covered in the next blog.

http://www.decassociates.com/custom-fabrication/index.aspx

DEC Architectural Composites offers an unlimited range of textures that are cast into our custom GRG parts.  In addition to the texture, we can fabricate the part in various finishes depending upon the project requirements.  With our glass fiber-reinforced gypsum product, we offer the product in a range of finishes such as integral stone finishes, woodgrain finish or a standard white finish.  GRG is limited to interior applications, but is non-combustible and can be used seamlessly with drywall in flat areas.  GRG allows you to cast the difficult, labor intensive shapes and have them secure and seam identical to flat drywall board.

Our standard white GRG is a primer ready finish for projects that are going to be field painted when they are installed.  This is our least expensive finish that allows for any field modifications or patching to be concealed with a final paint finish.  It is also the easiest finish to touch-up or re-paint as time goes on.

http://www.decassociates.com/materials/glassreinforcedgypsumgrg.aspx

Our woodgrain finish GRG is really a combination of a cast-in woodgrain and either a wood color or a base for field applied staining.  Since the parts have a texture, a stain or glaze can be applied that lodges into the grain while the rest is wiped off. This gives the part a natural two-tone look of real wood.  Woodgrains, of course, can also be painted in white or other colors, if a painted wood look is desired.

http://www.decassociates.com/materials/woodgraingrgcomposite.aspx

Our integral stone finish GRG known as Magdaleno Stone, is an integrally colored, natural aggregate finish used to match natural or cast stone.  We offer many standard stone finishes or we will custom to match your pre-cast or stone samples.  This is a highly durable finish that can be cast into very detailed, very complex and very large shapes that would be cost prohibitive in anything but a composite material.  .

http://www.decassociates.com/materials/magdalenostonegrg.aspx

No matter what your choice, a standard white for field paint, a woodgrain finish or our integral stone finish GRG, we can fabricate them all in cornices, columns, rafter tails, false beams or any custom shape for all types of architecture for your application.  Please specify either GRG or Magdaleno Stone on your project.  Let DEC provide the solutions to your architectural vision.

http://www.decassociates.com/finishes/index.aspx

Fiber reinforced plaster, non-combustible, false wood beams and Magdaleno Stone.

Category: Finishes

Tags Composite Cornice Architectural Composites Limestone Cornice Echo Stone Solutions Cornice Stone EIFS Fiberglass Cornice Architectural Vision Architectural Fiberglass GFRC Cornice FRP Cornice Cornicestone GFRC next cast stone

DEC Associates offers an unlimited range of textures that are cast into our custom fiberglass parts.  In addition to the texture, we can fabricate the part in various finishes depending upon the project requirements.  With our fiberglass product (FRP), we offer the product in a range of finishes such as integral stone finishes, woodgrain finish, a gelcoat finish or a standard gelcoat finish.  Each of these products has their advantages and costs involved in fabricating them, but we try to match the finish with the application and the product application.

Our standard gelcoat finish FRP is a primer gelcoat finish for projects that are going to be field painted when they are installed.  This is our least expensive finish that allows for any field modifications or patching to be concealed with a final paint finish.  It is also the easiest finish to touch-up or re-paint as time goes on.

A gelcoat finish FRP is a ‘factory finished gelcoat” that allows the material to be put up with the final finish on the part.  We only use the highest quality gelcoat material with the best UV inhibitors for a finish that will last for many years of service.  This is very cost effective finish, but is not recommended if the material is going to require field modification or cannot be handled carefully during installation.  Like any finished material, care must be used in handling it during installation so that the finish is not scuffed and require extensive touch-up after installation.

Our woodgrain finishes FRP are really a combination of a cast-in woodgrain and either a wood color or a base for field applied staining.  Since the parts have a texture, a stain or glaze can be applied that lodges into the grain while the rest is wiped off. This gives the part a natural two-tone look of real wood.  Woodgrains, of course, can also be cast in white or other colors, if a painted wood look is desired.

Our integral stone finish FRP known as Cornicestone, is an integrally colored, natural aggregate finish used to match natural or cast stone.  We offer many standard stone finishes or we will custom to match your pre-cast or stone samples.  This is a highly durable finish that can be cast into very detailed, very complex and very large shapes that would be cost prohibitive in anything but a composite material.  This is our most popular finish, although not our least expensive finish.

One of the disturbing trends we see in the market lately is a classic “bait and switch” pricing scheme.  An architect selects an integral stone finish, for example, and a competing fabricator may submit a proposal with a standard gel coat finish or primer finish or a different interpretation of an integral stone finish that is less expensive to produce.  Often at bid time, the included finish is not clear in each proposal and if the number is low or if it is a hyper competitive project, the GC will use and rely on the low number.  All parties only learn later that they are going to have to “sell” the downgraded finish or they will have to absorb the cost difference. 

This deceptive scenario will do nothing but alienate contractors, owners and architects from using architectural fiberglass products.  All parties need to be abundantly clear about what is specified and the fabricators need to supply a representative sample, not necessarily the exact color, but a representative sample of what they are supplying at bid time to ensure that prices are “apples to apples”.  We can be competitive with all our finishes, but we want to compete and represent to our customers, the same finish so they can make a fair decision.

No matter what your choice, a standard primer gelcoat for field paint, a gelcoat color finish, a woodgrain finish or our integral stone finish FRP, we can fabricate them all in cornices, columns, rafter tails, false beams or any custom shape for all types of architecture for your application.  Let DEC provide the solutions to your architectural vision.

http://www.decassociates.com/finishes/index.aspx

FRP cornice, GFRC cornice, Cornicestone and Echo-Stone.

Here at DEC Associates, we fabricate a very significant amount of rafter tails each year.  We fabricate both custom and standard profiles in fiberglass (FRP), glass fiber reinforced cement (GFRC), and glass reinforced gypsum (GRG).  Typically, the rafter tails are cast with an integral wood grain texture on all exposed sides. These rafter tails provide the means to install a false rafter tail on most any soffit condition and since they are lightweight, they appear to be large pieces that can be installed on structures with a minimum of support.

On one hotel structure alone, we supplied over 2,400 false rafter tails that replicated a heavy timber beam.  Given the huge number of beams, a wood beam would have been more expensive to purchase and install while a cast product is so consistent that an installation team can preset blocking and install in a fraction of the time.  The contractor had originally anticipated an 8% rejection of the wood product that he received thus requiring over-ordering of material.  With the FRP rafter tails, they knew that each one would be consistent and predictably high quality.  Since it was less cost per unit and was so much faster to install, the decision to switch was very easy.

Using a composite rafter tails, a building gets a no maintenance rafter tail that will not rot, split check or peel over the buildings lifetime.  These lightweight versions of a rafter ends can be installed on new and existing structures with a simple concealed perimeter angle clip over conventional construction.  At 1.5 to 4.0 pounds per square foot, these durable parts can be easily installed by two men.  Unlike foam products, composites are not vulnerable to burrowing insects or nesting birds.

While exposed beams and rafter tails do not occur on all buildings, many of the styles that do use them are located by the ocean or often exposed to harsh weather such as snow.  Fiberglass (FRP) and glass fiber reinforced cement (GFRC) are both formulated to be immune to those difficult environments.  The glass reinforced gypsum (GRG) is so lightweight and non-combustible that we often convert more than just interior beams and rafter tails from wood to glass reinforced gypsum (GRG).

So either standard or custom rafter tail profile, use an expert with over 30 years experience in making wood beams and rafter tails for all types of architecture in the right material for your application.  Let DEC provide the solutions to your architectural vision.

Fiberglass rafter tails, GFRC rafter tails, and GRG rafter tails are all composite, false rafter tail materials. 

Please call us for our recommendation of material for your project.

http://www.decassociates.com/products/raftertails.aspx

In the past, if an architect had a large structure that required a large profile cornice in a stone finish they were limited to cut stone, cast stone, GFRC or EIFS (Exterior Insulation and Finishing System).  Now the first group of these materials, cut stone, cast stone and GFRC were good solutions, but since they are by nature very heavy, each of the materials required extensive structural steel and framing for support to be installed.  If the profile was very large it would require the shape to broken up into multiple parts and built-up to form the cornice.

EIFS seemed to be a good answer for cornices since it was lightweight and relatively inexpensive.  The problem was that the thickness had be less than four inches causing a big challenge on profiles with a large projection and the final appearance was not precise and would never be mistaken for real stone.  It often ended up being a bland transition versus the ornamentation for a building that a cornice is meant to be.

Standard FRP has been widely used for years on cornices because it is easy to install, very lightweight even in large profiles, offers crisp details including dentils and recesses, but it did not look like stone.  Even when field painted, standard FRP was only a cleaner, sharper version of EIFS when completed, not stone.  The market needed an alternative that had all the benefits of FRP but with a real stone finish.

About 8 years ago, DEC Architectural Composites developed a manufacturing process that allowed us to cast-in natural aggregates into the material similar to a cast stone product.  Cornicestone is a unique material that simulates cast or cut stone. It is a careful blend of cementious minerals, aggregates, polymers and glass fibers. It is lightweight, strong and versatile stone finish that can be cast into difficult configurations and shapes such as cornices, columns and radius forms. Since it is a polymer based product, it is perfect for large profiles and areas where the look of massive stone is required, but is structurally and economically unfeasible.

Cornicestone is available in a variety of standard colors, but we can custom match a color to your specification using natural aggregates and pigments. We are often required to match natural stone, pre-cast concrete or masonry.

So give us your cornice application and a stone sample to match, we will give you an estimate for your project.  Compare and see all the features and benefits you get with a thin wall, reinforced FRP cornice profile that looks like it was cut from a massive slab of stone.  We can even combine it with our Echo-Stone product for a solid cast stone feel on the lower elevations where the public has access to it in a matching finish!   Give us your vision and we will match the right material to your needs.