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Molding (decorative)
Encyclopedia
Molding or moulding (AUS, CAN, UK and rest of the world) is a strip of material with various profiles used to cover transitions between surfaces or for decoration. It is traditionally made from solid milled wood
or plaster but may be made from plastic or reformed wood. In classical architecture
and sculpture, the molding is often carved in marble or other stones.
A "sprung" molding is a strip that has beveled edges, allowing it to be mounted at an angle between two non-parallel planes (such as between a wall and a ceiling). Other types of molding are referred to as "plain".
Imagine the vertical surface of a wall lit by sunlight at an angle of about 45 degrees above the wall. A concave cavetto molding against the wall will produce a horizontal shadow that is darker at the top and lighter at the bottom, whereas a convex ovolo
molding will cause the shadow to be lighter at the top and darker at the bottom. Other concave moldings are the scotia and congé, and other convex moldings are the echinus, torus
and astragal.
Placing an ovolo molding directly above a cavetto forms a smooth 'S' shaped curve with vertical ends, called an ogee or cyma reversa molding, which appears as a band that is light at the top and bottom, but dark in the interior. Similarly, a cavetto above an ovolo forms an 'S' with horizontal ends, called a cyma or cyma recta molding, appearing as two dark bands with a light interior.
Together, these basic elements and their variants form a decorative vocabulary
which can be assembled and rearranged in endless combinations. This vocabulary is at the core of both Classical architecture
and Gothic architecture
.
Decorative moldings have been made of various materials; such as, wood
, stone
and cement
. Recently, the moldings made of Expanded Polystyrene
(EPS) as a core, accompanied with a cement-based protective coating have become popular. These moldings have some environmental, health and safety concerns that were investigated by Doroudiani et al..
There are a variety of common moldings:
Wood
Wood is a hard, fibrous tissue found in many trees. It has been used for hundreds of thousands of years for both fuel and as a construction material. It is an organic material, a natural composite of cellulose fibers embedded in a matrix of lignin which resists compression...
or plaster but may be made from plastic or reformed wood. In classical architecture
Classical architecture
Classical architecture is a mode of architecture employing vocabulary derived in part from the Greek and Roman architecture of classical antiquity, enriched by classicizing architectural practice in Europe since the Renaissance...
and sculpture, the molding is often carved in marble or other stones.
A "sprung" molding is a strip that has beveled edges, allowing it to be mounted at an angle between two non-parallel planes (such as between a wall and a ceiling). Other types of molding are referred to as "plain".
Theory
At their simplest, moldings are a means of applying light and dark shaded stripes to a structural objects without having to change the material or apply pigments. The contrast of dark and light areas gives definition to the object.Imagine the vertical surface of a wall lit by sunlight at an angle of about 45 degrees above the wall. A concave cavetto molding against the wall will produce a horizontal shadow that is darker at the top and lighter at the bottom, whereas a convex ovolo
Ovolo
Ovolo in architecture, is a convex molding known also as the echinus, which in Classical architecture was invariably carved with the egg-and-dart ornament. The molding is called a quarter-round by woodworkers...
molding will cause the shadow to be lighter at the top and darker at the bottom. Other concave moldings are the scotia and congé, and other convex moldings are the echinus, torus
Torus
In geometry, a torus is a surface of revolution generated by revolving a circle in three dimensional space about an axis coplanar with the circle...
and astragal.
Placing an ovolo molding directly above a cavetto forms a smooth 'S' shaped curve with vertical ends, called an ogee or cyma reversa molding, which appears as a band that is light at the top and bottom, but dark in the interior. Similarly, a cavetto above an ovolo forms an 'S' with horizontal ends, called a cyma or cyma recta molding, appearing as two dark bands with a light interior.
Together, these basic elements and their variants form a decorative vocabulary
Vocabulary
A person's vocabulary is the set of words within a language that are familiar to that person. A vocabulary usually develops with age, and serves as a useful and fundamental tool for communication and acquiring knowledge...
which can be assembled and rearranged in endless combinations. This vocabulary is at the core of both Classical architecture
Classical architecture
Classical architecture is a mode of architecture employing vocabulary derived in part from the Greek and Roman architecture of classical antiquity, enriched by classicizing architectural practice in Europe since the Renaissance...
and Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
.
Decorative moldings have been made of various materials; such as, wood
Wood
Wood is a hard, fibrous tissue found in many trees. It has been used for hundreds of thousands of years for both fuel and as a construction material. It is an organic material, a natural composite of cellulose fibers embedded in a matrix of lignin which resists compression...
, stone
Rock (geology)
In geology, rock or stone is a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids.The Earth's outer solid layer, the lithosphere, is made of rock. In general rocks are of three types, namely, igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic...
and cement
Cement
In the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance that sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement" traces to the Romans, who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling modern concrete that was made from crushed...
. Recently, the moldings made of Expanded Polystyrene
Polystyrene
Polystyrene ) also known as Thermocole, abbreviated following ISO Standard PS, is an aromatic polymer made from the monomer styrene, a liquid hydrocarbon that is manufactured from petroleum by the chemical industry...
(EPS) as a core, accompanied with a cement-based protective coating have become popular. These moldings have some environmental, health and safety concerns that were investigated by Doroudiani et al..
Types
- AstragalAstragalAn astragal is a moulding profile composed of a half-round surface surrounded by two flat planes . An astragal is sometimes referred to as a miniature torus...
— semi-circular molding attached to one of a pair of especially fire doorFire doorA fire door is a door with a fire-resistance rating used as part of a passive fire protection system to reduce the spread of fire or smoke between compartments and to enable safe egress from a building or structure or ship...
s to cover the air gap where the doors meet - Baguette — Thin, half-round molding, smaller than an astragal, sometimes carved, and enriched with foliages, pearlPearlA pearl is a hard object produced within the soft tissue of a living shelled mollusk. Just like the shell of a mollusk, a pearl is made up of calcium carbonate in minute crystalline form, which has been deposited in concentric layers. The ideal pearl is perfectly round and smooth, but many other...
s, ribbands, laurelBay LaurelThe bay laurel , also known as sweet bay, bay tree, true laurel, Grecian laurel, laurel tree, or simply laurel, is an aromatic evergreen tree or large shrub with green, glossy leaves, native to the Mediterranean region. It is the source of the bay leaf used in cooking...
s, etc. When enriched with ornaments, it was also called chapelet. - Bandelet — Any little band or flat molding, which crowns a Doric architraveArchitraveAn architrave is the lintel or beam that rests on the capitals of the columns. It is an architectural element in Classical architecture.-Classical architecture:...
. It is also called a tenia. - BaseboardBaseboardIn architecture, a baseboard is a board covering the lowest part of an interior wall...
, "base molding" or "skirting board" — used to conceal the junction of an interior wallWallA wall is a usually solid structure that defines and sometimes protects an area. Most commonly, a wall delineates a building and supports its superstructure, separates space in buildings into rooms, or protects or delineates a space in the open air...
and floorFloorA floor is the walking surface of a room or vehicle. Floors vary from simple dirt in a cave to many-layered surfaces using modern technology...
, to protect the wall from impacts and to add decorative features. A "speed base" makes use of a base "cap molding" set on top of a plain 1" thick board, however there are hundreds of baseboard profiles. - Baton — see Torus
- BattenBattenA batten is a thin strip of solid material, typically made from wood, plastic or metal. Battens are used in building construction and various other fields as both structural and purely cosmetic elements...
or board and batten — a symmetrical molding that is placed across a joint where two parallel panels or boards meet - Bead molding — narrow, half-round convex molding, when repeated forms reeding
- Beading or bead — molding in the form of a row of half spherical beads, larger than pearling
- Other forms: Bead and leaf, bead and reel, bead and spindle
- Beak — Small fillet molding left on the edge of a larmier, which forms a canal, and makes a kind of pendantPendantA pendant is a loose-hanging piece of jewellery, generally attached by a small loop to a necklace, when the ensemble may be known as a "pendant necklace". A pendant earring is an earring with a piece hanging down. In modern French "pendant" is the gerund form of “hanging”...
. See also: chin-beak - Bed molding — a narrow molding used at the junction of a wall and ceilingCeilingA ceiling is an overhead interior surface that covers the upper limit of a room. It is generally not a structural element, but a finished surface concealing the underside of the floor or roof structure above....
. Bed moldings can be either sprung or plain. - Bolection — a moulding which is raised, projecting proud of the face frame. It is located at the intersection of the different surface levels between the frame and inset panel on a door or wood panel. It will sometimes have a rebate (or rabbet) at the back, the depth of the difference in levels, so that it can lay over the front of both the face frame and the inset panel and can in some instances thus give more space to nail the moulding to the frame, leaving the inset panel free to expand or contract in varying climates, as timber is prone to do.
- Cable molding or ropework — Convex molding carved in imitation of a twisted rope or cord, and used for decorative moldings of the Romanesque styleRomanesque architectureRomanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
in England, France and Spain and adapted for 18th century silver and furniture design (Thomas SheratonThomas SheratonThomas Sheraton was a furniture designer, one of the "big three" English furniture makers of the 18th century, along with Thomas Chippendale and George Hepplewhite.-Biography:...
) - Cabled fluting or cable — Convex circular molding sunk in the concave fluting of a classic column, and rising about one-third of the height of the shaft
- Casing — Final trim or finished frame around the top, and both sides of a doorDoorA door is a movable structure used to open and close off an entrance, typically consisting of a panel that swings on hinges or that slides or rotates inside of a space....
or windowWindowA window is a transparent or translucent opening in a wall or door that allows the passage of light and, if not closed or sealed, air and sound. Windows are usually glazed or covered in some other transparent or translucent material like float glass. Windows are held in place by frames, which...
opening - CartoucheCartoucheIn Egyptian hieroglyphs, a cartouche is an ellipse with a horizontal line at one end, indicating that the text enclosed is a royal name, coming into use during the beginning of the Fourth Dynasty under Pharaoh Sneferu, replacing the earlier serekh...
escutcheon) — framed panel in the form of a scroll with an inscribed center, or surrounded by compound moldings decorated with floral motifs - Cavetto — cavare: "to hollow", concave, quarter-round molding sometimes employed in the place of the cymatium of a cornice, as in the Doric order of the theatre of MarcellusTheatre of MarcellusThe Theatre of Marcellus is an ancient open-air theatre in Rome, Italy, built in the closing years of the Roman Republic. At the theatre, locals and visitors alike were able to watch performances of drama and song. Today its ancient edifice in the rione of Sant'Angelo, Rome, once again provides...
. It forms the crowning feature of the Egyptian temples, and took the place of the cymatium in many of the EtruscanEtruscan civilizationEtruscan civilization is the modern English name given to a civilization of ancient Italy in the area corresponding roughly to Tuscany. The ancient Romans called its creators the Tusci or Etrusci...
temples.
- Chair rail — horizontal molding placed part way up a wall to protect the surface from chairChairA chair is a stable, raised surface used to sit on, commonly for use by one person. Chairs are most often supported by four legs and have a back; however, a chair can have three legs or could have a different shape depending on the criteria of the chair specifications. A chair without a back or...
-backs, and used simply as decoration
- ChamferChamferA chamfer is a beveled edge connecting two surfaces. If the surfaces are at right angles, the chamfer will typically be symmetrical at 45 degrees. A fillet is the rounding off of an interior corner. A rounding of an exterior corner is called a "round" or a "radius"."Chamfer" is a term commonly...
— beveled edge connecting two adjacent surfaces
- Chin-beak — Concave quarter-round molding. There are few examples of this in ancient buildings, but is common in more recent times.
- Corner guard — Used to protect the edge of the wall at an outside corner, or to cover a joint on an inside corner.
- Cove molding or Coving — a concave-profile molding that is used at the junction of an interior wall and ceiling
- Crown moldingCrown moldingCrown molding encapsulates a large family of moldings which are designed to gracefully flare out to a finished top edge. Crown molding is generally used for capping walls, pilasters, and cabinets, and is used extensively in the creation of interior and exterior cornice assemblies and door and...
— a wide, sprung molding that is used at the junction of an interior wall and ceiling. General term for any molding at the top or "crowning" an architectural element.
- Cyma — molding of double curvature, combining the convex ovolo and concave cavetto. When the concave part is uppermost, it is called a cyma recta but if the convex portion is at the top, it is called a Cyma reversa — The crowning molding at the entablature is of the cyma form, it is called a cymatiumCymatiumCymatium, a molding on the cornice of some classical buildings. Sometimes decorated with an anthemion. It is characteristic of Ionic columns and can appear as part of the entablature, the epistylium, and the capital....
.
- DentilDentilIn classical architecture a dentil is a small block used as a repeating ornament in the bedmould of a cornice.The Roman architect Vitruvius In classical architecture a dentil (from Lat. dens, a tooth) is a small block used as a repeating ornament in the bedmould of a cornice.The Roman architect...
s — Small blocks spaced evenly along the bottom edge of the cornice
- Drip cap — this is placed over a door or window opening to prevent water from flowing under the siding or across the glass
- Echinus — Similar to the ovolo molding and found beneath the abacus of the Doric capital or decorated with the egg-and-dartEgg-and-dartEgg-and-dart or Egg-and-tongue is an ornamental device often carved in wood, stone, or plaster quarter-round ovolo mouldings, consisting of an egg-shaped object alternating with an element shaped like an arrow, anchor or dart. Egg-and-dart enrichment of the ovolo molding of the Ionic capital is...
pattern below the Ionic capital
- Egg-and-dartEgg-and-dartEgg-and-dart or Egg-and-tongue is an ornamental device often carved in wood, stone, or plaster quarter-round ovolo mouldings, consisting of an egg-shaped object alternating with an element shaped like an arrow, anchor or dart. Egg-and-dart enrichment of the ovolo molding of the Ionic capital is...
— One of the most widely used classical moldings with egg shapes alternating with V-shapes and known from Ancient Greek temples (Erechtheion).- Also: Egg and tongue, egg and anchor, egg and star
- Fillet — small, flat band separating two surfaces, or between the flutes of a column
- Fluting — Vertical, half-round grooves cut into the surface of a column in regular intervals, each separated by a flat astragal. This ornament was used for all but the Tuscan orderTuscan orderAmong canon of classical orders of classical architecture, the Tuscan order's place is due to the influence of the Italian Sebastiano Serlio, who meticulously described the five orders including a "Tuscan order", "the solidest and least ornate", in his fourth book of Regole generalii di...
- Godroon or Gadroon — Ornamental band with the appearance of beading or reeding, especially frequent in silverwork and molding. It comes from the Latin word Guttus, meaning flask. It is said to be derived from raised work on linen, applied in France to varieties of the, bead and reel, in which the bead is often carved with ornament. In England the term is constantly used by auctioneers to describe the raised convex decorations under the bowl of stone or terracotta vases. The godroons radiate from the vertical support of the vase and rise half-way up the bowl.
- Also: GadrooningGadrooningGadrooning is any decorative motif consisting of convex curves in a series. In furniture and other interior accessories, the term is applied to, among other things an ornamental carved band of tapered, curving and alternating concave and convex sections, usually diverging obliquely either side of a...
, lobed decoration, (k)nukked decoration, thumb molding
- Also: Gadrooning
- GuillocheGuillochéGuilloché is a decorative engraving technique in which a very precise intricate repetitive pattern or design is mechanically engraved into an underlying material with fine detail...
— Interlocking curved bands in a repeating pattern often forming circles enriched with rosettes and found in AssyriaAssyriaAssyria was a Semitic Akkadian kingdom, extant as a nation state from the mid–23rd century BC to 608 BC centred on the Upper Tigris river, in northern Mesopotamia , that came to rule regional empires a number of times through history. It was named for its original capital, the ancient city of Assur...
n ornament, classicalClassical architectureClassical architecture is a mode of architecture employing vocabulary derived in part from the Greek and Roman architecture of classical antiquity, enriched by classicizing architectural practice in Europe since the Renaissance...
and Renaissance architectureRenaissance architectureRenaissance architecture is the architecture of the period between the early 15th and early 17th centuries in different regions of Europe, demonstrating a conscious revival and development of certain elements of ancient Greek and Roman thought and material culture. Stylistically, Renaissance...
.
- Keel molding — with a sharp edge, resembling in cross-section the keelKeelIn boats and ships, keel can refer to either of two parts: a structural element, or a hydrodynamic element. These parts overlap. As the laying down of the keel is the initial step in construction of a ship, in British and American shipbuilding traditions the construction is dated from this event...
of a ship. It is common in the Early English and Decorated styles.
- OvoloOvoloOvolo in architecture, is a convex molding known also as the echinus, which in Classical architecture was invariably carved with the egg-and-dart ornament. The molding is called a quarter-round by woodworkers...
— Simple, convex quarter-round molding that can also be enriched with the egg-and-dart or other pattern
- Neck molding
- — Functional molding installed 7–9 feet above the floor from which framed pictures and paintings are hung using picture wire and picture rail hooks. Primarily seen in older homes with plasterPlasterPlaster is a building material used for coating walls and ceilings. Plaster starts as a dry powder similar to mortar or cement and like those materials it is mixed with water to form a paste which liberates heat and then hardens. Unlike mortar and cement, plaster remains quite soft after setting,...
walls, as hammering in nails to hang pictures from would cause damage to the plaster. Furthermore, the plaster may not be strong enough to support the nail with a picture hung on it.
- RosetteRosette (design)A rosette is a round, stylized flower design, used extensively in sculptural objects from antiquity. Appearing in Mesopotamia and used to decorate the funeral stele in Ancient Greece...
— Circular, floral decorative element found in MesopotamiaMesopotamiaMesopotamia is a toponym for the area of the Tigris–Euphrates river system, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and southwestern Iran.Widely considered to be the cradle of civilization, Bronze Age Mesopotamia included Sumer and the...
n design and early Greek steleSteleA stele , also stela , is a stone or wooden slab, generally taller than it is wide, erected for funerals or commemorative purposes, most usually decorated with the names and titles of the deceased or living — inscribed, carved in relief , or painted onto the slab...
. Part of revival styles in architecture since the Renaissance.
- Scotia — Concave molding with a lower edge projecting beyond the top and so used at the base of columns as a transition between two torus moldings with different diameters
- Screen molding — this is a small molding that is used to hide the area where a screen is attached to the frame.
- Shoe molding, toe molding or quarter-round — often used at the bottom of the baseboard to cover a small gap or uneven edge between the flooring and the baseboard.
- Torus — Convex, semi-circular molding, larger than an astragal, often at the base of a column, which may be enriched with leaves or plaiting
- Trim Molding — A general term used for moldings that are used to create added detail or cover up gaps. They can include corner moldings, cove moldings, rope moldings, quarter rounds, and accent moldings.
See also
- Architectural terms
- Architecture of Ancient GreeceArchitecture of Ancient GreeceThe architecture of Ancient Greece is the architecture produced by the Greek-speaking people whose culture flourished on the Greek mainland and Peloponnesus, the Aegean Islands, and in colonies in Asia Minor and Italy for a period from about 900 BC until the 1st century AD, with the earliest...
- ArchitraveArchitraveAn architrave is the lintel or beam that rests on the capitals of the columns. It is an architectural element in Classical architecture.-Classical architecture:...
- Cornice (architecture)
- EntablatureEntablatureAn entablature refers to the superstructure of moldings and bands which lie horizontally above columns, resting on their capitals. Entablatures are major elements of classical architecture, and are commonly divided into the architrave , the frieze ,...
- Moulding planeMoulding planeIn woodworking, a moulding plane is a specialised plane used for making the complex shapes found in wooden mouldings....
- Renaissance architectureRenaissance architectureRenaissance architecture is the architecture of the period between the early 15th and early 17th centuries in different regions of Europe, demonstrating a conscious revival and development of certain elements of ancient Greek and Roman thought and material culture. Stylistically, Renaissance...
- Roman architectureRoman architectureAncient Roman architecture adopted certain aspects of Ancient Greek architecture, creating a new architectural style. The Romans were indebted to their Etruscan neighbors and forefathers who supplied them with a wealth of knowledge essential for future architectural solutions, such as hydraulics...
Further Reading
- Theory of Mouldings (Classical America Series in Art and Architecture); C Howard Walker (Author) ; Richard SammonsRichard SammonsRichard Sammons is an architect, architectural theorist, visiting professor, and chief designer of Fairfax & Sammons Architects with offices in New York City, New York and Palm Beach, Florida. The firm has an international practice specializing in classical and traditional architecture, interior...
(Foreword); W. W. Norton & Co. (July 31, 2007); ISBN-10: 0-393-73233-9