Capping Wood Beams & Corbels with Metal

If you drive around the Bend, OR area and look at homes, there’s a good chance you will spot wood beams and corbels along many of their exteriors. These architectural features add interest and beauty to homes and buildings, but having wood exposed to the elements requires maintenance to keep it in good repair.

Like any wooden surface, beams and corbels are vulnerable to the weather and must be protected from prolonged exposure to moisture or the sun. Wood that cannot dry out quickly enough is susceptible to wood rot, and since beams and corbels are usually located above eye level, it is easy for damage to go unnoticed. Repairing this type of damage involves removing all the rotted wood and filling the area with wood filler/epoxy or replacing the entire section of wood if the damage is extensive.

Just like with deck boards, the direct sun that hits the top sides of beams and corbels can be incredibly damaging. UV damage wears down stains more quickly when they receive direct sunlight. When it rains, damp wood can swell; a hot sunny day can dry out the wood rapidly, leading to cracks along the surface. These cracks serve as an entry point for more moisture, furthering the cycle of damage.

How to Prevent Damage to Exterior Wooden Beams and Corbels

Maintaining an adequately stained surface is one way to protect wooden beams and corbels from excessive exposure to water. Still, unless you are perfect about pulling out a ladder to check the finish on the top of the beams every year, it is easy for potential problems to go unnoticed until it is too late. For this reason, we often recommend that the top of exposed beams and corbels be capped in metal.

Metal capping is an attractive and effective way to protect exterior wood surfaces from the elements. Available in beautiful finishes like stainless steel or copper, metal caps are as visually appealing as they are practical. If you prefer a different finish, metal capping can also be coated in numerous colors to compliment your home’s exterior.

Our Bend, OR workshop is specially equipped to fabricate custom-sized metal capping, and keeping production in-house allows us to offer a competitively priced product tailored to your home’s particular needs. If it has been some time since you last performed a maintenance check on the beams and corbels on your home’s exterior, we would be happy to assist in the process and give you a quote for custom fitting them with metal capping. Call our office today to set up an appointment!