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Barge boards are decorative elements mounted on gables of houses, used worldwide in various architectural styles. They have no structural function and can be plain or ornamental. They are only used on gable roofs and can be made from various materials. The term is also used in racing cars for aerodynamic features.
Barge boards are decorative elements that are mounted on the gables of the house, following the slope of the roof. The planks are mounted along the roofline, obscuring the roof’s structural details and adding a decorative accent. This type of roofing is used in many regions of the world and examples can be seen in a wide range of architectural styles. In fact, an examination of nearly every neighborhood on Earth should bring up some barge cards.
These decorative features are also known as fly beams or gable beams. They have no structural function in the home, being added after the home was built along with other decorative finishes. On some homes, the barge planks are plain and painted the same color as the rest of the siding if the siding is painted. These boards can also be highly ornamental, as seen in architectural styles such as Queen Anne, in which the fly beams are often heavily carved and may be painted in multiple colors.
This type of roof cladding can only be seen on gable roofs, where two roof sections are spanned by a triangular wall. Many architecture schools use gables to add visual interest. Barge planks can be complemented with a variety of other decorative elements, perhaps particularly in the ornate styles associated with Gothic houses. People who want to add this type of trim or change the clapboards in their homes can usually do it easily.
While barge boards are classically made from wooden planks or carved wood, other materials may also be used. Some home builders use composite materials because they are cheaper and sometimes sturdier, and plastic, plaster or decorative metal strips can also be used. When selecting barge planks, people should think about other materials used in building a home and the desired lifespan of the decorative siding, as it can be difficult to reach the gables of a roof for maintenance and paint touch-ups.
The term “barge board” is also used to describe an aerodynamic feature that is added to certain types of racing cars, especially open wheel racing cars. The barge deck is designed to stabilize and direct the airflow around the car to allow it to reach higher speeds. The meaning of the term is usually clear from the context of the conversation or text in which barge cards are referred to.
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