What is a band moulding?
A band moulding is a narrow, long and flat strip in architecture: a slightly projecting member with no curved profile. The Dutch term is riem or riemlijst; in classical moulding vocabulary the same flat element is called a fillet. It articulates a facade or a compound moulding without drawing attention to itself.
The band is one of the simplest forms of moulding. Where a cornice or a string course projects boldly, the band stays flat and shallow: often no more than a brick thickness or a few centimetres.
Function
- Articulation — a band divides a large surface into readable parts, for instance between two storeys
- Transition — it marks the junction between two materials or two bonds of brickwork
- Part of a compound moulding — in classical moulding, flat bands separate the curved members (such as an ogee or a bead) from one another, so that the profile reads with shadow and depth
Telling it apart
A band moulding resembles, but is not the same as:
- String course — a continuous horizontal course that projects clearly and usually has a weathered top
- Astragal — a rounded member, a small bead
- Lesene or pilaster strip — a flat vertical strip on the wall face, so the upright counterpart of the band
Where you see it
Bands are common in classical and nineteenth-century facades, executed in render, in stone or as a projecting course of brickwork. In modern architecture the principle returns as a narrow recessed or projecting strip in the masonry.
Repair note: a flat band has no fall, so water stands on it and the member weathers first. When restoring, finish the top with a minimal weathering or a lead flashing, without visibly altering the profile.
Related terms
- Astragal
- Lesene
- Frieze
- Ornament
- Facade
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