Tag: vigas

The Best Ways to Add Traditional Flair to Your Home

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When it comes to interior design, traditional styles have an enduring charm that transcends fleeting trends. At Volterra Architectural Products, we have numerous ways to infuse your home with traditional flair, turning your space into a timeless retreat. Below, we explore some of the best ways to bring a dash of the classic into your abode.

modern home with faux wood beam decor on ceiling

Accent With Faux Wood Beams

Faux wood beams are one of the most effective ways to add traditional flair to your home. These decorative wood beams evoke an old-world charm, transforming ordinary rooms into spaces brimming with character and warmth. Whether added to your living room, kitchen, or bedroom, they can create a rustic, cozy ambiance that’s sure to impress.

modern home with faux corbels

Embrace Faux Corbels

Faux corbels are another element that can add a traditional touch to your home. These decorative brackets, often found under beams, shelves, and mantels, provide a vintage aesthetic. Their intricate designs and textured finishes can imbue any space with a sense of history and craftsmanship.

modern fireplace with moulding

Incorporate Moulding and Millwork

Moulding and millwork are classic design elements that have been used for centuries to enhance interiors. Crown moulding, baseboards, and wainscoting can create a more refined and elegant space. With a variety of styles and finishes available, these elements can be customized to perfectly match your home’s aesthetic.

ceiling with faux wood trusses

Install Trusses or Vigas

For those looking to mInstalling trusses or vigas can add remarkable traditional charm fore a more substantial architectural statement. Trusses, often used in cathedral ceilings, add depth and visual interest, while vigas, characteristic of Southwest style, impart a unique and rustic touch to ceilings.

Traditional style is all about warmth, elegance, and timeless charm. With our range of faux wood beams, faux corbels, and a variety of moulding and millwork options, we at Volterra Architectural Products can help bring that classic appeal to your home. Whether you’re redesigning a single room or your entire house, let us assist you in creating a space that’s not only beautiful but also uniquely yours. Shop online with us today to begin your home’s transformation.

 

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Replacing Old Wood Vigas With Volterra’s Faux Wood Vigas

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Vigas are a classic design element most commonly seen on the exterior of Adobe or Pueblo-style homes in the Southwest. The appearance of real wood logs poking through near the flat roofline of a home is something that is immediately recognizable with these style homes. However, when using real wood vigas or viga tails, it doesn’t take long for them to experience wear and tear and have an appearance that is less than ideal. 

Especially when exposed to the Southwest climate, real wood vigas can split, rot, lose their color, and even start to fall away from your home. If your home has viga tails that have seen better days, it may be time to replace them. But rather than using real wood logs again, consider using faux vigas from Volterra Architectural Products!

Why Choose Volterra Vigas?

At Volterra, we manufacture a wide range of high-quality polyurethane architectural details, including decorative vigas. Our faux wood vigas are manufactured using a high-density foam material, yet they have the appearance of real wood. These are not only a more affordable option, but they also will last much longer than real wood vigas without requiring any maintenance.

Replacing real wood vigas with faux, decorative vigas is a no-brainer. Watch our experts demonstrate how to properly replace old and worn vigas with our high-quality faux vigas!

Step #1: Find the Middle and Drill a Hole

Faux wood vigas are installed very similarly to real wood vigas — you use a bolt or rod, drill a hole in the center of the viga, and then slide the viga onto the rod. Therefore, you first need to start the installation process by drilling a hole in the middle of your faux wood viga from Volterra. Use a ruler to find the middle of your viga and drill a pilot hole using a ½-inch drill bit. Next, you’ll want to use a ¾-inch bit to finish drilling the hole. 

Volterra Tip: Be mindful of the size of the faux wood viga you are drilling to ensure that you don’t drill through the face. In our video tutorial, we’re working with a 15-inch viga. Therefore, we drill a 12-inch hole.

Step #2: Apply Construction Adhesive

Before you place the faux wood viga on the rod, apply construction adhesive to the back of the viga. After applying the adhesive, use a putty knife to spread it evenly. Be sure to stay away from the outer edges of the viga to prevent getting any of the adhesives on the exposed stucco surrounding where it will be installed. 

Step #3: Install Faux Viga on Existing Rod for Dry Fit

Now it’s time to place the viga onto the existing rod that your old viga was on. Using a ladder to access the site, carefully slide the viga onto the rod using the hole that you drilled. Slide it all the way back until it touches the stucco surface of your home exterior. Twist it around a little to ensure a strong adhesive bond. 

Next, use a 2½- to 3½-inch galvanized or zinc screw to anchor the faux wood viga to your home exterior. We recommend drilling through the top of the viga at a diagonal angle so that the screw goes through both the viga and the stucco. Adding a screw is just an extra layer of security that will ensure your faux wood vigas will stay put for years to come. 

There you have it! In just three simple steps you can easily replace your old wood vigas. When you replace them with the faux wood vigas from Volterra Architectural Products, you’re providing your home with incredible-looking exterior architectural details that will enhance your curb appeal and require virtually no maintenance — they won’t decay, split, rot, or deteriorate.

Shop Our Faux Wood Vigas Today!

Achieving Southwest Style Ceilings

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southwest style

Throughout the Southwest there are many traditional styles of homes. While there are fewer and fewer houses boasting the classic adobe look, modern homes have borrowed a few architectural elements from the Southwest style. For instance, viga beams, which were a staple of Southwestern homes, have found their way into modern ceiling designs to great affect. If this is the style you’re after, here’s how it can be accomplished using today’s faux wood beam products.

 

What Are Viga Beams?

 

Viga beams are large structural beams that were commonly seen in adobe houses and other Southwestern homes. These beams were typically made of rough hewn logs, and retained much of their natural character. Today, many builders still go for this rustic look, but modern builders sometimes use squared beams instead. Unlike European inspired ceiling beams, another feature of Viga beams is that they often run around the room in concentric circles working out toward the edge of the room or in the same direction as the ceiling’s longest stretch.

 

Ceiling Planks

 

In addition to Viga beams, many Southwest style homes also feature ceiling planks. These flat planks slide together to create a beautifully textured ceiling finish. In some cases, the ceiling is covered by these planks first, and then the viga beams are installed beneath them, adding multiple dimensions to the look. The best way to do this is to install the beams perpendicular to the direction that the planks run, which will draw the eye upward. In addition, using larger beams over the planks creates a more pronounced look, and you can even choose a darker color for the beams to accent the light colored planks.

 

Outdoor Accents

 

Another staple of Southwest style architecture is the protrusion of beams on the exterior of the house. You can add these accents to the outside of your home along the roofline use faux wood accents. These small sections are designed to mount easily to the exterior surface of your home and match your trim. These can be installed even if the interior of your home does not have matching beams. You can also find matching shutters and vents that look great with these exterior posts and dress up your windows and any high points on your roof. There are many distinct facets of Southwest style architecture, and with faux wood beams you can mix and match them to find a look that suits your home. To learn more about faux wood products and Southwest style accents, visit Volterra online and check out our gallery.

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What Is Curb Appeal Really Worth?

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A lot of times, when you’re talking about a major renovation to a home, you will hear something about the added curb appeal of the completed project. This is usually in reference to your return on investment when you’re considering how much to spend. Unfortunately, curb appeal is hardly measurable in real numbers, so it’s important to know what it’s really worth if you plan on selling your home. 

 

What Is Curb Appeal? 

 

Curb appeal is the rather subjective measure of how attractive your home appears to passersby from the street level. In the past, this was an important metric when it came to photo books full of houses for sale. Today, curb appeal plays a slightly different role in the real estate market, and its definition has expanded to include more of a “first impression” whether viewing the house from the street or from an initial photograph. Either way, curb appeal is definitely something you want to have.

 

Why It’s Important

 

When you’re in a competitive housing market, curb appeal can be a major factor in getting more potential buyers into your home. If there are tons of houses on the market, it stands to reason that buyers will look at the most attention-grabbing ones first, which typically means the ones that look best on the outside. Of course, if the outside of your home is lacking, your agent may opt for a magazine-worthy image of your glistening kitchen instead to create that first visual impact. The more buyers you get looking at your home, the more likely you are to get a good offer, and the sooner you can go under contract. If you’re waiting to close on another house this can be a lifesaver. 

 

Increasing Curb Appeal

 

There are many ways to increase curb appeal on your house. A fresh exterior with neatly painted trim is a good start. It makes your home look modern, and ensures that it stands out from all the other pictures on the web. In addition, clean landscaping and a beautifully accented entryway can also do the trick. You can even dress up your home’s exterior with ornamental trim, corbels, or shutters from Volterra Architectural Products. These inexpensive changes can not only increase the beauty of your home, but increase its value to potential buyers.

 

 

For more creative ways to add curb appeal to your house, visit Volterra online. We are happy to help you find products that will match your trim and fit the style of your home for added curb appeal. 

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4 Benefits of High Density Foam

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High density polyurethane foam products have grown in popularity in the build and design industry and it really doesn’t come as a surprise. They are steadily replacing the love for natural wood and other interior design materials which dominated the industry for a long time.

 


 

At Volterra Architectural Products, we utilize quality high density foam to create faux wood beams, trusses, and other architectural details.  In this blog, we’ll take a closer look at what high density foam is and the benefits it offers.

 

What is High Density Foam?

High density foam is a type of polyurethane foam that is known for its high strength and durability. It is often used in construction and industrial applications where strength and stability are key. High density foam is also popular in the design world due to its ability to be shaped and molded into almost any form. This makes it the perfect material for creating faux wood beams, trusses, and other architectural details, which is why we utilize it here at Volterra. 

Durable

High density foam is highly durable and will stand the test of time. Unlike wood, it will not warp, rot, or crack and is not susceptible to insect damage. Products manufactured with this material can last for over 20 years. The solid nature of the material also makes it usable in demanding outdoor environments.

Versatile

High density foam products are versatile and can be used for a variety of applications. They can be cut, sawed, glued, screwed, and painted to create the desired look. Plus, as mentioned, it can be molded into almost any shape, making it the perfect material for use in architecture and design. Products can also be easily customized with different looks, designs and even colors.

Affordable

It’s no secret that lumber prices have been on the rise in recent years. Fortunately, high density foam products offer a much more budget-friendly alternative to natural wood. In fact, foam products are typically 30-50% cheaper than their wood counterparts. The money you save on materials can be invested elsewhere in your project.

FAUX CEILING BEAM IDEAS FOR ANY INTERIOR DESIGN STYLES

Lightweight 

High density foam products are also much lighter than natural wood, making them much easier to work with. This can be a big advantage when it comes to the installation process. Volterra’s faux wood beams that are manufactured with high density foam, for example, will not come with the same installation hassle of real wood ceiling beams. 

As you can see, there are many benefits to using high density foam products. You can find products that fit just about any application, but for those related to your interior needs, look no further than Volterra Architectural Products. We utilize high density foam to create faux wood beams, trusses, and other architectural details that are not only beautiful but also highly durable and cost-effective. Shop today!

3 Exterior Design Tips for Your Home

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1. Accentuate windows and doors with trims Beyond landscaping and the roof of your home, the front door and windows are the first things people notice when they approach any house. The last thing you want is for your front door and windows to lack character and give your guests a bad impression about your home.  It only takes the addition of high quality trim to your front door and windows from Volterra Architectural Products to give your home charm and personality that will make a lasting first impression to your guests.

2. Add much needed curb appeal to your home using corbels and brackets

Add some much needed curb appeal to your property by using our lavish and intricately designed decorative exterior brackets and corbels. The corbels can be used just below the roof or around the corners and edges of the house and will add subtle character to the walls.

3. Vents- simple, effective and eye-catching

As much as vents are a necessity for ventilation, they can also be a  good decorative element for the exterior. Peruse through the range of vents we have here in Volterra and choose the type and design of vents which will help eliminate the monotony of plain walls. Volterra Architectural Products offers a variety of products that can give your home an updated look. Help your home stand out from the crowd by contacting us on our website of by calling 602-258-7373.]]>

Wood Viga

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