Replacing and Restoring Terra Cotta Door Surrounds

Terra Cotta Door Surrounds
Door surrounds provide a way to add more details to a building and enhance the overall façade. Often, different architectural styles used door surrounds for this purpose, including Victorian architecture and Gothic architecture that typically incorporated terra cotta as the material of choice. This article provides some tips on replacing or restoring terra cotta door surrounds with TerraGlas, which is fast-becoming an ideal construction material for historical restoration projects.

Deteriorating Terra Cotta Door Surrounds
While beautiful, terra cotta is not necessarily made to last. Water is one of its worst enemies. Over time, regular contact with water can cause the terra cotta door surrounds to disintegrate. Any details or embellishments can quickly fade as the material further disintegrates. This can take away from the building’s overall beauty.

Another concern is that since a door surround provides support, this deterioration can create safety issues that need to be addressed. Any falling terra cotta is dangerous because of its weight, creating potential for harm. Getting the terra cotta door surrounds restored is a critical project for many historic buildings.

Restoration Tips for Terra Cotta Door Surrounds
When restoring terra cotta door surrounds, a number of issues arise but TerraGlas can help solve those challenges:

• All damaged material has to be removed, including the entire section that is worn down or damaged. TerraGlas offers a lightweight, durable, and cost-effective way to fix the damaged terra cotta door surround.
• It is important to match the appearance of the original terra cotta door surround that was not damaged so it does not look uneven. To hide the appearance that repairs will done, the material will need to replicate the texture and match the color exactly. TerraGlas does both right down to the minutest detail.
• Anchoring the terra cotta material can be challenging because it should be something that holds the terra cotta door surround in place but is not visible. TerraGlas uses anchorage elements that are completely hidden plus they are easy to work with for quick installation. This is so much to do than working with the original terra cotta, which is heavy and has complex anchoring assemblies.
• Having the expertise to recreate and install the terra cotta door surrounds can be challenging and often requires an expert. Working with TerraGlas, the team can share its extensive knowledge of architectural styles, terra cotta building elements, and restoration of complex and intricate historical patterns used in conjunction with the terra cotta. Having these 30 years of expertise on hand and even on-site can prove to be valuable for any historical restoration project.

Other Benefits Offered by TerraGlas
TerraGlas does provide other benefits that make it the ideal choice as a replacement material to traditional terra cotta. One of the most compelling benefits is its ability to be highly resistant to things like acid rain, rot, chemicals, fire, water and seismic activity. This means that these door surrounds will not need to be replaced as frequently as the traditional terra cotta door surrounds. This provides a major advantage when it comes to money and time.

Free Estimates for Terra Cotta Door Surrounds
To learn more about the advantages of using TerraGlas and to receive a free estimate for your terra cotta door surround restoration project, contact our team at 903.454.0904 or through email at: [email protected].