Exterior Window Trim Ideas

Exterior window trims or window casings help to give a finished touch to the windows. This renders an instant complete and neat look to the window. The window trim you choose can be a simple and elegant one, or it can be a bit decorative with a keystone. With some crown moldings you can make your exterior window look exquisite.

The window casings are made with various materials and need to be selected wisely, because each material has its set of pros and cons. With change in home designs there are many fashions of window trims. However, choosing an window trim style entirely depends upon the kind of look you wish to go for.

There are various kinds of woods which can be used to build wooden window trims.  There are even window trim designs available in bamboo. If you want an eco-friendly option then go with bamboo wooden trims. 

These look beautiful and natural. If you want you can paint these trims or let them bare to show the beautiful bamboo pattern. Or you can go with tough redwood for your exterior trim.

Redwood is tough and resists decays, which gives it a long life. Today, wooden exterior trims are not much used because they tend to decay soon. Also, wooden trims need regular scraping and painting to maintain a pristine appearance. But, if you want a natural trim look for a traditional style house, then go with a good resistant wooden trim.

Vinyl being plastic it is decay free and lasts for a long time. PVC window trims also tend to stand up to weather extremely well. Vinyl trims are available in various designs and moldings. Also, these can be customized easily to the exterior of the house. Due to their versatile nature vinyl trims are a very practical option.

One of the ways to make your window trims look exquisite is by adding a keystone. Keystones help to add accent to windows and doors. When installing keystone, first place the keystone and then place the window molding. But, if you wish to add a keystone on an already existing window molding, then simply cut it in middle at the top and install the keystone.

There are many designs of keystones available, and they can also be custom-made to match the exterior design of the house. Simple keystones or elaborate designs of keystones like seashell or flowing keystones can be selected.

You can also buy keystone which have a lion head on it. If you want you can also add cornices to decorate the trims. These are elements which jut over and around the top of the windows. Make sure you design cornices wisely, so that they offer protection from rainwater.

No matter what kind of trim style and material you choose make sure you caulk it well and use flashing over the top span of the window so that you have good protection from sitting waters.