7 Ways to Finish Your Exterior Windows With Decorative Trim
Windows complete any home’s design. From the interior, they help let in light and allow those inside a chance to take in the view. From the exterior, windows help complete the home’s style and curb appeal. At Belco Forest Products, we pride ourselves on staying at the forefront of exterior window trim functionality and design. So, we have put together a complete guide to window trim exteriors, including selecting the right exterior window trim material, as well as sharing exterior window trim ideas to inspire your next home renovation project.
Selecting the Right Exterior Window Trim
Window trim is necessary to every exterior. Because trim helps cover the edge between siding and the window frame, it helps to keep out the elements and protect your home. Additionally, trim helps complete the look of your home, regardless of its style or the material you’re siding it with.
Most window trims are made from cedar or other types of wood. And while woods like cedar are considered durable and a good choice, they do come with some issues. Additionally, cedar is very expensive, often twice the cost of other materials. Less expensive woods are also less durable, which requires a lot of maintenance, including applying both a high quality primer and paint before install. And many untreated woods can also be susceptible to moisture issues, cracking, bubbling, and bleed-through.
Preservative-treated wood, like Belco’s XT Trim solves these issues. This high quality SPF wood trim has been treated with a 2-step preservative treatment process, eliminating many of the moisture problems of standard wood and ensuring that your exterior window trim will be more durable, longer lasting, and lower maintenance.
Exterior Window Trim Ideas
While a lot of emphasis gets placed on how to finish interior windows (with window treatments and styles being the subject of many homeowners’ concerns), window exteriors often need just as much help. While window coverings are often the solution for the interior, it’s exterior window trim that helps complete the look on the outside.
Trim helps frame a window, giving it definition and dimension as well as style and design. So if you’re looking for ways to finish your exterior windows, take a look at these 7 design ideas for inspiration.
The following homes have been finished with Belco’s preservative-treated wood trim. Each with its own unique style and personality, showing you just what’s possible with this innovative material.
1. Simple Monochrome
Trim doesn’t need to contrast the rest of the home or to stand out sharply in order to be effective. These windows were given a very simple trim in a shade that perfectly blends the fieldstone and the lighter siding. Most of the windows have a header and footer trim above and below the windows, so that the decorative shutters can capture the eye’s attention first, making the windows seem much larger than they are.
2. Design Continuation
This home features exterior window trim as a design element, using trim that’s just a shade darker than the rest of the home to give it some detail and dimension. Additionally, the windows are simply framed in the same trim and design as the rest of the house. This gives the entire exterior a sense of continuity and a unified style. The windows fit neatly into the design, and the trim becomes an extension of the rest of the facade.
3. Substantial Bold Exterior Window Trim
The exterior window trim on this home is meant to be noticed. It’s a deep gold that stands out sharply against the lighter siding. The window trim consists of a heavier bottom ledge on the upper story windows, which gives them weight and helps balance them against the larger window at the front of the building. The same trim is used just below the roof gables, giving the entire facade a cohesive look.
4. Classic, Understated Window Trim
For some architecture styles, it’s often the cleaner, more classic looks that work the best. That’s the case for this simple ranch style home. The windows are clad in a simple, clean, white trim that matches the other clean lines for the rest of the home. The color adds a nice contrast to the dark gray siding, which, in turn, makes the smaller windows really pop and stand out in the design.
5. Substantial Window Trim
The windows on this home are set back beneath an overhang. This means that the trim needs to be a little bit more substantial to really draw them out and give them the attention they deserve. Therefore, the trim on both the upper and lower portions of the windows extends out past the windows slightly and is made of a slightly beefier trim than that used on the rest of the facade.
6. Layered Window Trim
This charming home is full of small details that bring it to life. The windows reflect that, using trim that has a layered style to it. Rather than simply framing the windows, the trim adds size and dimension to them, which helps call attention to them in an exterior that’s already filled with details and design.
7. Subtle Design
This home has a beautiful two-tone exterior that pairs stone with brick and wood trim. There’s already a lot going on, and many of the windows are already in accented areas. That means that adding more to the window trim might end up overwhelming the facade. This design keeps the windows simple, letting their detail be the focus, rather than the trim.
What are the main materials for exterior window trim?
The main materials for exterior window trim include:
- Preservative-treated wood: Traditional and versatile, preservative-treated wood trim offers a natural, classic look with enhanced durability. The treatment helps prevent rot, insect damage, and decay, making it suitable for various climates. It can be painted or stained to match any home exterior.
- Vinyl: Durable and low-maintenance, vinyl trim is resistant to rot, insects, and moisture. It comes in a variety of colors and styles and does not require painting.
- Aluminum: Lightweight and corrosion-resistant, aluminum trim is often used for its durability and ease of maintenance. It can be painted or purchased in pre-finished colors.
- Fiber Cement: Made from a mixture of cement, sand, and cellulose fibers, fiber cement trim is extremely durable and resistant to rot, insects, and fire. It can be painted and offers a range of textures and styles.
- PVC: Similar to vinyl, PVC trim is durable, moisture-resistant, and low-maintenance. It can be painted and shaped to mimic wood trim.
- Composite: Composed of wood fibers and plastic, composite trim offers the appearance of wood with enhanced durability and low maintenance. It resists rot, insects, and moisture.
How to Finish Your Windows Properly
By using a preservative-treated wood trim for your windows, you’ll be ensuring that they last for years with less maintenance than cedar or other woods. You’ll also be finishing them in a range of attractive styles with the right amount of detail for your home. Use any of these ideas as a starting point for your home style to get the best window trim possible for your exterior.
For design assistance with your next window trim project, consult with an expert at Belco Forest Products.
