Building element

Abstract

A building element for attachment to a building to provide a mainly decorative effect. The building element has an outer member defining the shape and appearance of the building element and a separate inner support. The inner support is attachable to a building wall and has first mounts thereon. The outer member has a support recess at its bottom, back portion for receiving the inner support, and second mounts within the recess. The first and second mounts cooperating to mount the outer member on the inner support when the inner support is mounted on a building wall to locate the outer member against the building wall.

1 . A building element comprising: an outer member defining the shape and appearance of the building element and a separate inner support, the inner support attachable to a building wall and having first mounting means thereon; the outer member having a support recess at its bottom, back portion for receiving the inner support, and second mounting means within the recess; the first and second mounting means cooperating to mount the outer member on the inner support when the inner support is mounted on a building wall to locate the outer member against the building wall.  
   
   
       2 . A building element as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the outer member and the inner support are made from thermoplastic material; and the visible surfaces of the outer member and the inner support, when mounted on the wall, are covered with a protective, decorative, coating.  
   
   
       3 . A building element as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the outer member has end surfaces; the inner support slightly shorter than the outer member; the support recess on the outer member, receiving the inner support, located centrally between, and spaced from, the end surfaces of the outer member.  
   
   
       4 . A building element as claimed in  claim 3  including a siding recess in the bottom, rear portion of the inner support extending across its length, and siding recesses in the lower bottom portion of the outer member on either side of the siding recess in the member, the siding recesses in the outer member extending from the siding recess in the inner support to the end surfaces of the outer member when the outer member is mounted on the inner support, the siding recesses on the outer member forming extensions of the siding recess in the inner support, the siding recesses sized to snugly receive the upper portion of a siding member therein.  
   
   
       5 . A building element as claimed in  claim 4  wherein the outer member and the inner support are made from thermoplastic material; and the visible surfaces of the outer member and the inner support, when mounted on the wall, are covered with a protective, decorative, coating.  
   
   
       6 . A building element as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the protective, decorative, coating comprises a stucco-like material made from a mixture of cement and thermoplastic material, the coating applied in two layers with a reinforcing mesh between the layers.  
   
   
       7 . A building element as claimed in  claim 5  wherein the protective coating comprises a stucco-like material made from a mixture of cement and thermoplastic material, the coating applied in two layers with a reinforcing mesh between the layers.  
   
   
       8 . A building element as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the first mounting means comprise at least one of an outwardly extending rib, or an inwardly extending slot sized to receive the rib, on the top of the inner support and the second mounting means comprise the other of the outwardly extending rib or the inwardly extending slot on the top of the recess.  
   
   
       9 . A building element as claimed in  claim 8  wherein the protective coating comprises a stucco-like material made from a mixture of cement and thermoplastic material, the coating applied in two layers with a reinforcing mesh between the layers.  
   
   
       10 . A building element as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the support recess on the outer member has a front wall and a top wall, the front wall having a short rib thereon extending rearwardly to space the inner support within the recess a slight distance from the front wall to provide a front clearance space for the heads of fasteners used to fasten the inner support to the building wall.  
   
   
       11 . A building element as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the support recess on the outer member has a front wall and a top wall, the front wall having a short rib thereon extending rearwardly to space the inner support within the recess a slight distance from the front wall to provide a front clearance space for the heads of fasteners used to fasten the inner support to the building wall.  
   
   
       12 . A building element as claimed in  4  wherein the inner support has a top with a short rib extending upwardly from the top to space the outer member a slight distance from the top of the inner support to provide a top clearance space for the heads of fasteners used to fasten the support to the siding located in the siding recess.  
   
   
       13 . A building element comprising an outer member defining the shape and appearance of the building element and an inner support, the inner support attachable to a building wall and having first mounting means thereon, the inner support having top and bottom surfaces, front and back surfaces and end surfaces; the outer member having a support recess at its bottom, back portion for receiving the inner support, and second mounting means within the recess, the outer member having top and bottom surfaces, front and back surfaces and end surfaces; the first and second mounting means cooperating to mount the outer member on the inner support when the inner support is mounted on a building wall to locate the inner support within the outer member and the outer member against the building wall, the bottom and back surfaces of the inner support and the outer member aligned.  
   
   
       14 . A building element as claimed in  claim 13  wherein the outer member and the inner support are made from thermoplastic material; and the visible surfaces of the decorative member and the inner support, when mounted on the wall, covered with a protective coating.  
   
   
       15 . A building element as claimed in  claim 13  including a siding recess in the bottom, rear portion of the inner support extending across its length, and siding recesses in the bottom, rear portion of the outer member on either side of the siding recess in the member, the siding recesses in the outer member extending from the siding recess in the inner support to the ends of the outer member when the outer member is mounted on the inner support, the siding recesses on the outer member forming extensions of the siding recess in the inner support, the siding recesses sized to snugly receive the upper portion of a siding member therein.  
   
   
       16 . A building element as claimed in  claim 13  wherein the protective coating comprises a stucco-like material made from a mixture of cement and thermoplastic material, the coating applied in two layers with a reinforcing mesh between the layers.  
   
   
       17 . A building element as claimed in  claim 13  wherein the support recess has a front wall and a top wall; the first mounting means comprise one of an outwardly extending rib, or an inwardly extending slot sized to receive the rib, on the top surface of the inner support and the second mounting means comprise the other of the outwardly extending rib or the inwardly extending slot on the top wall of the support recess.  
   
   
       18 . A building element as claimed in  claim 13  wherein the support recess on the outer member has a front wall and a top wall, the front wall having a short rib thereon extending rearwardly to space the inner support within the recess a slight distance from the front wall to provide a front clearance space for the heads of fasteners used to fasten the inner support to the building wall.  
   
   
       19 . A building element as claimed in  15  wherein the inner support has a short rib extending upwardly from the top surface to space the outer member a slight distance from the top surface of the inner support to provide a top clearance space for the heads of fasteners used to fasten the inner support to the siding located in the siding recess.