Trim attachment for buildings

Abstract

A method and components for attaching a decorative cover having a closely conforming trim piece to a building structure, by attaching the decorative cover to the building structure with fasteners through holes in the cover and sliding the closely conforming trim piece along the attached cover until the trim piece overlays and hides the fasteners. This technique and associated components are suitable for installing a prefabricated corner post, a decorative covering and trim for a column, and a window or door mantle.

1 . A method of attaching a decorative cover having a closely conforming trim piece to a building structure, comprising: attaching the decorative cover to the building structure with fasteners through mounting holes in the cover; and sliding the closely conforming trim piece along the attached cover until the trim piece overlays and hides the fasteners position. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein
 the trim piece slides along and is maintained in alignment with the cover by a projection on one of the trim piece or cover traveling along a groove in the other of the trim piece or cover until the trim piece reaches a final position; and   the groove and fasteners are covered by the trim piece when in the final position.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , including adhering a surface of the trim piece to a surface of the cover without fasteners as the trim piece slides to a final position overlaying the fasteners. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cover is a prefabricated corner post and the building structure is defined by adjacent walls that form an external, vertically extending corner on the building, comprising the steps of:
 selecting a corner post including an angled body having (i) adjacent panels that form an internal corner with inner flat surfaces adapted to closely engage the building corner, and an external corner forming outer flat surfaces that extend to side edges, (ii) a flange extending from the inner flat surface of each panel beyond a respective side edge of the outer surface, and (iii) a trim piece closely conforming to and slidable vertically along the outer surfaces between an installation position and a final position; each of said panels of the body having a mounting hole from the outer to the inner surface at the final position of the trim piece;   sliding the trim piece to the installation position to expose the mounting holes;   placing the internal corner of the corner post against the corner of the building;   attaching the corner post to the walls through the mounting holes; and   sliding the trim piece into the final position where the trim piece overlaps and hides the fasteners.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cover surrounds a rigid core of a multi-sided structural column and the method comprises:
 placing a first body having at least two sides around and covering a corresponding two sides of the core;   attaching the first body to the core with fasteners through mounting holes in the first body;   placing a second body having at least one side around and covering at least one other side of the core;   attaching the first and second bodies to each other to cover the entire core;   sliding a multi-angled first trim piece along the first body from an installation position wherein the mounting holes with fasteners are visible to a final position in which the trim piece covers the mounting holes with fasteners.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  including
 attaching the second body to the core with fasteners through second mounting holes in the second body; and 
 sliding a second trim piece along the second body from an installation position wherein the second mounting holes with fasteners are visible to a final position in which the second trim piece covers the second mounting holes and fasteners. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein a first cornice is fixed to the top of the first body and the first trim piece is adhered to the cornice in the final position of the first trim piece. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein a second cornice is fixed to the top of the second body and the second trim piece is adhered to the second cornice in the final position of the second trim piece. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein
 a first cornice is fixed to the top of the first body and the first trim piece is adhered to the cornice in the final position of the first trim piece;   a second cornice is fixed to the top of the second body and the second trim piece is adhered to the second cornice in the final position of the second trim piece; and   the first and second trim pieces are adhered to each other.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cover is a flat base portion of a mantle, having a front face and mounting through holes, and the method includes
 with fasteners through the mounting holes, attaching the base to and thereby covering a portion of a building wall;   sliding a crown lower portion along the front face of the base from an installation position below the mounting holes with fasteners to a final position in which the lower portion covers the mounting hole and fasteners; and   in the final position, attaching the crown lower portion to a crown upper portion that is fixed to the base.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the lower portion of the crown slides along and is aligned relative to the base by a groove extending vertically in the front face of the base or the lower portion and a mating projection on the lower portion or the front face of the base, as the projection travels in the groove. 
     
     
         12 . A prefabricated trim unit for covering a core of a building column having a top and a bottom, comprising:
 a first body extending from the top to the bottom of the core and defining a first inner surface for closely conforming to a first portion of the core and a first outer decorative surface for the core;   a second body extending from the top to the bottom of the core and defining a second inner surface for closely conforming to a second portion of the core and a second outer decorative surface for the core;   a through hole from the outer to the inner surfaces of at least the first body, whereby at least the first body can be attached with a fastener to the respective portion of the core;   said first body having first edges and said second body having second edges which are joinable with each other when the first and second bodies are both closely conforming with the core, whereby when the edges are so joined the first and second bodies provide a decorative external cover for the entire core; and   a trim piece closely conforming to and slidable over the outer surface of the first body, between an installation position at which the through holes are exposed for receiving fasteners and a final position at which the holes are covered.   
     
     
         13 . The trim unit of  claim 12 , wherein one slidable trim piece and associated through hole are located adjacent the top of the first body and another slidable trim piece and associated through hole are located adjacent the bottom of the first body. 
     
     
         14 . The trim unit of  claim 12 , including
 a through hole from the outer to the inner surfaces of the second body, whereby the second body can be attached with a fastener to the respective portion of the core; and   a trim piece closely conforming to and slidable over the outer surface of the second body, between an installation position at which the holes are exposed for receiving fasteners and a final position at which the holes are covered.   
     
     
         15 . The trim unit of  claim 12 , wherein
 the first body has three rectilinear panels defining a front and two sides of the body for covering a front and two sides of the core, each of said sides having an edge;   the second body has a single panel for covering the back of the core and two edges for mating with the edges on the first body.   
     
     
         16 . The trim unit of  claim 15 , including
 a through hole from the outer to the inner surfaces of the second body, whereby the second body can be attached with a fastener to the respective portion of the core; and   a trim piece closely conforming to and slidable over the outer surface of the second body, between an installation position at which the holes are exposed for receiving fasteners and a final position at which the holes are covered.   
     
     
         17 . A mantle unit comprising:
 a flat base having mounting through holes for attaching the base to and thereby covering a portion of a building wall;   a crown upper portion fixed to and extending transversely forward of the base;   a crown lower portion slidable along the base between an installation position spaced from the crown upper portion and a final position abutting the crown upper portion;   wherein when the lower portion is in the installation position, the mounting holes in the base are visible and when the lower portion is in the final position the lower portion covers the mounting holes.   
     
     
         18 . The mantle unit of  claim 17 , including a groove extending vertically in a front face of the base or the lower portion and a mating projection on the lower portion or the front face of the base, whereby the lower portion is aligned and guided by the projection traveling in the groove during sliding between the installation and final positions. 
     
     
         19 . The mantle unit of  claim 18 , wherein the projection and groove are configured such that the mounting holes and the groove are not visible when the lower portion abuts the upper portion. 
     
     
         20 . The mantle of  claim 19 , wherein flat flanges with spaced apart nail holes extend laterally from the base.