Stearns-County-Courthouse-Detail1-Terra-Cotta

A belt course, also called a string course or sill course, is a continuous row or layer of stones or

brick A brick is a type of block used to build walls, pavements and other elements in masonry construction. Properly, the term ''brick'' denotes a block composed of dried clay, but is now also used informally to denote other chemically cured cons ...

set in a wall. Set in line with

window sill A windowsill (also written window sill or window-sill, and less frequently in British English, cill) is the horizontal structure or surface at the bottom of a window. Window sills serve to structurally support and hold the window in place. The ...

s, it helps to make the horizontal line of the sills visually more prominent. Set between the floors of a house, it helps to make the separate floors distinguishable from the exterior of the building. The belt course often projects from the side of the building.

Georgian architecture Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1714 and 1830. It is named after the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I, George II, Georg ...

is notable for the use of belt courses. Although the belt course has its origins as a structural component of a building, by the 18th century it was almost purely a decorative element and had no functional purpose. In brick or stone buildings taller than three stories, however, a

shelf angle Shelf ( : shelves) may refer to: * Shelf (storage), a flat horizontal surface used for display and storage Geology * Continental shelf, the extended perimeter of a continent, usually covered by shallow seas * Ice shelf, a thick platform of ice f ...

is usually used to transfer the load of the wall to a hidden, interior steel wall. Flashing is used to cover the space exposed by the shelf angle to help limit the intrusion of water. Where flashing is considered aesthetically unpleasing, a belt course is often used.

References

{{reflist Types of wall Architectural elements