How to prepare a precast window sill schedule
Give each opening a label, then record the profile, length and end conditions. A simple sill schedule helps separate repeated pieces from the ones that need a closer look.
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The Landmark Journal
Articles & Guides
Start with the decision in front of you: measure a run, compare two profiles, choose a finish, or understand a material.
Architecture
Architectural profiles and surrounds
What to measure before choosing a cast stone fireplace mantel
A surround can frame the firebox beautifully on paper and still crowd a window or miss the hearth on site. These are the three outlines to put on the same elevation.
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How to measure moulding runs, corners and returns
Two profiles can be the same height but finish very differently at the end of a wall. Measure the run in elevation and the return in section.
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How to take off cast stone baseboards room by room
A room perimeter includes doors, cabinetry and transitions where stone may stop. A wall-by-wall list tells the estimator which pieces actually repeat.
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Choosing a cornice that fits the eave and turns the corner
A crown that looks right from the street can project beyond the available soffit. Check a section through the roof edge before counting straight runs.
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Choosing decorative corbels: read the front and side together
Front width tells you how a corbel fills a bay; the side view tells you how far it projects. Use both before deciding how a pair will frame an opening.
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How to lay out quoin corners without reversing the long face
A quoin turns a building corner; a wall panel sits on a face. A two-sided elevation prevents a long leg from landing on the wrong wall.
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How to centre a keystone in an arched surround
The keystone must read against the surrounding arch band, not just against the width of the opening. A front elevation and a short side section answer different questions.
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A cast stone column is three selections, not one diameter
Choose the shaft, base and capital together. The widest projection may be at the capital, while the available footprint is set by the base.
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How to plan a balustrade run from post to post
A terrace edge is not one undifferentiated length. Corners, stairs and landings divide the balustrade into bays that may need different rails and posts.
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Paving, water and landscape details
How to measure pool coping for a quote
A perimeter alone doesn’t tell a fabricator how many corners or curved pieces to review. Here’s how to mark up a pool plan before asking for a coping quote.
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Wall caps versus pier caps: what to measure for each
A wall cap follows a run. A pier cap finishes a single post. At a gate or a change of height you may need both, but they belong on different lines of the takeoff.
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Stair tread or tread and riser? Label the face you need
From above, two steps may look alike. From the side, one may have a separate vertical finish while the other needs a cast return down the face.
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Planning a pedestal-paver terrace: start with a section
A paving plan shows how the joints look. A section through the threshold shows what must fit beneath the finished terrace.
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Mailbox pier or fence pier? Show what goes inside
A gate entrance can have two matching-looking piers with different jobs. A mailbox insert, intercom and fence connection each changes the information the shop needs.
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Will a fountain or planting bowl fit the courtyard?
A diameter on a drawing answers one question. The distance to a path, the shape of the basin and the route into the courtyard answer three more.
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How to take off a precast paver pattern without losing the border
A square-foot total can hide the difference between full field pieces, perimeter cuts and a contrasting border. Draw one repeat before turning the plan into a list.
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Panel layouts and custom profiles
How to carry a ribbed panel pattern around a corner
A pattern that looks continuous on one elevation can lose a rib at the corner. Lay out the two adjoining faces together before counting full panels.
Read articleWhat to send for a custom GFRC surround or cornice
For a custom glass fiber reinforced concrete shape, the visible face is only half the brief. A section showing the return explains what the elevation cannot.
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How to draw a UHPC panel elevation around windows
Start with the joint lines you want to see, then test them against available panel formats. An opening dimension is not the same as the dimension of the piece beside it.
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How to document an existing trim profile for Limelight review
Replacing one length of trim is often a matching exercise. The next piece has to meet the shape already on the wall, not just look similar from the street.
Read articleNatural stone
Choosing and planning quarried stone
Ordering natural stone veneer: measure corners as well as wall area
Two walls can have the same face area but very different corner requirements. Keep flats, exposed corners and recessed openings separate from the start.
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Choosing natural stone pavers: approve a range, a format and a lot
A photograph can help choose the character of a courtyard. It cannot tell you the thickness of every format or the variation in the available stone.
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Planning a custom marble bath or basin before choosing the stone
The most dramatic vein may fall where a basin is carved away. Agree on the visible faces, fixture locations and delivery route before approving a slab or block.
Read articleColors & finishes
Approving precast colors and finishes
Choosing a precast sample: color and finish are two decisions
The online swatches show color on a Smooth surface. Use them to narrow the palette, then request the color and surface finish you actually want to see together.
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Get to know the materials
Why Choose Ultra-High-Performance Concrete Panels
How thin sections, high strength, precision, and cast geometry expand the range of architectural concrete.
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Limelight: Lightweight Stone Architecture
A lighter route to deep profiles, crisp corners, and limestone-look architectural detail.
Read articleLandmark Stone Pavers: Material Underfoot
Natural stone and precast paving that unifies driveways, courtyards, pools, and garden rooms.
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Marble Made for Living
From baths and fireplaces to floors and custom objects, marble brings singular veining and tactile depth.
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Material questions are better with drawings attached.
Send your application, location, aesthetic direction, and performance questions for a project-specific conversation.