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Water Table
A house's water table keeps wetness outdoors and adds architectural interest to a home's design
Bud Dietrich, AIA
January 1, 2000
Houzz Contributor. My name is Bud Dietrich and I am an architect located in the Tampa Bay area of Florida. I am licensed to practice architecture in Illinois, Florida, New Jersey & Wisconsin. Since 1996 I have worked from my home office and provide full architectural services exclusively to the single family residential market. My passion is to transform my clients' houses into their homes. I strive to have the "new" home accommodate my clients' lives without fighting them at every junction. I look to add curb appeal to encourage a beautiful streetscape. And I design any addition to look and feel like it has always been there.
Our projects have won numerous design awards as well as having been featured on television (CBS News Sunday Morning, HGTV, CLTV, etc.), in magazines (Better Homes...
Houzz Contributor. My name is Bud Dietrich and I am an architect located in the Tampa... More
A water table is an architectural element at the base of a building; its purpose is to direct water away from the building's foundation. A water table is typically curved or has a similar shape that enables it to direct water away.
A water table is also a prominent design element that can visually lift a building as well as provide a place for craftspeople to display their skills.
A water table is also a prominent design element that can visually lift a building as well as provide a place for craftspeople to display their skills.
The Prairie school architects, most notably Frank Lloyd Wright, used water tables as important design elements. Tall and dramatically shaped, the water table shown here not only sheds water but is an important horizontal band that reinforces the overall architectural design.
A water table can be built of the same material as the wall. The different-shaped bricks shown here create a base and path for water.
A water table is also a feature of wood construction and wood-sided homes. The water table for those is a tall trim element that is capped with a drip edge or something else that directs water away from the foundation.
As in masonry construction, a water table can be a strong design element with wood siding, providing a visual base.
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