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Especialista Ingresos Ca Y Rd
This question was closed without grading. Reason: No acceptable answer
Feb 22, 2021 22:10
3 yrs ago
48 viewers *
Spanish term

guardapolvo

Spanish to English Art/Literary Architecture
Context is Mexico: "Las casas fueron construidas con zoclos de piedra, muros de adobe, aplanados de tierra y tuvieron colores variados que fueron cambiados en el último tercio del siglo xx para adquirir la apariencia actual, con fondo blanco y guardapolvo color almagre."

This is in the sense found here: "Cuando no se cumple esta condición, adquiere el nombre de guardapolvo. La presencia de éste surge cuando se pinta una franja horizontal de aproximadamente 0.70 a 1.00 m en la parte inferior de los muros y que también recorre toda la longitud de la fachada" (https://arquitectura.unach.mx/images/RevArq/revarq28.pdf)

It is NOT chambranle. It is typical in colonial towns in Mexico to have this two-tone wall with a darker colour painted up to about dado rail height, as in this image: http://ai.stanford.edu/~latombe/mountain/photo/mexico/mexico...

Anyone know if there is a specific name for this style of external decoration in English? Thanks in advance.
Proposed translations (English)
3 +1 dado
2 +1 canopy
2 Cornice/or GRC
References
Refs.

Discussion

fionn (asker) Feb 24, 2021:
Thanks all Thanks Toni for that last ref - very useful (also I know that gallery!)
Going to close the question and accept that there is no specific term for this in English. There are examples that use stone or tiles that are also called guardapolvos and intended to prevent damp entering the base of the wall. So the best way to explain it I think would be something like a 'painted exterior wainscotting'.
Z-Translations Translator Feb 23, 2021:
If this type of external wall skirting is in a specific area in Mexico only we could come up with a new term connected to that area something like "{area name} external skirting" or "Mexican external wall protection" , "guardapolvo skirting" , . This is my last try hope it is usefull .
Toni Castano Feb 23, 2021:
An interesting reference Fionn, colleagues, yes, definitely it is a painted strip on the facade of Mexican houses. Here is an example:
https://pinupmagazine.org/articles/oscar-hagerman-chairs-at-...
Alluding to the “guardapolvo” originally conceived in adobe, a third of the wall was painted in an earth-like color, while the chairs are placed in a U shape on three petate strips.

Technical term in English? Probably it does not exist.
fionn (asker) Feb 23, 2021:
further info Hi folks thanks for discussion so far - difficulty is that 'guardapolvo' does have other meanings, such as the moulding around a wall opening (i.e. chambranle/chambrana) or the canopy over a retablo.
But this seems to be a development of the term specific to Mexico where a darker colour of paint is used for the lower strip of the wall presumably to conceal the fact it gets dirty faster from dust/passersby. So yes, a kind of 'skirting' or rather 'wainscotting' but simply of paint.
It may be that there is NO name for this in English, of course! Any further ideas please chip in, thank you.
neilmac Feb 23, 2021:
An image search ... for "exterior skirting" shows the kind of outdoor feature on houses which seems to fit the context. I always think of "skirting board" as an indoor feature too, but the root meaning of "skirt" is to go round, so basically it can refer it anything kind of similar surrounding feature.
Z-Translations Translator Feb 23, 2021:
However skirting does not fit exactly unless we mention something like skirting with insulating paint only without boards (so lengthy lol) try to find a short term.
When we mention skirting it does mean skirting boards but in this context we dont have skirting boards instead it is only insulating paint works as skirting boards.
Taña Dalglish Feb 23, 2021:
On the other hand, and why I hesitate is because of this:
Chambrana - Wikipedia, la enciclopedia librehttps://es.wikipedia.org › wiki › Cha...
https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chambrana
Una chambrana es una moldura que se pone alrededor de las puertas, ventanas, etc. Puede ... A veces en los textos se le llama también «guardapolvo» aunque por lo general este vocablo se emplea más para los ... Multimedia: Chambranles ...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chambranle (which comes back to the term the asker has already rejected!!!!).
Z-Translations Translator Feb 23, 2021:
Skirting # Taña
You said that in your reference , please add it to your answer.
at the top of wall is called cornice, at the bottom of wall is called skirting (of any types even if paint only)
https://neufert-cdn.archdaily.net/uploads/product_file/file/...
Taña Dalglish Feb 23, 2021:
https://irma.nps.gov/DataStore/DownloadFile/450416
Salinas Pueblo Missions NM: Architectural History - NPS ...https://irma.nps.gov › DataStore › DownloadFilePDF
27 Jun 2012 — stones for the structure of colonial New Mexican history and culture, ... and adobe buildings with gabled tile roofs in places with moderate rain ... A **guardapolvo was a canopy or little roof-like projection at the top of the retablo.**

Proposed translations

1 hr

Cornice/or GRC

For external decoration of building :
cornice moulding to decorate
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornice

or GRC (glassfibre reinforced concrete)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass_fiber_reinforced_concret...

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Note added at 2 hrs (2021-02-23 00:46:50 GMT)
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Cornice
A horizontal molded projection that crowns or completes a building or wall.
That can be made from different types of materials stones, bricks, GRC, Gypsum etc..
Peer comment(s):
neutral Toni Castano : No, I don´t think so according to the description provided by the asker, it´s a kind of painted strip on the lower part of walls, probably to protect them from dust, etc. I don´t know the technical term... if any.
1 hr
Yes you are right, it is called skirting
Something went wrong...
+1
2 hrs

canopy

https://irma.nps.gov/DataStore/DownloadFile/450416
A guardapolvo was a **canopy or little roof-like projection** at the top of the retablo.

https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/sapu/hsr/hsr7c....
Salinas Pueblo Missions NM: Architectural History (Chapter 7)
3. Box for las pilastras y guardapolvo del retablo, the pilasters and canopy, 6 3/4 feet by 1 1/3 feet (depth unstated). [28]
28 A guardapolvo was a canopy or little roof-like projection at the top of the retablo.


https://books.google.com.jm/books?id=erEYlKTP_ZEC&pg=PA296&l...
Sanctuaries of Earth, Stone, and Light: The Churches of ...https://books.google.com.jm › books
Gloria Fraser Giffords · 2007 · ‎Architecture
... desire for more realistic and lifelike images so prevalent in the Spanish baroque . ... its figures and paintings , a device called a ***guardapolvo ( literally , dust guard ), and ranging from a simple molding to a canopy - like projection** , was ... used since the Renaissance ( see also “ Columns ” under “ Architectural Details ” in ...

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Note added at 3 hrs (2021-02-23 01:35:45 GMT)
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Another option (and only being "forced" to input as I am not 100% certain that it is correct) is "skirting board (skirting)". See my previous reference comment.
Peer comment(s):
neutral Toni Castano : Hi Taña, have you seen the picture posted by fionn? It cannot be a canopy. If you read the description provided by the asker, it is a kind of painted strip on the lower part of walls, probably to protect them from dust, etc.
18 mins
Thanks Toni. Sorry, I prefer to wait for confirmation, but I have input my original option, i.e. "skirting board".
agree Z-Translations Translator : It is skirting, you mentioned that already in your reference. You are right. However skirting does not fit exactly unless we mention something like skirting with insulating paint only without boards (so lengthy lol) try to find a short term. Stay safe !
34 mins
Thank you. While I had skirting in my reference, I would prefer to wait for the Asker's confirmation. Thank you again. Stay safe!
neutral Heather Carroll : Yes, the strip of wood that goes on the wall around a room where it meets the floor is called a ‘skirting board’ - although that’s not what they are talking about above, as skirting boards are only found inside.
13 hrs
Thank you Heather. Stay safe.
Something went wrong...
+1
13 hrs

dado

Wikepedia:
In architecture, the dado is the lower part of a wall, below the dado rail and above the skirting board. The word is borrowed from Italian meaning "dice" or "cube", and refers to "die", an architectural term for the middle section of a pedestal or plinth.



Decorative treatment
This area is given a decorative treatment different from that for the upper part of the wall; for example panelling, wainscoting or lincrusta. The purpose of the dado treatment to a wall is both aesthetic and functional. Historically, the panelling below the dado rail was installed to cover the lower part of the wall which was subject to stains associated with rising damp; additionally it provided protection from furniture and passing traffic. The dado rail itself is sometimes referred to misleadingly as a chair rail, though its function is principally aesthetic and not to protect the wall from chair backs.

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Note added at 13 hrs (2021-02-23 11:45:06 GMT)
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Google "painting dado walls" for some pictures.

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Note added at 13 hrs (2021-02-23 12:01:02 GMT)
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Dado Wall - Spanlift spanlift.com.au
Dado Wall
A dado wall is when the lower section of the wall is different to the top section.

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Note added at 14 hrs (2021-02-23 12:14:17 GMT)
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My apologies for just seeing in your context that you already know what a dado rail is (a rail at the top of the dado).
Peer comment(s):
neutral Heather Carroll : I’ve always thought of a dado wall as being an interior decorating term, but I suppose it’s the same idea, just on the outside.
3 hrs
Apparently so. Wikipedia refers to "protection fom passing traffic" in its definition.
agree Hugh Thomson
18 days
Something went wrong...

Reference comments

1 hr
Reference:

Refs.

1) "guardapolvo" I hardly think this one would apply?
https://en.pons.com/translate/spanish-english/guardapolvo
skirting board guardapolvo m Chile


2) https://www.wordreference.com/es/en/translation.asp?spen=gua...
Spanish English
guardapolvo nm (para desviar la lluvia) awning n
canopy n

https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/guardapolvo-en-arqui...
Puede ser "window shade / canopy" ?
http://sriputramas.info/checklist/05/DoorsAndWindows.htm
http://www.archicentre.com.au/treehouses/photogalleryJune200...

One suggestion here was "chambranle" which you have apparently dismissed!
Something went wrong...
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