When thinking of architectural elements that enhance a home, the first thing that comes to mind may not be stone scuppers.  But, when completing a home design and putting all of the finishing touches on to ensure a cohesive and elegant look is achieved, it is important to not forget about scuppers.  Scuppers were originally created to reduce water overflow on ships and boats but they are now commonly used on homes and buildings.  For those not familiar with what exactly a scupper is, About Home provides a helpful description, “The National Roofing Contractors Association defines scupper as “A drainage device in the form of an outlet through a wall, parapet wall or raised roof edge typically lined with a sheet-metal sleeve.”A roof scupper is a roof drainage system that provides drainage of a flat roof by allowing the water runoff from the roof to exit the roof through a metal edge, parapet wall or through the deck into a downspout or leader. Roof scuppers are not the same as roof drains.”  If your home or building has a flat roof, it likely has (or should have!) scuppers somewhere along the roofline because pooling water on the roof can lead to leaks and significant water damage.

Scuppers, in their most basic sense, are primarily utilitarian.  They are there to get water off of a flat roof building – an important feature to protect architectural integrity.  But, just because they are utilitarian and necessary to the structure of many homes, it does not mean that they have to be made of a basic, unattractive metal, detracting from the architectural beauty of the exterior of your home.  Many do not realize that gargoyles on older, gothic style buildings were actually decorative stone scuppers, draining water through the mouth of the gargoyle.  If your home has an architectural stone exterior or stone façade exterior, do not reduce the beauty with an unattractive scupper.  Keep a continuous and seamless stone look for your home by installing carved stone scuppers.  While gargoyles may not be what you have in mind, we have a wide selection of decorative stone scuppers that are carved in traditional and contemporary designs to coordinate beautifully with any home’s exterior design.  If your home does not currently have scuppers installed and you think it may need them, consult your architect to discuss the addition.  If your home does have scuppers installed but they are not the ideal style you would prefer, consider installing carved stone scuppers for added value and visual appeal to your home’s exterior.