Gateway New Building Topping Out Celebration

January 20th, 2011

Gateway Library Staff

Test Yourself

Do you know why there is a tree and flag on the last beam for

topping out celebration?

Answer to the QuestionIn building construction, topping out (sometimes incorrectly referred to as topping

off) is a ceremony held when the last beam is placed at the top of a building. The term may also refer to the overall completion of the building's structure, or an intermediate point, such as when the roof is dried in.A topping out ceremony is usually held to commemorate the event.

While common in England, Germany, Czech Republic, and Poland, the origins of the ceremony are obscure. Its practice has long been an important component of timber frame building. This tradition migrated to America with European craftsmen. A tree or leafy branch is placed on the topmost beam, often with flags and streamers tied to it. A toast is usually drunk and sometimes the workmen are treated to a meal. The ceremony has also been common in the United States when a skyscraper is completed. The last beam to be hoisted is painted white and signed by all the workmen involved. In other types of building, the ceremony typically focuses on the bedding of the last block of masonry or brick. The ceremony is akin to the practice of placing a newspaper or coins under the cornerstone of a building.

- from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia