Today, finials are most commonly added to roofs. These copper points are often added to the roof’s apex to increase its height atlantic flag pole. While finials are used to enhance roofs, they can also be used to add the same effect to other objects. Finials can be found everywhere, from flagpoles and homes to Hindu temples of Indonesia, to name a few. Finials can be found in many shapes and materials. While copper is the most widely used metal, other metals such as stone and iron are also available.
Today’s finials are usually found on homes with a pyramid-shaped roof. But this was not always the case. Finials were used for sealing cracks and seams on homes and buildings to prevent leaks. Although a finial can be used as an ornamental method to seal seams in roofs, it is not recommended for use on roofs with pointed or peaked edges. Homes with flat roofs were often ornamented with finials on the corners. These were also used to emphasize the home’s height.
While finials are typically associated with building architecture they can be found on many other objects. A finial is used to accent the building’s height in an ancient Hindu temple in Java (Indonesia), for example. These finials are not only used in architecture, but they also symbolise fingers pointed upwards as if to raise the building. Finials can also be found on smaller items. Flagpoles for example have an eagle-shaped top finial, while fences and gates are embellished with iron fiels at various points.