A foundation finish is considered a non-structural finish that is added to your masonry foundation to change it's appearance. There are a few different ways to go about it and it depends on whether it is new construction or if you are trying to "beautify" something old.
Having a crawlspace foundation finished with brick is a very common method that homebuilders use to dress up plain block foundations. When you extend the brick finish above the foundation, it is considered a veneer.
Bricks are notorious for being available in lots of different sizes, textures, and colors. This gives a home owner or builder plenty of options for any project. You can always paint them too! Learn more about common brick sizes here.
Choosing a stone to finish your block foundation is an excellent choice. Stone comes in different varieties, shapes, and sizes. If you want a high quality finish, stone is where it’s at. It’s on the expensive side mainly because of transportation and installation costs.
You can use any type of stone you want for your foundation finish, but we recommend using cultured stone, faux stone panels, or natural stone cladding. Cultured stone is formed concrete that is painted or stained to achieve their color. Natural stone cladding is thin in size and cut from naturally formed stone. The color is natural and does not require dye or paint. Faux stone panels are a cheap alternative to stone and is made from polyurethane foam. They work well for some projects, but are rarely used in residential construction.
Crawlspace foundations that are built with common CMU (cinder-block) are considered naked block walls. Clients that don’t want bare walls and have a smaller budget will often go with parge coating to provide a smooth finished appearance. It is most certainly the cheapest way to “coat” your crawlspace foundation exterior.
There are two types of parge coating materials that can be used for crawlspace foundations, cement and acrylic. The “cement” version uses a type N mortar, which consists of sand, lime, and portland cement mix. The “acrylic” version consists of a base coat of portland cement and features a liquid acrylic. The acrylic version is more expensive, but also more durable with a higher quality appearance.
Parge coating can last up to 50 years or more if the surface prep is done correctly, the parging materials are new, and the mix is perfect! Masons are great at laying block, brick, and stone but may face challenges when trying to parge coat a foundation wall.
It is rare that parge coating is prepped, mixed, and applied perfectly. If done improperly, it will usually degrade in the first 5 years to a point that it will need repair or at least look like it does. Applying two parge coats is ideal to effectively cover the underlying masonry joints. Usually a coat is added when the foundation wall is finished and another is added when other construction is complete.
Prep is the most important part of painting anything. This includes your foundation. Make sure the area is prepped properly before you paint. A roller brush and the proper exterior paint for masonry will give the best results. If you have some time on your hands, you can definitely do this yourself.
If you have an older brick, block, or concrete foundation it might look kind of rough. Painting these can cover up small imperfections and give you a solid smooth color throughout. It usually takes two coats of paint to get the color you desire and to cover up blemishes and discolorations.
This is a great option for smaller homes and clients that have no additional budget for a foundation coating. If you are building an accessory building or a second home that is small, no coating may be the only sensible choice. Not everything needs it. Remember, foundation coatings are mostly for aesthetics anyway.
The rock face concrete block known as “split face block” looks great without any type of coating or paint. However, you can order this block in different colors. It’s a dye mixed in with the concrete.
If you have a knack for setting up great landscaping visuals then you should use that talent to hide an ugly foundation. Using bark, mulch, or gravel you can create a planting bed. Fill this up with the proper types of hedges, flowers, and trees for maximum coverage. The combination of a border, the bed, and the plants creates a visually stimulating block to your foundation.
No matter what aesthetic you are going for, you can achieve it. There is such a massive variety of materials and methods out there that you can be sure to find what fits your taste and budget. For new construction, I would consider brick and stone finishes. For repairs of existing foundations, I would go for a textured parge coat or painting if your budget is tight.
"It's not how you start, it's how you finish"
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To explain a little further, the footing is a standalone structure that ultimately provides support for the masonry foundation walls that are built “on top” of the footing. It is what separates your home’s foundation from the ground. The two most common types of footings are the perimeter footing and pier footings. We will dive into those in the next section.
To explain a little further, the footing is a standalone structure that ultimately provides support for the masonry foundation walls that are built “on top” of the footing. It is what separates your home’s foundation from the ground. The two most common types of footings are the perimeter footing and pier footings. We will dive into those in the next section.
To explain a little further, the footing is a standalone structure that ultimately provides support for the masonry foundation walls that are built “on top” of the footing. It is what separates your home’s foundation from the ground. The two most common types of footings are the perimeter footing and pier footings. We will dive into those in the next section.
To explain a little further, the footing is a standalone structure that ultimately provides support for the masonry foundation walls that are built “on top” of the footing. It is what separates your home’s foundation from the ground. The two most common types of footings are the perimeter footing and pier footings. We will dive into those in the next section.
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Four Oaks, NC 27524
Your local residential construction pros.
We are a full service residential construction company providing earthworks and masonry services. Footing, foundation, and concrete flatwork construction make up our core service offerings.
Working in Johnston, Wake, Wayne, Harnett, Wilson, Franklin, and Nash counties in North Carolina.
Working in Johnston, Wake, Wayne, Harnett, Wilson, Franklin, and Nash counties in North Carolina.
3 Responses
Correct.
Thanks for your kind comments. Like people, there are ALL types of contractors. Some are good, some are bad.
Thank you for sharing this informative article about foundation contractors. I hope there are a lot of consumers who could read this and be guided accordingly.