Do you feel like your visible foundation takes away from your home’s curb appeal? If so, there are several ways you can cover your foundation without affecting the building’s structural integrity. In this guide, we will go over some simple and effective ways to improve the look of your foundation.
Stone Veneer
Stone veneer panels are essentially giant tiles that adhere to concrete. They are comprised of real or artificial stone, and they can add a beautiful natural look to your home’s exterior. Experienced DIY-ers can install stone veneers with a little practice, but this isn’t an ideal project for beginners. Thankfully, you can find a number of handymen in Michigan to do the work for you at a low cost.
Stone veneer can be pricey, depending on how much visible foundation you have. Also keep in mind that this should NOT be a solution for covering foundation cracks. If you have cracks in your foundation concrete, you need to find the root cause of the problem and repair that first.
Stucco
Another way to enhance the look of your foundation concrete is to add stucco to the exterior. Again, you should not do this over cracked concrete until you have figured out what caused the crack in the first place. You can choose stucco that matches your home’s exterior color, or you can select a contrasting shade that ties into the trim.
Concrete Paint
Concrete paint is great for covering stained concrete. If you have a concrete porch, you could tie the color of the foundation into the porch for a seamless look. You may have a hard time getting the concrete at the base, but you can always cover that with a little extra landscaping. Make sure to apply the paint on a sunny, dry day so it adheres to your foundation properly.
Landscaping
You can cover a lot of your foundation with bushes, flowers and other landscaping features. You just need to be sure that the roots don’t go too deep or too close to the foundation itself. Most roots are not strong enough to actually hurt your foundation, but they may encourage water to flow where it doesn’t belong. This will also tempt you to water right along the edge of your foundation, which will increase the hydrostatic pressure pressing against the concrete. Talk to a foundation repair company in Michigan before installing your plants, and you can make a plan that suits your home and your needs at the same time.