Design opinions

[TCJatko]

There are some rather nice looking panels that give the appearance of stone but can be put over block or concrete foundations.

On Sale Faux Stone Panels, Specials, Stone Miami Sales, Reduced

You can do this yourself or have it installed. I'm partial to either the river rock or stacked stone looks. As to the area under the porch, I'd leave it alone.

 

[USAFpj]

PAGuy- what color are you going with on the block? Don't flog me, but the thought has entered my mind that the space underneath would make a pretty nice chicken coop :duck:

 

[the old grind]

"Rubber Roof", our nickname for synthetic membrane with sealed seams. The way to go for 'flat' and minimally-sloped roofs.
Easy to DIY uh ... unless maybe applied under a porch. :scratchchin: (~1/8"/foot slope is usually enough)

+! the metal 'method' Piloon suggests. (same result w/run-off allowance required, btw) There are also 'under-deck' systems, tho' most are made just to keep open spaces dry beneath.

Good point about critters. If you never have 'em in your basement, attic, shed, garage, or barn who'd want 'em under their porch? (trapping is fun, from mice to fur bearers )

Perhaps we're just assuming that you'll plant something around the foundation vs weeding.mowing right up to it. Plenty of time to plan that sort of thing.

 

[forgeblast]

Here is what we did, dig out under the porch, then put in a paver stone patio. added lattice to the sides (could also put in screening first to keep bugs out). Covered the block with field stone. The more use-able you make it the better. I use under the deck for storing my canoe, snowblower in the summer and winter (easier to start there).
also put in some 4'' perferated pipe and get the rain gutters flowing into them.

 

[arrow]

I'll throw in here. I would not put a stone veneer on your foundation. The reason being that it will be too busy looking with your vertical siding. Your siding makes a strong visual statement. If I would do anything to your foundation it would simply to e put a skim coat of cement troweled on either the block or mounted cement board. If you do anything other than that, you would want something more uniform in appearance than random field stone. I would not paint the foundation the same color as the house under any circumstances as your assumption is correct.

If you build an enclosure under the porch, I would side it just like the house. There is enough break up with the wood work railings to nicely tie in what should be a cohesive look with vertical siding.

 

[USAFpj]

Hmmmm, so Arrow, you envision the same color HardieBoard board/batten style all around the base of the front porch vs. lattice? I don't know if I've ever seen that- will have to search for images.

 

[arrow]

Hmmmm, so Arrow, you envision the same color HardieBoard board/batten style all around the base of the front porch vs. lattice? I don't know if I've ever seen that- will have to search for images.

I do. I do not like the lattice idea as visually speaking, it would seem busy and distracting to me. The porch railing and post structure is very beautiful to me. I would want to kind of showcase that by creating a uniform tie in to the house (visually) by using the same siding. It would be enough to create an appealing cohesiveness while bringing attention to the nice wood work on the porch w/o anything screaming at you senses wise.

And you're right again. Here's where Photoshop or something similar would come in handy for you.

 

[the old grind]

HardieBoard?? Oops! I saw 12" spacing and thought it was fir (post #4) vs B&B but yes, I'd want to continue the clean look/color (+some vegetation) to play down the proportion.

Great idea to photoshop some of these ideas ... and my cataract surgery might be sooner than later. :laughing:

 

[USAFpj]

HardieBoard?? Oops! I saw 12" spacing and thought it was fir (post #4)..

Ha! Yeah, the home builder actually makes this house, originally, out of logs. I did not want the maintenance of logs, and me and the wife always liked board and batten style, so this was a no-brainer to us. It still confuses my other external family members, as they are concerned about my choice due to fire and carpenter bees :laughing:. The flooring of that front porch is Ipe, and my Dad still swears it's that plastic Aztek stuff...

 

[lilyperch]

They have metal panels available in rustic textures and colors. I saw a shop done in the old red/grey metal rust color. Was very cool looking.