[DNA]

We have a brick porch/stoop/whatever on the front of our house and it is falling apart. It is way past replacing a few bricks and tuckpointing the rest. The house, which is painted brick, is +/- 70 years old and I want something that fits in with the style of it. What options do I have for replacing it? I don't want some boring, poured concrete thing. Brick again? Some sort of etched/stained/painted concrete? Any ideas?

 

[stosh]

We have a brick porch/stoop/whatever on the front of our house and it is falling apart. It is way past replacing a few bricks and tuckpointing the rest. The house, which is painted brick, is +/- 70 years old and I want something that fits in with the style of it. What options do I have for replacing it? I don't want some boring, poured concrete thing. Brick again? Some sort of etched/stained/painted concrete? Any ideas?

Budget?

 

[Westy]

Rebuild with block and mortar again, but this time replace bricks with the bones of vanquished enemies.

 

[Cooter Brown]

a cupla cinder blocks'll do ya jist fine

I'd tear apart what you have, and use the original bricks back again. Just a little time is needed to get the old mortar off of them, and you're all original then.

 

[DNA]

Budget?

I don't know yet. I would consider dropping some real cash if it was something really cool. Heck, the estimate on fixing it up was $500, so that is the starting point.

 

[stosh]

Rebuild with block and mortar again, but this time replace bricks with the bones of vanquished enemies.

Walmarts running a sale on Vanquisted enemy bones.

 

[DNA]

a cupla cinder blocks'll do ya jist fine

I'd tear apart what you have, and use the original bricks back again. Just a little time is needed to get the old mortar off of them, and you're all original then.

Nah, the old bricks are cracked and spalled and generally pretty crappy.

 

[stosh]

I don't know yet. I would consider dropping some real cash if it was something really cool. Heck, the estimate on fixing it up was $500, so that is the starting point.

I really see a covered porch there...

 

[Westy]

Walmarts running a sale on Vanquisted enemy bones.

That is what they want you to think. The Walmart bones are not that of fallen foes but of poor Asian child laborers that got caught in unguarded machinery.

 

[robdamanii]

Slate and mortar? Looks snazzy.

 

[hooples3]

just let the steps get all messed up.. then leave your front door wide open... then take your mountain bike and ride up and down your new rock garden

 

[N8 v2.0]

I love your mamosa tree!!!

 

[Westy]

just let the steps get all messed up.. then leave your front door wide open... then take your mountain bike and ride up and down your new rock garden

I was thinking more of a north shore thing would be cool. A skinny leading to a pivoting hamster wheel/loop thing followed by a 10 foot drop to flat.

 

[DRB]

If you use bones, skulls are the coolest. Or you could make it out of scaphoids.

 

[hooples3]

ok seriously ..as a temporary fix, remove the loose ones and replace them with new brick re-mortar the new ones and do some pointing. this may get you a year or two depending where you live , how your winters are and how good of a job you do.
the best way is to remove any/all brick that has started to fall apart and start from there. leave only the bricks that are rock solid and holding in place. clean up the area very well mix up some cement/mortar and start replacing brick a step at a time. If you are doing it in Hot weather, "water the steps once your done every few hours. if the cement/mortar dries out too quickly it wont be as strong

 

[robdamanii]

Go steal some lava rock from Hawaii, build porch with it, let Pele curse you into infinite bad luck, and then laugh as you send the entire porch back to honolulu, postage due.

 

[hooples3]

I was thinking more of a north shore thing would be cool. A skinny leading to a pivoting hamster wheel/loop thing followed by a 10 foot drop to flat.

i love the hamster wheel idea .. but he might not get enough elevation for the 10 ft to flat!!

 

[stosh]

If you want to simply replace the stairs concrete offers a lot of nice options these days.

It might be hard to find something that "goes" with your house though. Stained concrete is more of a modern look and to "cold" for your house IMO.

I actually was thinking of concrete with some flagstone on top. You could find some nice complimenting stones for your house.
Also I would try to design the new steps so at a later date you could add a small roof to it.

 

[DNA]

Also I would try to design the new steps so at a later date you could add a small roof to it.

The thought has occurred to us to put a covered porch across the front. It seems to have been pretty common with bungalows built around the same time. I suspect that is a $5000 dollar project, rather than $500. The other concern is that it would have to have a flat roof. That would probably be a problem in the winter (I can't think of a single house near us with one).

 

[stosh]

The thought has occurred to us to put a covered porch across the front. It seems to have been pretty common with bungalows built around the same time. I suspect that is a $5000 dollar project, rather than $500. The other concern is that it would have to have a flat roof. That would probably be a problem in the winter (I can't think of a single house near us with one).

Actually I would just do a small gable roof that ran perpendicular to the existing roof.
Also something that would help keep your new porch from rotting away would be trimming the tree back.
Yes adding a roof will be about $5k for the total cost of the project.


What part of the country do you live in?

 

[stosh]

This is what my suggestion would be.

 

[stosh]

side view

 

[clancy98]

I was thinking something like this:

maybe a koi pond, or a moat. Or a Koi Moat.


hmmmm.....

 

[SkaredShtles]

I was thinking something like this:

maybe a koi pond, or a moat. Or a Koi Moat.


hmmmm.....

Where's the boiling oil? And the murder holes?

 

[Wumpus]

I love your mamosa tree!!!

What is a mamosa tree?








(Another pink blossoming tree is the mimosa, or silk tree (Albizia julibrissin), which has naturalized throughout the southern U.S.)

 

[DNA]

Actually I would just do a small gable roof that ran perpendicular to the existing roof.
Also something that would help keep your new porch from rotting away would be trimming the tree back.
Yes adding a roof will be about $5k for the total cost of the project.

I see what you are saying. We had talked about a small roof like that too. I think we are going to put off any major remodeling for a few years until my wife has a couple of years in with her new job and is SURE she is going to be a teacher (rather than go back to school AGAIN).

I am leaning toward just tearing all of the old bricks out and putting in a new brick porch, but nothing is really decided.

What part of the country do you live in?

Mid-Missouri. We have hot, humid summers (yesterday was almost 100 degrees and high humidity) and wet, cold winters (some years we get a lot of snow, other years not as much).

That mimosa tree is a freak. It takes forever to leaf out (I suspect we are on the northern end of its range) and then just when you think that maybe it is sick or dying or something, it explodes with leaves and flowers. The thing grows branches like a weed. I cut it back every year and it grows back to cover the yard and smack the side of house.

 

[stosh]

I see what you are saying. We had talked about a small roof like that too. I think we are going to put off any major remodeling for a few years until my wife has a couple of years in with her new job and is SURE she is going to be a teacher (rather than go back to school AGAIN).

I am leaning toward just tearing all of the old bricks out and putting in a new brick porch, but nothing is really decided.


Mid-Missouri. We have hot, humid summers (yesterday was almost 100 degrees and high humidity) and wet, cold winters (some years we get a lot of snow, other years not as much).

That mimosa tree is a freak. It takes forever to leaf out (I suspect we are on the northern end of its range) and then just when you think that maybe it is sick or dying or something, it explodes with leaves and flowers. The thing grows branches like a weed. I cut it back every year and it grows back to cover the yard and smack the side of house.

You can do a slightly larger porch to allow for a roof to be added later.
I would build it with concrete on top of block and surface it with flagstone. I think it would add the extra little bit of interest to the front of house while staying "plain" enough to match your house.

I love brick but I'm not a huge fan of brick steps.

I was initially thinking a wood porch because with some nice painted railings and handrails it could make the front of your house pop a bit.