Ugly old concrete entry steps to front door.
chester_grant
17 years ago
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punamytsike
17 years agoRelated Discussions
Tile Finish Over Concrete Covered Front Entry Porch
Comments (5)I'm about to tile over my concrete front porch, although I don't have the slope issues you do. A couple of folks in my neighborhood have slate tile front porches and say the biggest issue seems to be dust and dirt tracked in due to the surface of the slate being fragile (splits little bits off.) Since I have hardwoods and this is my primary house entry, I'm planning on going with an outdoor rated porcelain tile with quite a bit of "tooth" to the finish for safe footing in my Portland Oregon climate (9 months of rain). You would not want to have standing water on any tile though, so you'll have to deal with the slope, and I really can't address that. I've had to strip the old paint off my porch... there must've been about 10 layers and it's been quite a bear....See MoreHelp Needed for Back Entry Useful but Ugly
Comments (47)Partial update, progress is being made although not done. You're welcome ;-) We bought the vinyl lattice for under the stairs although haven't put it up yet I painted the railing and the foundation but may do the foundation again - not sure I'm on board with the color. although it isn't completely dry here and it is darkening a bit. What do you think? And no, the part that you see unpainted is staying unpainted. Because that portion of the stairwell is in direct contact with soil, it is always a bit damp and DH says the paint won't grab right - sigh. And from further back. We're looking a bit like the Clampetts at the moment. (reality check - we ALWAYS look a bit like the Clampetts)...See MoreBrick, concrete, or stone front steps for this bungalow?
Comments (25)Yardvaark - You are absolutely correct. I had originally gone through that process with every intention of rebuilding the steps as they were (depending on the contractor, that meant brick + concrete, or brick + stone since the original steps were not 100% reproducible). I decided on a brick contractor due to his ability to source matching bricks, and also his incredibly fair price. It hasn't been until recently that I've re-opened the can of worms of whether or not I really want the front to be rebuilt to match the original, rather than using this opportunity to make some changes. Another reason for not committing to a design before a contractor is because, for me, budget will always be a factor in whether or not a design element is worth it. I don't know how much a design detail will affect the overall cost until I talk with the contractor, and that often affects whether or not it becomes part of the final plan. In the case of the brick contractor, the difference between having a contractor willing to work with angled buttresses vs. not was $15,000 vs. $5,500. Since I don't plan on living in this house forever, I'm more concerned about ROI in the long run vs. having something built to perfectly fit my personal preferences. I respect that everyone has a different threshold for different design decisions, and I love getting to see the results of that!...See Morefront entry help - front door is hidden
Comments (5)Oh wow, it's really hidden! lol Your furniture plan for the porch sounds lovely and I imaging having the door tucked away adds a nice sense of privacy and security. What about removing/relocating the bushes in front of the porch? Removing them might make the space look larger and more welcoming where as now they seem to make the space small and dark. Maybe swap them for some flowerbeds. It doesn't sound like you'd want to take on awindow-to-door conversion but it would look really great if you did. You've got a lot of space from an exterior view and having the steps lead up to the door would look very welcoming. You'd also have to consider what's on the other side of the wall and how that would affect the layout of your porch furniture, too (I'm sure you've already thought of that though). You've got a beautiful home, I'm sure whatever you decide it'll look great. Good luck! - Ariana...See Morechester_grant
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