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Design Dilemma Exterior

Should this exterior rock have a "topper"??

2 years ago

Should there be some sort of ledge or top or panel over the too edge of this exterior wainscoting??

Featured Answer

PRO

PPF.

2 years ago

Purest think stone should look like part of the structure, as if the house were made from stone, and should not partly cover a wall, or not extend around the entire house. And the type of stone should also look like it is structural.

Builders today often use stone as decoration, with no attempt to make it look like part of the structure, and choose a stone like you have that would never be used as a structural element.

99.9% of the population will never notice or care.

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Comments (11)

DK F
Original Author
2 years ago
DK F
Original Author
2 years ago
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DK F
Original Author
2 years ago
houssaon
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Although it is hard to see exactly, it seems all houses I found on Houzz had a topper except one where the siding flared out at the bottom and the stone was the foundation course.

A topper is a more finished look.

What is going below this stone course? Why not just do the clapboards all the way down? I think that would be a much better look.
DK F
Original Author
2 years ago
Below the stone they are just not quite done - stone will continue to dirt level (after backfill is brought in.) I agree that thr top needs something, although worried wood topper would hold snow and flake sooner than stone. Any idea if they can add at least a wood topper after-the-fact?
PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
2 years ago
Sorry but that stone is IMO a very dated look and honestly if you are doing stone it should look like it is part of the foundation and should go all around the house not just stuck on the front.
lkloes
2 years ago
Not helpful, Patricia. To the OP, yes, a topper would make this look more finished.
PRO
PPF.
2 years ago
What you are asking about is typically called a cap.

It adds a finished look and should have been part of the design. Difficult to do correctly now.
DK F
Original Author
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
@Patricia Colwell Consulting I don't disagree... it might be outdated. We don't know. We bought an already-under-construction house, and had to make some decisions real quickly, such as the wainscot. Out of curiosity, what IS a more updated choice (obvs can't change it now, but I can at least learn!). and one that is still budget friendly? This was $3.30/ sq ft, and probably easy to install as well. How much would "better" rock cost? (But, I also like the look of it, and the house will be a darker greenish-taupish-grayish, and will be very mountainy. So, I don't take your comments personally or anything. :) )

@PPF. - thank you for the words. I don't know what to ask for, and I "assume" industry 'professionals' will do it the right way the first time, but I'm learning I have to babysit and micromanage everything, and it makes me feel rude and bossy, but otherwise this and other things end up wrong! It's frustrating as a homeowner who isn't versed in alllllllll the things related to construction.
chiflipper
2 years ago
The purpose of a cap (the proper term is "sill") is twofold. Yes, it "looks better" but, more importantly, the sill (with a slight slope) prevents wind-driven rain from getting behind the stone. Here are a few short videos on stone veneers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPB50ioHhW8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lO7wJKWqfTQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HW_uZ8IQoCo

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