Five Makeovers For an Ugly Home Foundation

Does your otherwise attractive home have an unsightly foundation wall that spoils its curb appeal? Here are five ways to make that ugly wall disappear.

1. Paint it. Typically, the foundation wall has a thin veneer of concrete mortar spread over it similar to stucco, for a smoother cosmetic look. Choose a masonry paint that works with the color of your home’s siding and paint that concrete veneer. No one will be able to tell where the siding stops and the foundation begins.

2. Stucco it. If the foundation wall doesn’t have a cosmetic veneer, add a stucco concrete coating and then paint it to go with the color of the masonry or plank siding. 

3. Stone and brick veneer. This is perhaps the most handsome option of all. There are stone or brick veneer panels that attach with mortar to the foundation sides. You may not be able to precisely match your home’s existing stone siding, but you can come close. Once again, it will be difficult to tell where the siding ends and the foundation begins.

4. Lay down a rock or mulch bed.  If the foundation to be covered is no more than a couple of feet, consider turning over the soil in front, laying down a weed barrier, then placing a bedding of river rock or mulch. It is important that the ground and bedding slope down and away from the house so that water does not puddle against the foundation during heavy rain. Water should always flow away from the foundation.

5. Plantscaping. The simplest solution is to design and install a flowerbed containing gorgeous bushes and bedding plants. Choose bushes that will have thick foliage and grow to a height sufficient to cover the foundation. Place them the recommended distance apart so they will grow together for uniform coverage. Place blooming ground cover plants in front, adding color while filling in gaps at the bottom of the bushes.