Our original concrete front porch, circa 1968, has been screaming "MAKE ME OVER" for some time. Particularly after last Fall's concrete project. While still in excellent shape, 40 years of Suburban life have left it withered.
Over the years, bopping in and out of properties, I have seen good and horribly bad aesthetic solutions. Wanting a relatively low maintenance and cost effective solution that would pull together the different visual elements of our house, stand the test of time, and become more beautiful with wear and age ...
... we opted for slate. A peek at the project:
After giving the porch a good cleaning, we laid out the slate to ensure a balanced color variation. This step is KEY and essential as with EVERY natural stone, each lot tends to have a completely different hue and texture.
Next came cuts and adhesive. We were concerned that slate may be problematic when cutting with a wet saw, fearing splintering or splitting...
We were pleasantly surprised! With a brand new blade, cutting was simple and precise with few errors.
After filling in the cracks...
... next came grout and caulk.
We allowed the project to cure for a couple of days before 2 applications of a high quality outdoor sealant.
The final result: a much more warm and clean entry...
Mission complete! Next up?
Farewell to the brass hardware and settle on a new color for the door and sidelights.
