Brick overlaps foundation - Make look better?

[HamAndEggs]

On the side of my garage the brick is straight, but for whatever reason the foundation is not, so there is this weird overlap. Best way to make this look better?

 

[Criss]

Back fill with top soil, grass seed topped with mushroom manure. Start by building up to cover the block. Then continue to fill out into the yard. A nice gradual grade will be virtually invisible while covering your block. Added benefit it also slopes surface water away from your foundation

 

[HamAndEggs]

Back fill with top soil, grass seed topped with mushroom manure. Start by building up to cover the block. Then continue to fill out into the yard. A nice gradual grade will be virtually invisible while covering your block. Added benefit it also slopes surface water away from your foundation

Should soil go that far up, all the way to the brick?

 

[tomshep]

Should soil go that far up, all the way to the brick?

I'm in TX and here they want to see 3-4" of foundation below the brick to help prevent termites and also water coming in. I've seen people put a skim coat of concrete on the slab as a cosmetic fix, but it will eventually come off. Most just leave it in my area.

Tom

 

[mm08822]

Maybe chip off the high spots of the first mortar course and then do a skim coat below it to direct any water into the soil. Don't block the weep holes in the brick. Might even want to add brass wool to the brick weep holes so nothing enters in the future.

I would also keep the soil/mulch level as far below the weep holes as possible. If that means removing sod before adding any other ground cover then so be it.

 

[BillK]

Other than maybe smoothing off the mortar job I would say it looks fine to me.

 

[CraigStu]

Other than maybe smoothing off the mortar job I would say it looks fine to me.

I agree. Having had various surfaces at the edge of the grass in different houses I like concrete. The weed wacker string doesn't hurt it or strip off a finish.

 

[ddurrett896]

Soil + grass would definitely be the easiest, maybe even get a paint close to the brick color and kinda rough paint it over the concrete - nothing fancy, just to break up the solid color.

If you could use that side for trash cans, outdoor storage bins, etc., you could pour a 3' concrete pad on that entire side and form it to look good.

 

[Zeke]

Maybe chip off the high spots of the first mortar course and then do a skim coat below it to direct any water into the soil. Don't block the weep holes in the brick. Might even want to add brass wool to the brick weep holes so nothing enters in the future.

I would also keep the soil/mulch level as far below the weep holes as possible. If that means removing sod before adding any other ground cover then so be it.

+1, that lower bed of mortar looks like **** and draws your eye to it.

 

[kbs2244]

a row of Hosta will hide it and provide a "softer" look

 

[Criss]

Should soil go that far up, all the way to the brick?

Absolutely, if it didn't you would see the foundation (block) on every home.

 

[HamAndEggs]

You know, it never occurred to me to chip off the motor on the bottom. I guess I'll do that first before anything else. It it ends up looking good, then great! If not, I can explore the rest of the options

 

[HamAndEggs]

Soil + grass would definitely be the easiest, maybe even get a paint close to the brick color and kinda rough paint it over the concrete - nothing fancy, just to break up the solid color.

If you could use that side for trash cans, outdoor storage bins, etc., you could pour a 3' concrete pad on that entire side and form it to look good.

No way, just ripped the junk concrete out!

 

[FordTruckWench]

How about painting/staining the concrete to look like another course of bricks?

 

[HamAndEggs]

Absolutely, if it didn't you would see the foundation (block) on every home.

Over here you do see the foundation on every home, but we're all slab on grade

 

[flyingblind]

Paint it.

 

[rayra]

There's this new technology called "flower beds" that would hide it nicely.

Do NOT under any circumstances pile up dirt level with the top of your foundation. Do not be an idiot.

 

[Criss]

Over here you do see the foundation on every home, but we're all slab on grade

That makes sense, I'm in PA. Nearly every home has a basement. Here we seal the block with a membrane or at the very least brush on foundation coating. Then back fill up to grade (up to the sill plate). Which brings the dirt up to the first course and slopes out from the house. So all water drains away from the foundation. Code here is a 6" fall over ten feet (some exceptions apply, lot lines ecetria.

 

[Criss]

There's this new technology called "flower beds" that would hide it nicely.
some simple landscaping would hide the block.
Do NOT under any circumstances pile up dirt level with the top of your foundation. Do not be an idiot.

 

[FourthQuarter]

There's this new technology called "flower beds" that would hide it nicely.

Do NOT under any circumstances pile up dirt level with the top of your foundation. Do not be an idiot.

Strongly agree, do not be an iodit.

Smooth off the high spots on that first layer of mortar. Small border, say 12", of river stone would pull ones eye away from the foundation/brick line and reduce continuous moisture close to masonry.

Admittedly a pain to maintain stone bed and lawn. I've used 1/4x3 or 1/4x4 strip stock to maintain a clean grass/stone edge. Weld short pieces of rebar or old bed frame every 3 or so feet to the strip to anchor it. We'll be dead before it rusts away. There is of course store bought metal edging but rusty steel looks way better to me.

 

[LOW1]

First, I think it likely that you are the only one who notices this.

Second, a few shrubs would eliminate any issues.

 

[Criss]

Google how to backfill and grade a building. The key takeaway, is water does not run uphill.

 

[kaymccampbell]

Around here, you want 6-8 inches of foundation exposed, so you can see the termites trying to build their tubes up into the house. BTW, they're sneaky, and use the weep holes at the base of brick walls to invade.

 

[Criss]

Around here, you want 6-8 inches of foundation exposed, so you can see the termites trying to build their tubes up into the house. BTW, they're sneaky, and use the weep holes at the base of brick walls to invade.

Your exactly right 6 or 8 inches below the bottom plate.

 

[tncatadjuster]

I hope you kept the cat.

 

[kaymccampbell]

You know, it never occurred to me to chip off the motor on the bottom. I guess I'll do that first before anything else. It it ends up looking good, then great! If not, I can explore the rest of the options

Don't chip off the mortar. You'll do more harm than good. Grinding it flush with an angle grinder and diamond masonry wheel will clean it up without damaging your base mortar.

 

[Criss]

This is how we backfill and grade were I live. I'm sure it's done differently elsewhere.

 

[casmurbax]

Don't chip off the mortar. You'll do more harm than good. Grinding it flush with an angle grinder and diamond masonry wheel will clean it up without damaging your base mortar.

^this.