Is limestone a good stone to use to build the foundation and walls of an outside porch 8 x 55 feet?
Question:My house has this sized porch. The walls made of old stone(the house is 90 years old) is buckling and I need to replace those walls (on 3 sides). Stores sell limestone but little else. What is the best stone for such a job?
Answers:
Answer depends on ground characteristics. Does ground absorb or run off liquid? Limestone is very absorbent and can crumble easily in certain conditions.
A good concrete mix for footings, with strong supports for the existing deck would work more reliably.
Exterior walls can be removed and replaced with SIPs which are very strong and you can then face them with a thin limestone (seal it) to maintain the original look if that is your desire. But that is expensive to do and I would not do it if the existing walls can be re-mortared.
You are essentially doing a rebuild instead of repair.
Limestone is a sedimentary rock which means it has layers.
It can be eroded by acid rain, so if you live near a road, town or city this could be a problem. Limestone is generaly quite cheap and easy to come by.
Limestone should be fine as it is the foundation walls of a porch, however I would not recommend it for whole houses , as it would crumble, badly.
Hope I have been of some help.
With the 4th wall being connected to the house, concrete footings are the best option, especially with such a long span. Depending on the floor joist layout of the porch you might only need to support corners. (Some joists sit on a micro-lam that runs the length of the porch) Get some free quotes from contractors and learn how the porch is built and what options you have.
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