Matching Brick, Siding, and Stone: The Material Science of Seamless Additions

When you’re an old house enthusiast, stucco is an art form all its own. When clients wanted a seamlessly integrated addition to an 18th-century log-and-stucco farmhouse in Middleburg, matching the unique color and texture of the farmhouse was a priority. Carpenter Beach had the expertise to get the job done beautifully, creating an airy, modern living space that blended seamlessly with the exterior.

When you add on to a historic home, the addition doesn’t always have to be an exact match. However, it should be a harmonious fit that honors the original structure. Your home has a story and reflects its era in its materials. Since the tools and materials of the trade change over time, a contractor not only needs excellent design skills but also the ability to source materials that bring your addition to life.

 What Are The Challenges In Matching Materials When Adding To A Historic Home?

Old houses have a special language for the folks who know them well. To a seasoned observer, the house itself sends “signals” about which addition will be the best fit. But reading those signals requires creativity and know-how. Adding onto a historic home can present numerous challenges. Variations in color and texture require a trained eye and specialized skills. If part of your project involves replicating doors and windowsills, you can use in-kind materials or a 21st-century twist on a classic style to improve energy efficiency and weather resistance. Naturally weathered materials can also be challenging to match, so it often makes sense to choose complementary styles and natural products that will eventually “catch up” in terms of weathered charm. Finally, discontinued or regional materials can be hard to reproduce, so your contractor should be ready to get creative—either by sourcing them or having them specially made.

What Materials Do Historic Home Specialists Match?

It’s a joy living in a house that’s truly one of a kind. Part of the charm of a historic home is the inclusion of unique, regional materials. However, when you need more space, reproducing or replicating those materials can be a challenge. With old brick, siding and stone, an addition takes skill and creativity.

1. Brick: The long history of brick manufacturing has changed over time, becoming more uniform over the decades. Color and size are the two main factors in matching your brick, as bricks were often handmade in centuries past. The good news is that brick companies carry handmade style products similar to the hand-thrown bricks in a historic home.
2. Mortar: When you think of sand on the beach with its array of variegated colors, that’s often the look you see in historic mortar. However, contemporary mortar is more uniform. In many cases, your contractor will use natural mortar but add a mortar stain to get closer to the original color.
3. Wood siding: Your specialty contractor should closely examine the existing siding for the wood type and size, and ensure compliance with local historic requirements. If your siding is in a dimension no longer available off the shelf, getting specially milled planks from your existing material as a model can be a solution. Wood species is also an essential consideration for you and your contractor.
4. Stone: masonry specialists can match your home’s original stone foundation with a stone veneer foundation. Creating a veneer is still very much an artisanal process and often involves sourcing regional stones and hand finishing to replicate the aging process.

Matching Materials: A Carpenter Beach Case Study

Carpenter Beach Construction’s Middleburg project involved a gorgeous update of a log-and-stucco farmhouse dating back to 1725. The building had had several additions over the years, including a sand-colored stucco that fit perfectly with the local aesthetic in southwest Loudoun County. The client worked with Carpenter Beach’s designer to create the perfect addition, inside and out.

“Matching the stucco was important to them,” says Charlie Beach of Carpenter Beach. “It was the expectation from the start of the job. We tailored the material selections to that project.”

The company used a plaster and stucco specialist to match the color and texture seamlessly. A skilled mason created a stone veneer foundation on the lower portion of the house. The client wanted large windows to add an airy feel to the addition, so the Carpenter Beach team chose aluminum-clad wooden windows as a charming yet durable alternative to the wooden windows in the original house. Aluminum-clad windows have a wood core on the inside, providing a warmer look than vinyl, with an aluminum exterior for durability.

The addition also features a rustic oak floor to match the existing house and a 17-inch standing-seam roof. The smaller panels are less common and more expensive than a 21-inch version, Beach adds, but provide a more authentic look. The client selected a muted red that complements the stucco’s warm brown tone perfectly.

Creating Space and Harmony In Your Historic Home’s New Addition

When restoring or adding to a historic home, the details make the difference, both inside and out. Material matching is key to a cohesive and respectful addition. Whether it’s brick, stone, wood siding or stucco, Carpenter Beach has the design expertise and craftsmanship to create your perfect addition inside and out.