French Antique Foundation Slab

Among the French antique limestone blocks we carry, this long foundation slab stands out for its color: a weathered gray-white top swept with large patches of deep terracotta mineral staining, which is not what anyone expects from gray masonry. The slab is thick and elongated, the corners are roughly broken and show a coarse, pitted texture along the heavy edges, and the surface is matte and dry.

It measures 78 1/2 inches long, 37 inches deep and 5 1/4 inches high. The staining is in the stone, not on it, and will not wash out. A slab of this length is set by machine and is best laid on a compacted or mortared base so it does not rock.

Its narrow, long shape makes it a permanent garden bench against a courtyard wall, a threshold step at a garden door, or a flat platform for a run of heavy planters. Laid at the edge of an outdoor seating area it separates the path from the terrace without blocking the view across the garden, and the rust color reads clearly against gravel or lawn. This antique limestone slab has sold. We usually have similar limestone blocks and long slabs in the yard or on the water; ask and we will send what is current.