Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Weekend: The Tale of The Half Done Projects

This weekend we did a lot. But then we realized we either didn't have enough time to do, or didn't know what to do next. The first half done projects was the back side of the garage. There was not gutter so rain just fell off the roof, hit the wood and rotted it. One of the doors was also rotten. 

 Halfway through the demolition we started seeing a lot of ants and more rotten wood. We have no idea how to get the rotten plywood down, or get the ants to go away. Charlie worked very hard and rebuilt the rotten door, hung it up and painted it once. Now we have to wait until the pest people come to kill all the ants, and wait for my Dad to come visit and tell us what to do once the ants are dead. Half done project number one.


The second project was my sewing room. This is a sewing blog but I haven't sewed since we moved, party because I am doing other projects, but also because I am not inspired whatsoever in the sewing room. We set out to change that.

We used BIN, it was recommended by a blog reader, ohhh I'm so popular. That stuff smells so yucky. We did one coat and then were driven out of the basement by the noxious smell. I did another coat yesterday, I couldn't tell if the bad smell was my breath or the paint. I'm hoping it was the paint. 


We did get some smaller projects done. Found some pretty plants for a pot, got the compost bin set up, and bought a lawnmower. Charlie didn't even cut off a toe. Things are starting to look good around here. 


And our most important project of the weekend was.....getting this new guy. Eee!

More on him tomorrow! (Talk about a teaser.)


 Lauren

2 comments:

  1. it's fun to be a homeowner... but there are always too many projects!! So jealous of your sewing room!

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  2. To get to that plywood. You are going to want to take off the rest of those clapboards all the way up to the top. I would try to do it gently and save them or if you can't just buy new. You are going to then finish taking off the corner board on both sides - the exterior trim board going up the side of that wall, one of them is already ripped in half.

    Then Charlie is going to have to take off both those doors and the trim around the doors. I would just replace all that trim with new, since it looks half rotted out already. The old stuff is probably 3/4". You could go with new 3/4" pine. Prime it w/ exterior bin or Cabot "Problem Solver" then paint exterior white or whatev for a long lasting finish.

    Then you can get to the plywood. To get it off you need the demo essentials- cat's paw, hammer and flat bar. Charlie had a small flat bar in the picture but you need a big one. Take out nails with the cat's paw until you can rip the rest of the plywood out. That goes on the burn pile. Replace with new plywood, match it to the old thickness. Probably 1/2" or 5/8". Or the cheap way (if your only rot is down low) is to snap a line above the rotted plywood, take a circular saw, set to correct depth and cut horizontally above the rot all the way across. Rip off plywood below the cut and replace with new piece.

    Be sure to apply tar paper or some kind of exterior building paper on top of the plywood before you replace clapboards. This is necessary weather protection and probably the reason everything underneath is rotten to begin with. Be sure to apply tar paper with top layers overlapping bottom layers to prevent water getting in behind.

    Redo the trim then put doors back on and replace clapboards. Run a bead of white paintable caulking in between the sides of the clapboards and the door and corner trim as you go. Will seal up better.

    Obviously guttering on that lower roof will help. Very easy, all you need is a drill,adhesive silicone

    http://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-Silicone-II-9-8-oz-Clear-Gutter-and-Flashing-Caulk-GE50G-01/100663317#.UZwYWuv6bi4

    riveter, metal snips and pop rivets. Is there a place for that upper roofline gutter to empty out over to the right where the roof ends (outside your picture) Your gutter on the upper roofline should be run all the way across and then down if possible, rather then dumping onto the lower roof. My house had a similar situation when I moved in.

    Good luck! Brendon

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