Day 5 of big carpentry and paint

Our carpenter (Jerry Kirk) has worked around our painter (Doug Gorton Professional Painting) on other projects, so both crews are here working simultaneously. I’m getting used to the sound of scraping, sanding, nailing, and sawing. It’s very exciting, though!

So far, the rotted sill beams in four areas have been replaced, as well as the rotted porch fascia. Today's carpentry focused on the new back door and its framing, which won't be installed until Thursday. The painters hand washed--not pressure washed--the whole house, and they're now thoroughly scraping and sanding it to the original wood in most places. Who knows how many layers have been painted on this 1941 house?


Day 5, east side


End of Day 1, east side


Day 5, west side


Day 5, front


Day 5, close up front view with new sill beam and original joists


Original 1941 back steps, covered up during 1950s addition


Day 5, back

We’ve finally settled on the final paint colors (fingers crossed), too. The plan is for the body to be lavender blue, the trim ivory, the front and back doors and iron awning frames chocolate, and the front and back screen doors chartreuse. The windows might end up chartreuse, too. We haven’t picked the new awning fabric yet. So far, the thoroughness and attention to detail shown by Jerry and Doug and their crews has been very impressive!


West side sun, 3:15 p.m. (I painted the lavender paint on pieces of card stock so I wouldn't mess up any newly sanded wood.)


East side shade, 3:15 p.m.