Porch Project Update

As you may remember from this post, last year we had to tear the stone off our porch skirting due to the winter ice cracking the foundation.  So, we were left with trying to decided what do replace it with.

I wanted something with a traditional farmhouse feeling, but not lattice.  We looked around our neighboring towns at houses built around the same time as ours (1880-ish) and decided on simple thin strips of wood with a wide trim around them.

We kind of worked it out as we went.

Here's what it looked like in progress:

After looking things over we realized we needed to replace the wood that wrapped around each post on the top part of the porch.  The original builders used Hardy Board which I guess is great in most applications but not meant to be placed close to horizontal surfaces that can get wet, and our porch does get pretty wet sometimes due to the direction of the weather.  So, the posts were completely rotted at the bottom. 

After about 4 days of just Ken and I working part time (I got to be the official cut girl and work the circular saw) we got everything rebuilt and the railings back on.

Then we were told it's best to let pressure treated wood sit for about a year before you paint it.  So, it sat like this since October.

This is where we were at a few weeks ago.  I have started caulking and filling all the nail and screw holes and I got a coat of primer and paint on the side porch (below).  Now I need to get going on the front porch and then decide how we want to paint the skirting slats.  The skirting paint might have to wait until fall when I can trim the plants back to reach it.

Things are slowly moving forward around here, but at least they are moving again.  We are also working on our back patio area and new pool area as well as waiting to have our new driveway installed.  Lots going on around here and enjoying summer too!  Thanks for following along.  

Demolition!!

We have been wanting to take our boring concrete patio out and do something different since we moved in (6 years ago), but haven't had the time or money.  This year with the extra cold winter we had the patio cracked beyond repair and heaved causing our foundation to crack.  Bad news.  But, the good news is now it is a priority to get the patio out and make a whole new backyard space!

This is what we are dealing with:

We had already removed all of the lilies from around the patio when this picture was taken.

The guys are supposed to come this week and jack hammer the patio out and start the repairs to the foundation and in order for them to do that we had to remove the stone facing from around our porch.

I actually started before Ken got home from work and it wasn't really that hard to get off.  I love the demolition process...it's great stress relief!

When Ken got home I decided to let him get some stress relief too.

It only took about an hour total to remove all the stone facing, and we were happy to find a usable porch framework to work with.

Once the repairs are done to the foundation we hope to redo the porch to what it would have looked like in 1880 (even though the original porches were much smaller) and we will also replace the decking with something more weather resistant since it gets water sitting on it and has rotted in quite a few places.

This is what I am thinking as far as the spaces between the posts:

via

I believe between the patio and the porches this might be an all summer project for us so I will post updates when things really get rolling, and I plan on posts updating our mudroom situation and other projects we have been working on indoors too.

Our porch...

Since we moved to this house (4 summers ago), I have been wanting to decorate the porch.  It is truly a great space where I would love to spend time relaxing...if I had time to relax, but I digress.  So, in the past years I have spend a lot of time gardening and landscaping around the porch, which will always be an ongoing task.  I have also scanned craigslist and yard sales for furniture, etc. to use.  This summer, I finally feel like we have "something" although I still think we have a long way to go.  At least now we can sit out there and hang out, as we did the other night while my dear friend, and business partner, Sarah, learned how to sip whiskey with my husband.

Front porch.  The smaller porch on the side leads to the mudroom.  I would eventually like to connect these two porches and make one huge wrap-around farmer's porch.

Seating area (also known as the whiskey sipping area).  Found this wicker set on Craigslist for $80.  Not sure I love the all wicker look, but it's okay for now.

The cast iron park bench was a road side find.  The vintage milk can was my grandmother's (who owned a sort of antique shop).  The table and chairs are new, and they make a great place to have summer dinners.  The blue wash stand table was salvaged from an old farmhouse.

Porch lit up at night.