Siding – Completed

Saturday was a beautiful day this weekend and we got up and started working at 8am. Since we stripped the paint off the siding around the door Friday night we were able to get started right away on putting the new siding up. I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves…

Here we are just getting started:
Before residing door
And here the siding starts to go up:
door siding begins
This was the point where we needed to stop and put in the block for the light that we made Friday night. We also had to make and attach the cap on top of the door before we could continue:
siding up to light block
And we’re done!
door siding complete

On Sunday it rained so putting up the mouldings was not really an option. We took a much needed break, visiting with family and then I decided to clean up the demo’d rooms and put down protective paper on the floors. I felt pretty good getting the rooms in shape:
floors protected

Mid-week renovations

Tonight after work it was still light outside so Ryan and I headed out to finish up the last few pieces of siding that needed to go up. We put up the last new piece and then put a few of the old pieces back up over the porch to be replaced when we do that whole section at a later time.

Then I sanded and primed the bathroom window casing so if we get rain this week we should be all covered.

It’s hard to see in the picture because it was getting dark but the siding is done here (just have the siding by the door to patch!)
siding completed

On the list for next weekend:
– Strip paint off siding near door
– Cut siding near door to prepare for new siding
– Make and mount a block for the porch light (were thinking something like this: Porch Light)
– Fit in new siding around door
– Make and attach cap for door

With luck we’ll get that all day with or without rain since it’s under the porch. I’d also like to put mouldings up around all the window caps but that requires good weather and more time. We’ll see how far we get.

Siding – almost done

This past weekend Ryan and I worked on siding the house. It was a long but productive weekend.

This is where we were siding wise prior to this weekend: http://groudasfamily.com/nicolesblog/2009/08/anniversary-and-vacation/
Just under the top of the windows. The first pieces we had to do this weekend needed to be cut around the window caps.

First up though – Ryan had to remove a bit more of the siding that wrapped around the porch roof and needed to be replaced so he did that. original siding around porch roof
ryan removing siding

Then we got down to business cutting siding with our new jigsaw.  We put up the row of siding that wraps around the window caps, and got up to the first part of the frieze board under the soffit.  This is where we ended Saturday night:

saturday night siding progressAnd this is what took so long – each piece had one or two sides that had to be cut like this:

siding around window capOh and we had to cut the frieze board to lay flat over the siding – this was all very time consuming work but we loved the outcome:

frieze board cutAnd on to Sunday – the siding continued – we were hoping it would go faster however one of the first projects included making a drip cap for the bathroom window and getting a tight fit between that and the frieze board on top.  Then cutting the old side frieze board to match the new frieze board.  Here is the bathroom window cap – this took a while with the table saw and some figuring out but it actually came out perfect (compared to plan anyway).bathroom window capAnd then we continued siding – this part took a good long while:

siding wrapped at porch roofAnd finally – the finished product (well as finished as we got over the weekend) – there is still a full run of new siding that needs to go up and then 2 partial runs of old siding over the roof that need to go back up until we get around to redoing the siding up there.siding done for weekendDon’t think we are done either – we still have:
– mouldings around all window caps to install
– moulding under soffit to install
– double window extended sill needs to be made and attached
– siding around the door on porch needs to be put up (after the window block is created and installed)
Stay tuned for next weekend when we try to tackle that list!

Loggins and Messina

This past weekend Ryan had to work all weekend. This left me to my own devices so Saturday I headed out with friends for some shopping!

Saturday night I worked on the house, running some electrical wires for the tv room, doing everything I could do without a second person or a jigsaw 🙂 Things are really coming together and the plans are done for the wiring so I’m excited. Here’s a picture that includes most of the wiring I did:
tv room electrical_closet

Then on Sunday I headed down to CT. Aimee, Mom and I went and saw Loggins & Messina at Foxwoods! We had a great time, it being my first real concert (unless you count Tran-Siberian Orchestra which was a totally different experience). It was loud (which is why I generally avoid concerts) but I loved it and we sang along to each song we knew!

Camping

Labor day weekend continued the tradition of camping at Knox with the family. We all met up at home Friday night and headed out Saturday to Knox. This year was very relaxing, I think everyone needed a break from being busy.

Most notably, Jovi had her first swim!

First she was dropped in by the dock to see if she could swim (easily rescued if she couldn’t)! We learned she could but really didn’t want to – she would rush right out of the pond immediately!
Jovi swimming by dock

Here she is getting curious – because Shadow is happily playing fetch without her in the pond!
Jovi wants to swim

And finally a swim – I actually got her on video too.Jovi swimming