FRONT PORCH REVIVAL - THREE

I MATCHED THE CEDAR SIDING AND PUT ON NICE WIDE HANDRAILS.

NATURAL WOOD STAIR-TREADS COMPLEMENT THE PORCH FLOOR. 

I CUT OFF THE ROTTEN ENDS OF THE FLOORBOARDS AND REPLACED THEM WITH A BOARD THAT MATCHES THE STAIRS. THE OLD FLOOR CLEANED UP NICELY, BUT STILL HAS A LOT OF CHARACTER. 

THE SCALE OF THE PORCH AND STAIRS NOW MATCHES THE SCALE OF THE HOUSE FACADE.

 NEW PORCH STEPS AND A NEW FENCE:

FRONT PORCH REVIVAL - TWO

I STARTED BUILDING THE STAIRS, WITH SOME CUSTOM STRINGERS TO REACH THE EXISTING CONCRETE WALKWAY.

I'M ADDING LOW WALLS ON BOTH SIDES, TO BRACKET THE STAIRS AND TO CREATE MORE OF A GRAND ENTRANCE FOR THIS GRAND OLD HOUSE.

RENTED A FLOOR SANDER AND WENT AT IT.

VOILA! BEAUTIFUL OLD-GROWTH FIR EMERGES FROM BENEATH A FEW LAYERS OF PAINT AND DUST. 

FRONT PORCH REVIVAL

AFTER THE FENCE AND GATES, I TOOK ON THE FRONT PORCH. THE STAIRS WERE CRUMBLING UNDERFOOT, AND THE WALLS WERE COVERED WITH ALUMINUM SIDING. AN IGNOBLE SITUATION FOR A GREAT OLD  CRAFTSMAN HOUSE.

AND THE FLOORING WAS SOME KIND OF TILE FROM THE EARLY '80s.

I RIPPED OFF THE ALUMINUM SIDING, AND FOUND WOOD SIDING IN GOOD SHAPE. NEEDS A COAT OF PAINT, BUT IT'S WELL-PRESERVED.

UNDER THE TILES, THERE'S OLD-GROWTH CVG FIR. I'LL SAND THIS DOWN AND BRING IT BACK TO LIFE.

THE STAIRS CAME AWAY EASILY. I LIFTED THE FRONT OF THE PORCH WITH A CAR JACK AND BLOCKED THE POSTS TO LEVEL THE FLOOR. IT LOOKS MUCH BETTER ALREADY!

CEDAR GATES

I JUST FINISHED A CEDAR FENCE AND GATES FOR THIS RESIDENCE IN SELLWOOD.

BEFORE:

REMOVING THIS FENCE POST WAS A CHORE. IT WAS RIGHT NEXT TO THE GAS MAIN, AND THERE WERE THREE (3!) OLD CONCRETE FOOTING FROM PREVIOUS POSTS, WHICH WERE ALL CLUMPED TOGETHER.

VICTORY!

THE HOLE WAS SO HUGE BY THE TIME I WAS DONE, I USED A TUBE TO MAKE THE CORRECT-SIZE FOOTING. 

POURED THE CONCRETE AND LET IT SET. I USED POWDER-COATED METAL BRACKETS THAT KEEP THE POSTS OUT OF THE CONCRETE, SO THEY WON'T ROT.

A NICE STRAIGHT ROW OF POSTS.

 NAILED UP THE FENCE BOARDS.

I HUNG THE METAL GATE FRAMES. THESE SWING EASILY AND THE GATES WON'T SAG OVER TIME.

ALL DONE.

OPEN SESAME.

COMPLETION OF THE "L" SHED

I FINISHED THE "L" SHED A FEW WEEKS AGO, BUT I WAITED UNTIL THE LANDSCAPING WAS COMPLETE BEFORE POSTING SOME PHOTOS.

MORE THAN A BIKE SHED, THIS STRUCTURE CREATES A NICE TRANSITION AREA FROM THE FRONT YARD TO THE BACKYARD.

THE BENCH LOOKS GREAT, AND IT PROVIDES A GOOD SPOT TO RELAX AFTER A HARD BIKE RIDE. (I LOVE HOW IT 'FLOATS')

DAVID BARMON AND MARK PARISIEN OF FIDDLEHEAD DID A GREAT JOB WITH THE LANDSCAPING. THE FLAGSTONE IS A GOOD MATCH FOR THE CLEAN LINES OF THE "L" SHED. NICE JOB!

HERE'S THE LONG SHOT, SHOWING HOW SMALL THIS MICRO-STRUCTURE REALLY IS.

THIS WAS A REALLY FUN PROJECT TO DESIGN AND BUILD. THANKS TO ALL MY SUPPLIERS AND SUB-CONTRACTORS, AND THANKS TO MARTI AND LEV!