Cautiously Optimistic

Recently, several HouseBloggers have been writing about the impending Doom of Winter like it was the return of an invading arming. Anyone who is trying to finish up a big outdoor project, or has a to-do list with a number of smaller weather related projects still on it can sense the change in weather. Fall is almost upon us, which means bad weather can’t be far behind. Anyone who has even glanced at my blog over the last 3 months knows I’m painting my house this year.

To say it is a monumental task would be a monumental understatement. Even so, I think it’s been going well. I haven’t fallen off the ladder, broken any windows with the ladder, or dropped a bucket of paint and splashed all over a freshly painted section (My 3 biggest fears). The only problem so far has just been the sheer amount of work. Fortunately I have the proper mindset for these types of tasks. Ask me to pick out a wallpaper and I will crumble in to a whimpering mass on the floor. Ask me to scrape a 3000 sq ft, 3 story Victorian to bare wood and repaint it and I just do it. I actually enjoy doing it.

Today I will finish Section 1 and make a tentative start on Section 2. Let’s look at the chart again. For the sake of discussion I have colored in Section 2 as if it were finished. We’re not going to plummet into the Doom of Winter tomorrow, so if nothing else, I will finish Section 2 before the weather changes. That is, unless I fall of the ladder today and break something. Fingers crossed.



You can see that once Section 2 is complete I will have Sections 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. That sounds like a lot, doesn’t it. I mean, if you look at the chart it looks like I’m only half way around the house. And there is some truth to that because I have only painted 50% of the house. The reality is, though, I am much further along. I would say it is more like 65% of the work has been completed, and maybe even more. Here are some shots of the remaining sections to be painted.

North Elevation


West Elevation


First, notice the lack of corner brackets and fancy porches. The big wrap around porch needs a new deck, but that’s not going to happen this year. The columns are in great shape and don’t need to be stripped at all. Also, the horizontal siding under the porch will only need to be sanded and painted for the most part. The shingles on the west side do need a lot of work. Those are going to have to go back to bare wood. Because of the porch roof, though, there are fewer of them and I can stand on the roof, so I won’t need to fool with ladders.

Really, once I get Sections 4 & 5 near the front of the house done, Sections 6, 7, & 8 will go very quickly. If I leave Section 7 (under the porch) until the end, that is something I could do with just a few clear days in November or even December. And technically, that would still be Painting the House This Year. That is to say, technically, I would be achieving my goal. You just have to know how to work the system.