Porches
Wrapping it Up!
Wow - we're really getting down to it now. The caulking and painting are done! Once upon a time I hated doing both. I was terrible at it, which is hard to wrap my head around now because they really aren't very difficult tasks to master. But over the years, with 173 being such an old house, I've had to do a lot of caulking and painting, and I've finally gotten a bit better about it. Let's get into it.
And This is Why We Caulk
After I installed the new windows back in 2008 and I put all the window trim on the outside, I never got around to caulking. It came to my mind every so often over the succeeding years, and always intended to but for whatever reason I just never did.
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Prep!
Yeah, you actually have to prepare a little bit before caulking. Basically, the prep just involves being sure the area around the window frame is very clean. I just used some window cleaner and an old rag.
Home is a shelter from storms — all sorts of storms.” — William J. Bennett
Supplies
And as simple as the prep work was, I think the materials needed are even simpler:
- Caulk (I used DAP Dynaflex)
- My caulking gun
- Some old rags
- Putty knife, which I switched out for...
- My painters tool
- Bucket of water
- Ladder
Here's a little point of interest...in the picture above is this old painter's tool (you can see the anatomy of such a tool below) I found in a parking lot a few years ago. I also have what is effectively a brand new painter's tool that I purchased at Lowe's, but I find myself using this generic, beat up old tool instead. I don't know, maybe there's some insecurity about me getting old and wanting to hold on to things that are getting old if for no other reason than show that old stuff can still have utility. But maybe those kind of thoughts are for somewhere besides this post (grinning wryly).
Setup
Okay, enough of all that already. So this is one of those really incredibly simple things that I find a way to write about that probably isn't even worth the "ink". But...my blog, my story!
As you can see, the concrete sits proud of the soil area. Because of that, I had to figure out some way to level the ladder. In this case, I just used a couple bricks and a little cedar shim liberated from one of the old cedar shakes.
ink /ɪŋk/ (noun): a colored liquid that you use to write with on paper. When you sign on the dotted line, you usually do so with ink. You'll usually find ink inside a pen, automatically flowing through its tip, although years ago people had to dip a quill into a pot of ink to write with ink. Other ways ink is used include printing images, stamping information, and drawing pictures. Another ink is the fluid released by certain mollusks, like squids, to hide them from predators. Ink, from the Old French encre, "dark writing fluid," has the Greek root enkaiein, "to burn in."
Last of the Caulking
As I mentioned, I've really improved my caulking skills, developing a natural feel for maintaining that 45 degree angle and making a nice, consistent bead. From there I just use a damp finger to smooth out the caulk.
Here's some posts bemoaning geomtry at 173!
✤ Front Stoop Railings Finished! - October 2017
✤ The Back Porch Remodel - 2008
✤ The Radiator Cover - November 2018
✤ A Little Accent Table - March 2019
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Some posts about "Wallpaper" at 173
Painting
I also used to hate painting but over the years I've reached a certain level of detente with the idea. Now I find some little inner zen thing when I'm painting. Up to now, whenever a project required painting, I just wanted to be done with it! As quickly as possible. Now? I'm okay with it - oooohhhhmmmmm.
I did a considerable amount of research on painting PVC trim. For the most part, sources said to just paint as you would for any other board. Other sources said to just use 100% acrylic paint. But, over the years I've come to trust my local Sherwin Williams, so I went to ask them and they recommended their Sherwin Williams Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel.
One thing that amazes me is how many shades of white there are. I mean, it's like there was a whole wall of those little chips of paint colors just for white (ok...a little hyperbole) so in this case I decided to go with pure white. Which ironically isn't nearly as white as a couple of other shades. Nonetheless, that's what I went with.
And after learning my lesson on paint sheens with the front stoop where I went with, I think - eggshell, and it gets dirty very easily and it's difficult to clean. So I learned my lesson and for the back porch window trim and sills, I decided to go with semi-gloss. Good old traditional semi-gloss.
Done!
After a couple hours of caulking and another hour or so painting, the back porch is finally complete. I would say it took the better part of the summer between dodging the rain and the incredibly hot, humid days we had this summer, but it still took way too long. I mean, I was in no hurry or anything, but really a professional would have had this done in a weekend - at most.
But but that's how things roll here at 173 sometimes - no rush, we'll get there! So after maybe eight-ish years the cedar shakes have been replaced and the back porch finally matches the front in material and color. And... we have new window sills that aren't all warped-looking and the window trim's been caulked and painted; and look so much more finished now!
It was a fun project. It was a good project. And now it's a done project! Next - the back stoop. Hey, thanks for stopping by - see ya' next time!