Well today I tried a different combination of paints.

another…..

and another….

And finally inhere is the one..

.

This style I like… finally, a keeper!

This is the final look when all is done…..

Well I am going to do some repainting. I matched the siding on the rest of the house and painted the porch with the colors I thought would work.

Well, I DONT LIKE IT.

The columns just don’t look right and the detail work just looks wrong to me….

Dam, I am frustrated now. I think the I am going to go with much darker columns and trim.

Today was my lucky day… i think..?

I stopped to get some fuel for my car, and there was a big trailer full of fencing. I asked the fencing Forman If he could find me some 4 ft fencing for my yard and he offered me the entire trailer for $200. 600 ft of 6 ft high fencing with poles, top rails etc.

I don’t need that much fensing, but I’ll use what I can and maybe trade some for installation costs.,

Now the only problem is finding someone to install it.

Since finishing the porch, a number of weeks ago, I have been trying to figure out exactly what colors to paint it. I have maroon, light green and dark green to work with as the overall color choices of the house.

This is how the work looks now. The weird thing is I have grown attached to the primer cream color of the Hardiplank.

While going ice fishing, I saw this house in Farmington, Maine, (http://tinyurl.com/lu8sxhk) and quickly asked Ron to stop so I could take some pictures. I had all the same colors I chose to paint my house with the exception of cream! The color was almost exactly the same as the Hardiplank color.

I just fell in love with the combination, and now have the missing ingredient for my house.

My trip help me solve which colors to paint my porch. Lets get the brushes ready…..

One of the thorny issue for me was to create the tapered columns using Hardiplank. I just couldnt figure it out until the solution came to me while swimming.

To install the hardiplank, there needed to have some sort of frame since it is only 1/4” thick. The top and bottom of the column caps were notched to receive the frame work. Then by installing a second ring around the column 18” from the top, it gave an additional point to attach the frame to pinch in the column.

using a clamp, the frame could be pinched and secured to the second point in to create the the tapered look also lock everything into the column which made the frame really ridge.

the frame work installed.

Now it is time to start the covering of the columns with hardplank.

The columns were completed. The next step is the arches.

After playing with the hardiplank for a bit I found out just how much it could be bent without breaking it. Arched supports were attached to the header beam. The supported the sheets much the same way the framing supported the sides of the columns.

Hardiplank was arched and installed

Then some detail work was done at the top of the columns.

I also decided to sand and polyurethane the original woodwork on the porch. I like to try to keep parts of the original work when rebuilding and it looks great!

After all the old ceiling boards were carefully removed (they will be re-used in the closet upgrade) it is time to start putting up the new boards.

I replaced the can lights with LED lights on a timer with a dimmer. They are great night lights which cost nothing to operate.

Naturally, I need to run power to the step columns for low voltage lighting for more lights. I am bit of a lighting freak for sure.

The big question is what am I going to do with the end of the porch. It has some really nice cedar wood under the paint. Hum, sand and varnish, paint or replace?

I have never liked my front porch. Before all the work started my porch was a typical one for the neighborhood. It had metal work holding up the roof on a plain slab of concrete. Upgrading the porch is on my house bucket list.

Since there was a big sag in the middle and when I re-roofed the house I replaced the header beams and columns and decided to upgrade the entire look to one more appropriate for the age and character of the house.

Stage 1
Replacing columns and header. Remove old iron work (will be repurposed).

Stage 2
Add brick work.

In stage 3
I’ll be finishing the project to completion

First step is the ceiling.

I agonized long and hard about the rot in the ceiling. I wanted to restore it to the original natural wood look (I painted it shortly after buying the house), but there is one problem…..

The ceiling is made of red Cedar. Since I can not get any replacement cedar boards and I would have to lay on my back and sand the whole ceiling I decided the best coarse of action is to just replace it.

I decided to carefully remove and save the old cedar boards, plane and trim them and repurpose them for use in my closet.

A quick trip to a specialty wood shop and buy some beaded pine.

A couple of coats of semigloss poly and they are ready for installation.

I like the new look!

The wall is finally done! I really like the simplicity of the look. It has turned out MUCH different than how I originally envisioned it.

Almost all the support electronics has been moved to the closet. Only the amp and DVD player are needed, and they are supported on a custom wall bracket which extends from the wall with no visible supports.

The final product. Very relaxing and pleasant.

I love the clean and simple look.

After a wonderful trip to see Mom at the end of Sept, I am back at work on the wall.

It has now been patched and primed and I finally know where the end product will be.

On of my issues was trying to match the original blue color and faux painting I did on the lower part of the wall. After getting some custom colors mixed at HomeDepot, I think it cam out very nicely

A nice deep blue color bringing the chair rail accent to the back wall and I am finally ready for the lighting trim and furniture.