For the sake of those who don’t care, I put the whole sordid mess below the fold.
There’s something symbolic about this, and it was a depressing symbol.
Then once I got the rear down to bare studs it was time to cut them out and frame in a bigger window.
This is the seventh window I’ve framed in for the Secret Lair, and none of the others was ever right. Some were comically wrong. This one I must have measured ten times.
I could do every bit of the wall myself, except the panels and the window. Didn’t expect to need help with the window, but by five I was tired and sore and it just turned out to be too heavy and unwieldy for safety. So I had to wait till evening for Ian to come help, and all that time I was on pins and needles: Would it fit or not?
Celebration! Just a bit of trimming where the OSB overhung the hole a bit, but the actual framing was by far the most perfect I’ve ever done. Measure twice, cut…no, wait. Let’s measure again.
And with that, I called it an evening.
You might be wondering why I decided the Lair’s shower needed a picture window. Well, it didn’t – until the chicken yard went in a couple of years ago, and then hardly a day went by I didn’t wish I had a window in that wall. I got this one free. And yes, it’s been washed since then.
Time for supper! Oh wait…Dammit! No propane. I wasn’t going to all the trouble of connecting it and firing up the oven pilot just to take it all apart again in the morning. So…
I’ve got a Plan B for damned near everything.
In the morning, Ian and his mom came over and in just a couple of hours the Lair had a lovely high-tech south wall.
I’ve got a bunch of details to chase still, but I just got the dish dialed in and thought I’d go ahead and post this. Then I’ll grab a bite of lunch and get back to work.
YAY!!! The very best part of expecting disaster and problems is the joy that comes when only half of them materialize. LOL Good job! (For what it’s worth from someone who can’t even come close to actually doing any of that stuff, of course.)
Oh gosh that looks good! And I didn’t expect you to get that far so fast.
Does that siding need to be painted? I’m a guy so I don’t really “do” colors, but that tan looks awful good next to your red roof.
Yeah, once I have all the siding and woodwork done the whole thing will get a nice coat of dirt-brown with good thick paint that will seal all the seams.
Looks great, Joel. And kudos on nice, fast, accurate work! Even more kudos for getting back online so quickly. I didn’t think we’d see you for days.
So what kind of trim or other protection will you put at the top (between the siding panels and the roof)? And how about on the corners?
Up above there’ll be a conventional soffit, on which I’ll mount a gutter. On the corners, the panels are going on over tin corner flashing. Don’t know exactly how I’ll finish the corners, but even if nothing presents itself the flashing should be pretty much forever.
One benefit of the Hardie panel is your house will be considered of masonry construction, and you’ll get a discount on your homeowners insurance.
Seriously, looks good and should be a lot more comfortable in cold weather.
Nice job!
My house also has the metal corner flashings, but over the corners of the siding, rather than under (lots of caulk to seal, then painted). ‘Course I’ve got wood siding and the extra protection is needed. Not that familiar with how Hardiepanel (sp?) holds up when exposed to weather.
Looking great, though, Joel. And what a relief to finally be getting it done after those years in which something more urgent always intervened.
Looking good Joel! I had to spend the day running an injured friend to doctors and errands so I didn’t check in this morning. What a wonderful surprise to find you back already when I got home. Thanks sir.
Looking good, Joel!