One should really not let the exterior of a building get this bad. But as it is with working on a home that is almost 100 years old- this was a two fold problem. This house did not have any gutters. And while that would not seem to be a be problem, it is. For instance on the deck directly under the eve of the house, the deck board was constantly rotting. Just one board, directly under the gutter. On the side entrance ice was constantly forming on the stoop making entry a hazard in the winter. And on the side of the garage, water splashed down onto the concrete and back onto the garage. That is what you see here. Well, last summer the gutter went in and the rain barrel was installed. Now it is time to paint. This is my process:
1) Wash the surface. I use a nozel sprayer. This knocks of dirt and some loose paint.
2) Scrape. My least favorite part but you need to get off the loose paint chips. If you have an old house be sure not to let it lie on the ground. It could have lead in it.
3) Prime all exposed wood. After some research I have decided to use an oil based primer. This will in essence soak into the wood and seal it. Water base tends to sit on the surface.
4) Paint. I used a latex outdoor paint. Be sure you finish the entire side. If you do not, you will have to come back and do the whole thing again because the paint will fade and your job will look less than professional.
5) If the task seems too daunting offer up some beer or food. I call this "Barn Raising" style. We don't help each other enough. I'd be willing to bet that if you offered some labor in exchange your friends will take you up on it!
