Making things, the Studio, #4 Just like the Three Little Pigs

Hi folks, here we are again, still working on the studio. The construction continues to move along, slowly, painstakingly, yet inexorably toward completion. You know, if the second little pig had built his house of sticks as strong as this one, it would still be standing. This was the long weekend, and we spent all of it trying to get the siding on.

Sticking with the older style, we decided on clapboards. Yes, it is harder to install and needs to be painted, but then,  you can change the colors if you wish. Clapboards also add thickness and strength to your walls, something vinyl siding cannot do.

The installation was a bit more complex than we first envisioned. (You knew that had to happen,  right?) Each piece must be measured, cut, placed, leveled, then nailed into place. Several had to be notched and fitted as well. Day one, we managed to get one wall done with only a few minor bruises, several new cuss words invented, and one broken nail. Not too bad for a day’s work.

On day two we did the front wall, the one with the door and windows, and the shed roof too. This took a lot of measuring and fitting. Sigh. Luckily, K is a quilter and this part came natural to her. We got through the day with only a few more broken nails. She had time to do a lot of the priming for paint while I attacked the third wall on my own. At the end of the day we were very tired, but well pleased with ourselves. At least until we took a hard look at the meticulous job I had done.

Sigh. I had done a perfect job, tight fits, and level all the way. There was only one tiny flaw. I had neglected to install the wide trim around the window, so that window had no trim like the others and the door. Aw crap! K took pity on me and said it was Ok, I could make shutters for that window. Bless her loving heart. I hate it when I bugger things up like that. Sigh

Anyway, day three, we got rained out for a while, but eventually got the third wall done and much of the priming as well. We even took a break to have coffee, the first official cup, on the porch deck. I’m loving it. There will be further updates as the project evolves.