More Porch Posts and a Decision Needed!

We did pick up THESE posts for free at one point... they are 6" wide, but aren't really traditional. I'm not sure they will work, so I hadn't mentioned them yesterday.



OK... here's the test run (in powder blue): I just leaned them up there.







Now... I have to make a decision soon (like by tomorrow or so), because I have an offer for someone to buy the posts for about the amount I need to buy 4 of the ones from Lowes (Edited to add... I'd just need to add $100 or so. On the other hand, if I use the blue posts, I can sell the remaining 7 or 8, and use that money to buy beadboard for the porch ceiling...) So... salvaged not quite right historically that need a little work to be perfect, or new construction closer to original, but are hollow and maybe not as "nice" of craftsmanship?

Porch Posts!

It's time to paint our house trim! But before we paint it, we need new porch posts. The current posts are hollow quasi-Craftsman squared columns. They are rotten through and through, and need replaced.

The columns are about 6 inches wide.

We know the porch is not original; you can see the "ghosts" of the old porch on the brick (the small white lines between the windows and the door). The original porch likely looked like THIS: (Our next door neighbor's house)


The posts on their house are turned posts, and there is a small amount of gingerbreading at the top. They appear to be a true 4 inches wide (and are more than likely original to the house, based on that size and the layers of paint that appear to be on them!).

We'd like to put actual turned posts like our neighbors back up, as the square columns are just too plain for the house. I've been trying to find salvaged posts for almost a year now, but can't find anything that doesn't cost $400 each OR they only have THREE posts. Sigh.


Question #1: Would it be weird to put half posts back up where the old half post ghosts are? The paint won't come off with anything that doesn't stain the brick, and we think this might be a nice way to hide the paint. Would it look weird though?

Question #2: What size of turned posts should I get? I know that the new 4 inch posts will be too spindly at barely 3 inches wide. Would a true four inch post be too small for the porch with it's larger roof? What do you think?

Question #3: Since I can't find salvaged posts, any pointers on buying new ones? Is there a reason I shouldnn't go buy the 5" or 6" posts from Lowes (that are actually 4 or 5 inches)?

We really can't afford much for the porch. I know we can't afford the $300 repro ones I've seen online that look gorgeous! We probably can't afford much more than $300 for all FOUR posts!

Just to Make You Smile...

... here's a few spring flower pictures. I just love spring flowers!

The Invading Elms

We have 7 mature elm trees on our city lot... and probably 15 juveniles that I regularly chop down. These 15 trees are trees growing where trees shouldn't grow... between the house and driveway, in the middle of flower beds, and HERE:

... in the middle of our shrubbery. The light colored branches are the elm. I have chopped this tree down at least 3 times. The last time I even carefully dabbed stump killer on the cut stumps, to no avail. It takes about 3 months to create the kind of growth you see in the picture... if I miss even a week of chopping down suckers, it's over. I just spent 2 hours chopping down this and the rest of the elms invading our shrubs... and dabbed a bit more stump killer on, but I suspect that it won't work this time, either. I like the shrub, and don't want to kill it. Any suggestions?

More Door Stripping and a Query

After even more work with a utility knife and a bit of sandpaper, the door is starting to look better:



We might actually be able to keep it natural wood... but there is one problem. The citrus stripper I used to remove the paint from the decorative moulding has left a stain on the wood. I'm not sure if it's citrus stripper, or if the citrus stripper disolved the dye from the red paint that was the bottom layer, but there are red/orange stains on our wood. The stains are somewhat deep; a good sanding doesn't remove them. I've tried mineral spirits and denatured alcohol.



Any suggestions?

Out of the Ashes...

This crocus is blooming in the empty hole left by my fallen crabapple tree. I'd planted a few last fall and forgotten about them... what a nice surprise!

Garden Work

Here's what my front flower gardens looked like all winter:



I went to work with a garden rake, a pair of bypass clippers, and a weeder, and after an hour or two the gardens looked like THIS:




Look at all the greenery poking up! I crunched up most of the leaves covering the beds over the winter, and mulched around with leave bits; this will allow the leaves to break down into nutrients faster, and it presents a neater appearance to the beds. I can't wait until it's time to get in there and start dividing up the older perennials!

Now THIS Would Have Stopped Those Drafts...

... this winter!


see more Lolcats and funny pictures

Stripping with Scrubbies

It's been gorgeous out. I've still been working on stripping our front door. It's taking forever, and I'm only doing one side well enough to stain!

I read a little tip about using nylon scrubbies and denatured alcohol to remove the last of the paint after you have tried the heat gun, chemical stripper (the citrus variety), the razor blades, and dental picks.

It didn't seem to work. Anyone have a better solution?