Done!

After 13 1/2 years it's time for some maintenance.

Paint loss due to weathering.

We have 4 exterior doors, two south facing, one east facing and one west facing.  The sun and wind play havoc with their paint finish.  To the point of leaving the wood bare in spots.  This was the year. I couldn't let another summer pass without addressing the paint-less door frames.  I actually hired someone to do them early in the summer.  Got cold feet about how much it was going to cost. Upwards of $300 just for the labor, I had to supply the materials.  Heck with that, I'll do it myself.

Ready to paint.

Now, I'm not a painter.  But, really, how hard could it be?  Just slap some paint on the frames and call it good, right?

Ummm, no.   This is how it went.

 1.  While The Husband was playing in the peonies on Saturday I started the scraping.  It seemed like an endless task.  Was ready to apply the primer on Monday morning, but no, The Husband said, those cracks need to be filled.  So off to Home Depot first thing for wood filler.  (Trip #2 to Home Depot. Every project requires a minimum of 3 trips to Home Depot, right?)

 2.  Fill the deep cracks with wood filler.   This is great stuff.

 3.  Wait 2 hours.

 3a.  Interrupt The Husband yet again to come take the screen off so I can get to the more complicated parts of door #2 that I'm also working on.

 4.  Sand the filler and all the rough spots.

 5.  Go over it all with a tack cloth to pick up the loose bits.  I forgot this part..  Oh, well.

 6.  Use yards and yards of that blue painter's tape.  Good thing I like the color blue.

 7.  Put on one coat of (label says triple thick) primer.  (Expected the "triple thick" stuff to go on thick, went on on like milk.  What's up with that?)

 8.  Wait two hours

Much Better.

 9.  Apply primer coat #2.

10.  Wait over night.

11.  Apply coat one of paint.

12.  Wait two hours.

13.  Apply coat #2 of paint.

All done!

14.  Wait a minimum of 30 minutes.

15.  Carefully, oh, so carefully, peel off the painter's tape.  (Took forever.)

16.  Stand back and admire the bits that look good.  Bemoan the bits that aren't quite so great - especially the parts that lost a little paint in the tape-removing process (no matter how careful I was, I still took off teensy chips of paint).

I always want things perfect.  No matter how I try, it just doesn't happen.  I must have more than my share of "slob" in my genes.  I like perfection, just can't seem to achieve it in anything.

17.  Heave a sigh of relief for a job completed.  I'm no professional - in anything let alone painting.  This feels like the first project of this type I've done.  I think I'd have to do lots and lots of doorframes in order to achieve some sort of competence.  Still, the wood around the doors will be protected this winter.  I'm glad for that.

Today I'm grateful for aches that result from good honest work.  I'm grateful for the ability to maintain our home for years of enjoyment.  I'm grateful for enough supplies to do a decent job.  And I'm grateful for those who aren't super-critical of the final result (after all, I'm just an ol' gramma doing my best).