A Prime Sunday...

As I said in closing yesterday, the newly installed siding was begging for paint. And, today the weather cooperated:  high clouds, warm temperatures, gentle breezes. Unfortunately the lady in Lowes paint department sold us the wrong primer yesterday. It's a good thing I read the label before opening it. While there I asked for primer for bare wood. I was sold primer for smooth surfaces [like tile, metal or cabinets]. We made yet another trip to Lowes this morning for the exchange.

And, while in town, with Bobbie's Jeep, we also made it to Menards to pick up doors we had ordered for the addition. They will reside in the garage until time to install therm ... at least a couple weeks down the road. [I promise a blog on the installation.]

I sanded the nail head filler that was applied yesterday, then began priming. It was soon obvious that we have a lot of wall area to cover. Today, that area was covered with the primer coat...then, down the road, it will need at least one final coat.  The bare wood soaked up the primer quickly and we found that it could be brushed over for decent coverage in about 5 or 10 minutes.  Bobbie worked on the lower boards and I worked from short stepladders. We didn't finish the entire west and north walls; but, I'd sat we are close to 75% complete. I'll break out the longer ladders and try to finish over the next few days.

We started on the west wall to keep our work in the morning shade.

I primed some of the lower boards, too

Near the end of the work day I had about three feet left to go.
The upper boards will be my project from longer ladders later this week.

Priming surfaces before final painting is key to assuring the longevity of the paint job. It made me wonder if Michelangelo did all his own priming of the Sistine Chapel ceiling...and if he was sold the right primer the first time.

Michelangelo did work from a scaffold. I hope not to have to. But the east wall of the addition is high above the basement door, and the retaining wall. Even the bottom board is 8 or 9 feet above ground. Since Jeff and crew haven't sided that wall yet, I'm thinking of priming the boards before they are cut to length and nailed in place.  Then, only the final coat of paint will have to be applied from long ladders or a scaffold.

Rather than working high above the basement door,
I may prime the siding for this wall before it is put up. 

With every new step the project seems to be coming together. Just the white paint on the addition seems to tie it into the rest of the place. Once the addition is primed I'll get some paint on the band board around the rest of the cottage....and touch up the pealing paint on the front porch.