Exterior finish work Starts

Finally getting outside and working on siding.  It rains for about 3-4 days straight, 2 dry days, then rains again.  Very frustrating.  But we are working when we can, and working inside when its raining. 

I spent a nice sunny day working on the front porch.  I decided to use a tongue and groove cedar board for the soffit and cedar decking down below.  I wanted a pop of something natural, and love the look of natural cedar next to the black soffit, fascia, windows, and eventually slate tile on the wall.  It took most the day to install this with a friend, but it was fine, craftsman type work and we enjoyed it.  It makes quite a statement, and I am very happy with how it turned out.  I was very surprised with how square everything was in relation to the porch roof, columns, beams and the deck I built...no really, I was very surprised. 

 I left the cedar 4x18 beams exposed and hang out over the ends.  The columns are 4x6 treated posts, and we furred the out with treated 2x to the width of 1x12s to cover them.

 I put up cedar 1x12s to build out the look and size of the columns.  A light gets mounted on each column and shoots up and down to help enhance them and dramatize them at night.

Siding has started and continues as weather allows.  The front windows get trimmed out with 1x4 black LP Smartrim.  I like this product so far...we will see how it holds up over time.