Thursdays in the shop have become a routine teaching day, and my apprentices Maura and Amber have humorously coined it ‘Girls Gone Woodworking.” I firmly believe that learning and fun are equally important and vital to the success of any team. The day’s agenda had included learning to install windows, but as that project had been completed ahead of schedule, we moved on to window trim and digging up the foundation along the back of the garage.
The outer walls of the shop are composed of a plywood material called T1-11, a common wood siding that was popular in the 1960s-1980s. Over time, modern engineering gave us composite and vinyl siding which is rot resistant so it isn’t as popular anymore. The material is quite durable and moisture resistant, but if not sealed properly it can fail.
A few factors led to this damage. One, the gutters were clogged with leaves and water had been pouring onto the back of the garage for sometime. Serious problems will always occur when you don’t direct water away from your foundation. Two, soil and leaves were packed up against the T1-11, trapping moisture and pressure against the wall. Three, wood boards were nailed upon the base of the back wall. My best guess was that the previous owners tried reinforcing the back wall to keep mice and rodents out, but this attempt actually worsened the situation and caused more damage. The boards simply trapped water against the T1-11 and mice just dug beneath and nested inside the “shelter” that was created.
We also discovered a new friend while digging around. There are TONs of toads around the new space.
Sealing up the foundation on the budget I have for the shop will require some resourceful planning, so we put the problem off for another day, giving the back wall some time to dry out. The new windows need trim, so we tackle that next. Ideally, one would use red cedar to trim exterior windows because it resists decay and insect infestation. I don’t have a large budget to renovate the shop, about $2000 total for windows, insulation, lights, and getting the space sealed up for winter. I can make improvements over time, but these are the basics I need to get rolling.
Instead of dropping $8 on a 8ft board of cedar trim, I buy 8ft strips of pine 1×3 for $1.36, this saves me over $150 on window trim. We weatherize them with a quality exterior paint. One thing I’ve learned as a homeowner, ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS spend the extra $10-$15 on better pant, it’s a corner you NEVER want to cut. The windows on the back of the garage sit under a 12in overhang, so as long as they are caulked well with silicon, they will be just fine.
We finish the day with a field trip to the Blueberry Treehouse Farm, because work and play should always go hand in hand.
Designer, artist, and builder Ricardo Rivera and his wife Jyl, founded Buffalo Treehouse in 2008. On site, there’s an organic blueberry farm, play space, nature trail with installations, and their workshop. We love seeing fellow workshops….”Girls Gone Woodworking!”
Did I mention there’s a giant great white LAND SHARK!?
