Porch reconstruction

Since the weather was mild again today, I opted to fix the lattice that the boys destroyed under the porch. I also wanted to put some chicken wire up to keep critters (especially feral cats and skunks) out from under there - I know that they've been living under it, or at least going under it at night.

Of course, that started with a run to the lumberyard to get the lattice for it. I did learn something very interesting during this excursion - it is possible to fit an 8'x4' piece of lattice in a minivan with 5 kids. The lumberyard guy looked at me like I was crazy as we loaded it in and I kept telling the kids to duck... but we got it in there and only had to drive a couple of miles back home, so it really wasn't a big deal.

Once we got home, we I got to work.

I had to clean all of the crap out from under the porch so I tackled that part first - it actually wasn't as bad as I thought it was (other than the litterbox aroma) and was probably the easiest part of the job. I worked on getting the side of the porch closed in first, since I only had to do the chicken wire on that side - figured I'd wait to deal with the lattice until later.

Anyway, this is what the side part ended up looking like - not fabulous, but no one can see this part since it's between the porch and the garage.

Then I tackled the front part. I had to rip what was left of the original lattice off of it...and then cut the new lattice to fit (that scared the crap out of me)....and then attach the chicken wire to the lattice...and then attach the lattice to the porch. Let me tell you, by this time there was a lot of colorful language floating around at a rather high volume - I was getting tired and irritated and the kids were beating the snot out of each other. My photographers had quit on me, so I just got a picture of the final product. It isn't pretty, but it'll do. I really need to put a strip across the top of it, but that'll happen later. Maybe tomorrow if I'm energetic enough to pick up the tools again. It's not painted either, but I don't even care about that. The landlord can paint it if he wants to bother with it.

So, that porch is done - and since that's the one that we use on a regular basis, I'd rather have that one critter-proofed first. But I do want to do the chicken wire routine on the other porch too, just to keep everything out from underneath it. But that's not going to happen for a little while yet....I have some inside projects that I want to finish first!