All Buttoned Up For Winter

While we had gotten the new window in a while ago, we were waiting for our rough-in inspection to pass before we could put the siding back on.  I was starting to get really, really nervous with the prospect of having a blanket of snow come before we had finished.  Last winter, we didn't make it, and one side of our house (near our mulled window in our bedroom) was un-sided for the whole winter.  While it turned out fine, and we did finish that this spring, I didn't want a repeat this year.

October 15th... Plenty of time.

Needless to say, I've been itching to get our siding back on since our rough-in inspection passed last Thursday... but the weather was not cooperating. After quick glance at the weather last Friday, and I decided to add Tuesday and Wednesday to my days off this week. They were [supposed to be] very warm with no rain in sight.  We could easily get everything done in two days, and if not, no sweat... the rest of the week looked fine.

Come Monday and the forecast didn't looks as great as it had.  Tuesday still looked great, high 60° and clear. Wednesday high 40° and rain.  Wednesday night, we had our first winter storm warning - 6" snow.  So Tuesday was it, with a rainy buffer on Wednesday.

So we ran around like crazy yesterday.   And of course, there's no pictures when you're running around like crazy.  My Mom came over and took care of the kids, made us food, and :::loving sigh of appreciation::: cleaned our neglected kitchen

Jon got most of the siding up by himself while I made the window frame. The frame is made of  PVC, just like the other windows we've installed. We used a trim from the stealth line from Versitex. we picked the middle profile in the image below.  It has opening for the window flange on one side and one side and d something like an integrated 'j-channel' on the other.

Personally, I think it really cleans up the way vinyl siding looks around a window, as can be seen in the two comparison pictures below.   However, framing the window trim does require a little more work than, say, a picture frame would, and it did cost a little more.  Not much more than using regular Versitex PVC trim, though.   I think it's totally worth it.

I used the historic sill, at the bottom , also PVC by Versitex.  Like the other windows, I beveled the side edges to match the front.  Again, a bit of time consuming detail, but I think it looks much nicer that way.

I did prepaint the siding for all other other frames... but I skipped that for this one.  Next year, I'll paint it.  It's just for protection anyway, it's very close to the same white the PVC came in.

Actually the frame from the boy's room.  Nearly identical though.

Once the siding was on, and my trim was done, we went around a caulked and filled in the screw holes on the trim... And then we did that to two of other windows that we installed last year and hadn't done yet.  All running around to try to get the caulk in before it dropped below 40°F... which wasn't supposed to happen until 12PM... but the caulk is supposed to have 24 hours to cure.  We'd had some trouble with the typical 35 year DAP caulk on another window, so we used silicone this time.  We'll see how it goes, I guess.

Once that was all done and we had dinner, it was dark and around 8PM..... and we still had to get the pump jacks down.  One of the poles had gotten pretty worn, and we did have some trouble getting one side down.  Still a few hours later Jon and I had managed getting the jacks and platform off, and poles down, and the last pieces of siding that was off (for the pump jack stands) was put back on.  We decided it was time for the poles to be retired, since they were getting worn, and we don't have an immediate plans for them in the future (can I get a whoo-hoo?)... so we chopped them up and brought them in the house.  We fixed some other siding issues we had noticed, and then called it a night.

It was a wonderful feeling.  We worked hard, and I was cold and tired, but our house was all set for winter.  Added bonus, my kitchen looked better than it had in months.  My Mom even took out the trash, recycling, swept everywhere, did every dish and cleaned the stove top until it was sparkling.  I didn't even want to leave the kitchen, so I sat there enjoyed some hot cocoa and checked my email... which contained another weather advisory.  Now the storm was to start at 10AM, with more snow predicted. 

I feel so relieved. Just for fun, here's the progression of that side of the house.

And now....

I snapped this picture at 10 this morning, when I went out to collect our garden pots to put the shed (and get all the shovels).  Such a pretty new window.... And I'm so glad being on a ladder 20 feet up isn't in my near future anymore.

But here's the real kicker.  This is just 30 minutes after that last picture.

And then 2 hours after that.  Boy did we cut it close.

Feeling thankful!

Happy Thanksgiving!  Enjoy your snow!