It’s that time of the month…when the Power Tool Challenge Team gets together to share our projects with you. This month’s theme was patio and porch!
Over the last year or so, I’ve been trying to update the curb appeal around the old homestead. This is the before.
It’s been a year since cousin Terry and I installed the new porch posts. In fact when I looked at the date on the signature it was exactly ONE year to the day when I was working on the new trim!
I bought some 1x6’s to add trim to the top and bottom of the posts. I was going to use molding until I saw Traci from Beneath My Heart’s new front porch last year. It was then that I decided this was the way I wanted to go.
I cut the end off the board at a 45° angle, then flipped the board over, and butted it up against my 2x4 jig on the right to get the angle right on the other end.
It’s important to remember to flip the board over, or you will have an outside corner on one side and an inside corner on the other.
I did a dry fit with clamps. The porch and the roof/ceiling are both uneven, so this wasn’t going to be perfect.
Because I did the dry fit, I wanted to make sure I kept the pieces straight. I identified them on the backs of the boards.
This is where cousin Terry signed her post a year ago!
You can see the tools of the trade I used—a rubber mallet, level, clamps, and my airstrike nail gun. not shown: painters caulk and sandpaper.
Sorry about the blurry picture, but I wanted to show you that your mitered corners don’t always have to be perfect. Perfection is overrated, right?
I sanded the slight overhang . . .
. . . looks better, and will even be less noticeable after it’s painted.
I used masking tape to keep the porch from getting paint on it, and some scrap pieces of vinyl wallpaper…. I bought a couple of rolls at the ReStore, and I love using it when I paint. (it’s obvious, right?)
The curb appeal is definitely improving! There’s always something left to do. Next up? The walkway. You can see my hanging gutter planters tutorial by clicking the link.
This poor little guy needs a new look! This is after I used the hose to spray off the loose paint. You can see more about him, and how long he’s been in the family in my original porch post blog.
![painting skunk[4]](https://www.myrepurposedlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/painting-skunk4_thumb.jpg "painting skunk[4]")
You can see that I got a little messy painting the porch post trim pieces. While they were drying I decided to give my favorite skunk a new paint job. I used several coats using Behr flat paint (beluga).
After the black paint dried, I used some of the porch post paint to do his white stripe.
![porch skunk[6]](https://www.myrepurposedlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/porch-skunk6_thumb.jpg "porch skunk[6]")
He is soooo old, but a new coat of paint made a big difference.
Now it’s time to see what my blogger friends have been up to for their porches and patios.
1. Long Porch Planters by My Love To Create
2. DIY Flower Pot Plant Stand by Her Tool Belt
3. DIY Easy Swinging Bed by Domestically Speaking
4. PVC Pipe Vertical Garden by Kim Six
5. How to Build An Outdoor Serving Table by Create and Babble
6. Repurposed Window Garden Shelf by Refresh Restyle
7. Trimming Out Porch Posts by My Repurposed Life
8. Stenciled Concrete Topped Table by Designs By Studio C
9. 2 X 4 DIY Bench by Virginia Sweet Pea
10. DIY Outdoor Sofa Table Tutorial by H2OBungalow
11. Repurposed Electrical Spool Holder Table by Designed Decor
12. DIY Outside Standing Plant Hanger by Confessions of A Serial DIYer
Gail Wilson is the author and mastermind behind My Repurposed Life. She is obsessed with finding potential in unexpected places and believes that with a little hard work and imagination, any old thing can be made useful again, including herself!
Gail reinvented herself during a midlife crisis and has found purpose again. She hopes you will find new ideas for old things and pick up a few tools along the way.
Marie, The Interior Frugalista
Gail, your porch posts look so much better and more inviting than the old metal ones. Your porch and gorgeous picket fence and arbor gate really amp the curb appeal!
gail@myrepurposedlife.com
Thank you Marie! I'm loving the new look myself! Still more to do....
gail
DeDe @Designed Decor
What a difference a little bit of vision and wood make! That added so much more detail to your porch, it looks great!
gail@myrepurposedlife.com
Thanks DeDe, it's been a long process....sometimes I wonder if it will ever be finished.
Julie @ follow your heart woodworking
I like your new porch posts but the cute skunk stole the show!
gail@myrepurposedlife.com
hahaha yeah, he sort of did steal the show. I smile every time I walk up onto the porch these days. Not shown in this post, but the first step was replaced last fall. Now, on to the sidewalk and I would love to stencil a "rug" onto the porch to make it look a little better.
gail
Cher @ Designs by Studio C
The trim on the posts looks beautiful! You've given me an idea for my new deck posts and you are right, perfect mitered corners ARE overrated, ha ha! I love the skunk, too!
Jeanie
What a difference a little wood makes!!!! Nice job Gail. And that's the cutest skunk I've ever seen ; )
gail@myrepurposedlife.com
awww, thanks so much Jeanie!
gail
Christy @Confessions of a Serial Do-it-Yourselfer
What a difference your new posts make in updating the look of your entry...all fresh and new!
gail@myrepurposedlife.com
one step at a time Christy... eventually I'll get it all done. 🙂
thanks for stopping by to check out my Power Tool Challenge Project.
Wendi @ H2OBungalow
I can't believe how those porch posts changed the look of your front entry. Your place looks so inviting fromthe pergola. I know this has been a long project, but it's so worth it! Great job! I'm loving your family skunk too:)
gail@myrepurposedlife.com
Wendi,
Thanks so much for all of your hard word putting this challenge together.
gail
Maryann @ Domestically Speaking
Trim! It always amazes me - just like paint - how something so simple can make such a HUGE impact!
gail@myrepurposedlife.com
I KNOW! can you tell me why I waited a year? lol
Virgie
This is a great post and at the perfect time, my husband is getting started on our porch this weekend. I will be sharing this with him before he starts! I' m sure he'll appreciate it as much as me. 🙂 xoxo
gail@myrepurposedlife.com
I wish you lots of luck with your project!
gail
Paula@SweetPea
Adding the trim to your porch post bases makes them look so nice. I am in love with your little skunk and I remember people having them on their porches when I was a kid. It's special that it belonged to your grandparents.
gail@myrepurposedlife.com
My nana also had some little kitty cats that hung on her posts. I had one at one time. If I can find it, I may hang it on my new post.
gail
Amy
Love that skunk, so fun that it's been hanging around for so long! The extra trim on the posts looks perfect.
gail@myrepurposedlife.com
Thank you Amy for stopping over to check out my project. I'm about to make my rounds to see what everyone else did.
gail
Mindi
I love the 1x6 trim, it is perfect and I love chunky! Nice to know that my mitered corners don't always have to be perfect, because they are not! ha ha! How cute is your skunk?! I love that he has a history that makes him even more special!
gail@myrepurposedlife.com
my skunk is soooo special. So happy to have you as part of our power tool challenge team.
gail
Kim Six
They look so good! All big and chunky.
And the stunk?! He is THE BEST!!! Love!
gail@myrepurposedlife.com
Thank you Kim... for me, it's the little things in life. That skunk lived on my Nana and Grandad's porch for as long as I can remember. He's at least as old as I am if not more.
gail