In September, All The Little Things

On Monday Tito and I were leaving for a day trip down the shore and the front door wouldn’t lock. Usually before the door jambs would swell in and the door wouldn’t close (until you shoulder checked it with all your might) and I’ve had to grind it back with a belt sander 3 times. Or you’d have to jiggle it in and out until things lined up right. This time is a little different. He eventually figured out that you have to lift the handle a bit. He asked, “What are we going to do about this?”

I said, “Well we’re going to rip it all out.”

He said, “No, I mean what are we going to do now?”

I gouged out the door jamb a little more, shifted the deadbolt strike down a bit, and now it works like a dream. Sure it doesn’t look like one but take what you can get.

So anyways, the windows should arrive in early October. My dad and I will be self-installing them; I’m hoping to have the front door cut down and installed around the same time. And that means getting together all the materials we need and doing all the small bits of prep work so we’re ready for those big jobs. Here’s a list:

• Make final paint color choices and buy before sale ends

For the door:

• Buy spring bronze, a shallow backset deadbolt that will fit the skinny cut-down stiles, and glazing putty. (All from the same excellent hardware store in Chestnut Hill)
• Order safety glass
• Install glass with glazing putty (The putty I’m using takes a long time to cure)
• Fill old door knob holes on faces (but not the mortise) and old screw holes with Wood Epox
• Prime and first coat faces. The edges are getting cut off so I’ll deal with them and the second coat later.
• Buy sheer curtain panels and pair of rods for privacy.
• Have custom brick mold made to match what I’m restoring for around the windows.
• Buy any extra antique door hardware needed
• Use tap and die to prepare doorknob spindles if needed

For the windows:

• Finish stripping original brick mold
• Use Liquid Wood (thinned with acetone) on cut ends, back sides, and severely weathered areas (This is good practice for what went wrong with the cornice)
• Use Wood Epox (concurrently with same product on door) to repair missing and severely weathered parts of trim
• If any trim is beyond repair, have made along with door trim
• Pre-prime all brick mold

For the cornice (Doesn’t need to be complete in September but I want it done so bad):

• Buy squirt bottles for Liquid Wood
• Drill holes and squirt Liquid Wood into dry rotted areas near ends
• Sand Liquid Wood off the spot where it left a glossy film
• Fill gouges, holes, and weathered areas with Wood Epox (probably separately from door and brick mold)
• Scrub or power wash aluminum drip edge so it accepts paint
• Prime and paint

For the masonry:

• Clean isolated spots where efflorescence remains.
• Cover everything but the brick and spray with water glass
• Repair holes, spalls, and water damage with Lithomex, a colored lime-based patching mortar