First of all, thanks so much for the unbelievable outpouring of well-wishes for our announcement yesterday. It was great to share our news with you guys. While madly trying to keep up with the 3,000+ (!!) comments, our afternoon post sort of fell by the wayside, so we figured we’ll share an afternoon one today with you instead. In the meantime, Sherry is cutting and pasting a ton of questions from yesterday’s comments and working on Friday’s Q&A post for you, and I’m here to shake my tail feathers about managing to cross a few more things off our sunroom to-do list in this week (yes, feel free to picture that).
So let’s talk about three steps that have taken our sunroom from half-baked to feeling a lot more finished: adding trim, caulking, and painting. They’re not always glamorous project steps (especially installing trim and caulking) but details like those tend to make all the difference (wonky trim and messy caulk can add up to a shoddy looking finished product, even if a room is furnished really nicely). I originally planned to gloss over the trim-hanging part and dive more deeply into caulking and painting, but then I messed something up and, voila, it felt like info that might be helpful to share. Nothing like celebrating your screw ups, right?
Ok, so we had to add trim to polish off our recently tongue-and-groove planked ceiliing. Originally I was just going to toss out a quick mention like: “We installed trim to bridge the gaps around the ceiling and the new triangle panels we added. To match the other simple lattice-like trim around the rest of the room, we opted not to use typical crown molding. Plus, it spared us from having to calculate how to cut all of tricky crown angles against an angled ceiling.”
But after the trim was installed, we both stepped back and decided it didn’t look good. Not because it wasn’t crown, but because the 1 x 2″ against the ceiling and the quarter-round against the brick were too puny compared to the heft of the nice chunky 1 x 4″ trim piece along the bottom of the triangle.
I had chosen the 1 x 2″ trim piece to run along the freshly lofted ceiling because it most closely resembled the lattice in the rest of the room. The bigger 1 x 4″ trim piece was only there to cover some leftover rough patches from where the previous trim was removed (so something thicker was necessary). But we decided the 1 x 4″ board looked much better than any of the skimpier stuff, so suddenly Sherry and I found ourselves removing trim again… just 24 hours after putting it up.
We each pried off a side and decided to install 1 x 4″ all around each triangle, so the trim near the ceiling carried all same visual weight – rather than the trim closest to the top looking chintzy. It’s hard to judge from this picture below (especially since it’s not caulked or painted) but trust me, it looks waaaay better. As for how we hung it, it’s mostly a two person job when you’re working with such long pieces up on a ladder, so one of us held it in place and the other worked the nail gun (I slipped some wood glue behind each piece for extra hold too).
And while we’re on the topic of the trim, it was a bit more challenging than a usual trim project – just because we were dealing with some angles. Fortunately we had the angle finder handy from the Kreg Crown Pro that we bought to do crown molding in our last house (though I’m sure any angle-finding tool would work). So we just set it in the nook of the triangle to find our angle.
Then I marked that same angle on our board.
And then I used a circular saw to cut along the line.
Most of the cuts weren’t 100% perfect, but it wasn’t anything that caulk wouldn’t fix. So as trim jobs went, it was a relatively speedy one – even if we did have to do those two triangle sections of it twice.
With trim up, it was time for caulking. Sherry and I usually tag-team steps like this, but outdoor caulk is too VOC-filled to inhale while carrying my baby, so I gladly flew solo. In addition to caulking all of the seams around the trim, there were also a bunch of touch-ups that I wanted to do on the ceiling itself. Call me crazy for taking the time to caulk all of our nail holes in each ceiling plank, but it was totally worth the couple of hours it took for the peace of mind that everything was sealed in and nothing would warp/rot due to the elements or the changing temps outside. Eventually I came up with quite the efficiently system: squirt a dot of caulk in each spot, smoosh in with a finger (dipped in water to help keep caulk from building up on my skin) and then smooth that over with a damp sponge. The sponge step was the key to a nice finish, and it made it go faster too.
None of our before-and-after shots of the caulked holes really demonstrated the difference (it’s one of those things you have to see in person, I guess) but having all of the little distractions taken care of was actually a big move forward in this ceiling feeling finished.
Then there was painting to deal with. Not that the cream + white + blue + primer + brick combo isn’t totally the rage these days.
In our heads painting this room wasn’t a big deal. There’s like 0.003 square feet of walls, after all (I may have rounded down a smidge). But then we remembered the 15-paned door and the three giant 15-paned windows. URGH. That’s a whole lotta mullions.
Okay, I’m being dramatic. It wasn’t that bad. It took me about four hours total to apply two coats for full coverage – but I wouldn’t call it an exciting job. Oddly enough Sherry loves to be the cutter-inner, so she was sad that exterior paint is on the no-no-pregnancy list. Did I hit the jackpot with my trim-painting wife or what? Oh and as for the color, we used Snowbound by Sherwin Williams, since the rest of our white exterior trim is painted that color.
I did my best not to get too much paint on the windows just to save ourselves time on the back-end from having to scrape all 60 of those window panes with a razor to remove the paint (we learned on the windows upstairs that scraping was a pain whenever primer was involved, so we figured exterior paint would be just as difficult since it’s a more intense formula with a built-in primer). I also tried out a new brush that’s specifically meant for this type of job – just in the name of seeing if it made things easier. In the end after both of us tried it (Sherry for just a second with a gas mask on because the girl couldn’t resist) we actually found it harder to use than our usual short-handled brush, but we’re glad that we gave it a shot, just to be sure there’s not some magic bullet out there.
With the windows and the door done, it seemed like a cinch to finally get to painting the walls, which I did with a small foam roller for the most part (I did use an angled brush to get into some of the cracks and tight spots but it was mostly a roller job).
With that done, I still had one last paint job to complete: a final coat of blue on the ceiling to hide all of the caulking I’d done. Even though the white caulk blended pretty nicely with the light blue ceiling, it was still noticeable. Unpainted caulk tends to “flash” so that it’s visible at certain angles, like the row of caulked nail holes you can see below looking sort of dusty.
Painting a ceiling is one of our least favorite tasks, but since I didn’t have to edge this one (and it only needed one coat) it was actually pretty fast. I knocked it out in a hour while Clara was at preschool.
So yeah, not the most exciting updates in the world – but these little fixes really helped take our “completed” ceiling to being an actual completed ceiling. Oh except for maybe the missing fans part. Ignore that for now, and let’s just appreciate the difference between how it looked before trim/caulk/paint…
…and after.
And of course I’d be remiss to leave without a before picture of the room when we started.
So we got to cross two more lines off of our to-do list, which puts us that much closer to the part that we’re looking forward to the most: the tile floor! Hopefully that’s on the docket to get done (er, well, started) this week so that we can have a update for you next week.
Rip up the old carpeting(more on that here)
Remove the sliding doors and tracks to open things up(more on that here)
Convert outlets to outdoor-safe rain-proof ones with covers(more on that here)Add fresh casing to the openings and caulk like crazy to waterproof everything(more on that here)
Demo the old ceiling in hopes of possibly lofting it (get a pro in here for advice)(more on that here)
Remove old beams, reinforce ceiling stability, and re-route electrical for two fans instead of one(more on that here)Prime, paint, and install our beadboard ceiling(more on that here)
Add trim around the ceiling and caulk/paint thatRepaint the columns & interior of the sunroom with white exterior paint (it’s currently cream)- Hang two ceiling fans
- Tile the floors (we bought something that’s outdoor safe and less slick than the glue-stained concrete here)
- Get a rug, furniture, and maybe even add some outdoor curtains and lanterns/sconces?
- Build an outdoor fireplace like this down the line
It’s funny how going into this reno we thought “well it’s not a kitchen or a bathroom so it probably won’t take that long” – yet it involved ripping out eight doors and a ceiling, adding all new electrical, installing a new ceiling plank by plank, painting a whole bunch of trim and windows and doors. And there are still fans and tiling to be tackled, as well as the dream of adding a fireplace someday. Turns out sunroom renos can be just as involved as a bathroom or a kitchen makeover. Who knew?
Kelli says
Sun room looking fabulous! Praying for good health for the whole family!Thanks for trusting us with such exciting news!
liz Marie @ liz marie blog says
Wow! It really is all in the details!! The white looks fantastic!!! xx
Theresa M. says
The 1×4 trim for the win!! And my husband hit the jackpot too, I do all the cutting in. :)
Michele from IL says
I’m playing catch-up from yesterday and literally SCREAMED when I saw that you’re expecting. So, not only am I excited about seeing the FINISHED porch ceiling, but so excited that my favorite bloggers have yet exciting “project” on the way! :)
Julianne says
Ahhhhh “…while carrying my baby…”. Made me smile. Dunno….I thought it was very sweet! :0)
The porch is looking amazing. John, you’re a machine!!
AshleyM says
Whoa. I totally get why this is your dream home. I would LOVE a spot like that! I never realized something like that would be on my dream home wish list, but it totally is! Excited for you (and for me when I retire and build the dream home)!
Michelle @A Healthy Mrs says
Looking good! Those little details definitely made a big difference!
Katherine says
In the first pic with the quarter round and the 1×2, I was all “that looks fine…what is wrong with you people that you need something more”. Then in the pic with the 1×4 all around I’m all “I’m a jerk with no taste…of COURSE this looks so much better!”. Love your vision!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, thanks Katherine!
xo
s
crunchycake says
“…but outdoor caulk is too VOC-filled to inhale while carrying my baby, so I gladly flew solo.” Awwww…<3 Congrats to your family!
Sheri says
WOW, it looks great. Nice job!
Tricia | 724 South House says
Even the smallest details make the biggest difference. And I always love it after throwing on a fresh coat of paint. I CANNOT wait to see what you do with this ‘outdoor room’!
Monica D says
What a difference the trim makes!! It looks great. Everytime I read your blog it makes me want to repaint or tear down something. Congratulations on the new edition to the family!!!
Rosie says
Love you work John…… Seriously your enthusiasm is so inspirational..
Congrats to u both…. I know you read all comments so just checking that you have have a CMV blood test and aware of the CMV risks during pregnancy.
I am part of a group trying to raise awareness of the dangers of contracting CMV whilst pregnant. It’s a very common virus that can be caught from preschool aged kids and passed on unknowingly to unborn child.
As you guys and many comment readers fit into this category I will provide a link for you to get up to speed as to how simple things can not put you or the bean2 at risk.
Sorry to get all serious but as I am a special needs mum I get cross that if something is preventable that people aren’t educated enough. At this stage only 13% of PG mothers are even told about this from their Drs..
Best wishes for a healthy and happy baby…
Rosie says
Oh and here is the link
http://www.stopcmv.org/about_cmv
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks so much Rosie! Will check it out right now!
xo
s
jbhat says
This is sort of gross to say, but all of that gorgeous whiteness on those porch ceiling pictures showed me how grody and spotted our screen is. It’s all spiffed up now, given the white backdrop you showed. Thanks!
jbhat
jbhat says
computer screen, that is. monitor. whatever. : )
jbhat
YoungHouseLove says
Haha!
xo
s
Emily @ Life on Food says
I love seeing the progress of this project. Gives me hope for all of the drastic changes we want to do in the future.
Megan says
It looks great! I have a question though… How does your indoor furniture handle being out there? I have a sunroom that I looove that is very similar to the one in your first house, and I have a karlstad loveseat out there. It’s been out there for about a year, and I often have (*cough* leave) the windows open. I’ve noticed that the couch gets dirty, of course, but did you have any issues with moisture/mold or anything? I also live in RVA, so the climate is pretty comparable ;-)
thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Our daybed is far enough under the awning to be ok so far but it’s not going to stay out there long term unless we really protect it (they sell zip on waterproof mattress covers and we’d need to spray seal the wood parts, etc). Outdoor furniture is most likely best for the longest durability though!
xo
s
Britnie says
It’s turning out to be so beautiful!! I love reading about the transformation. Thanks for the great read!
BritnieBanks.com/blog
caroline [the diy nurse] says
That porch pops! Don’t be creeped out if you find me enjoying it midday with a cocktail in hand. Need a house sitter? Done. No? Still done.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha! Get your buns over here and stare creepily into our window!
xo
s
Jill Stevens says
It looks so fresh with the coat of white paint on there. I did the trim around the window on our back door, even though we live in a rental. I couldn’t resist. I was happy I spent the time, even if the rental company will never notice.
Bren says
I am AMAZEBALLS at how opening up that porch turned into something that gorgeous! Way.to.go!
Sonya B says
Hey John and Sherry. The sunroom looks great! Just wondering if you guys have ever just taken some good ol’ Windex to your windows and mirrors after you’ve painted them to get any excess paint off? I use Windex Multi-surface cleaner with Vinegar. Works like a charm… spray then wipe with paper towel. No scraping necessary! Just thought I’d mention it…
YoungHouseLove says
That sounds awesome! Thanks for the tip!
xo
s
Gina, book dragon says
Congrats!!
love the room
Joanna says
I know these were necessities, but wow what a difference! I am drooling over here! I can’t wait to makeover our back deck. I am officially on the beadboard train!
Jean (notsupermum) says
You know, when you started this project I really didn’t think it was going to work. I couldn’t visualise how an indoor room could become a decent outdoor space, and anyway isn’t indoor space more valuable? But now it’s nearly finished I can’t stop looking at the before and after photos and being impressed with the transformation. The new ceiling has made such a huge difference! Question: does it make your living room feel any brighter? I’m thinking it must do x
YoungHouseLove says
Yes, it’s brighter and the line of sight is so much better! We see trees and greenery in the back instead of staring at screens!
xo
s
Susan says
First, best wishes for baby–hardly anything compares to that first ‘kick’…this is all such great news!
Second, yep–I fell for that fancy trim brush too–and, like you, ditched it. Was back to my “purdy'” trim brush in a flash!
Third, John–snap of you painting ceiling…uumm, did you photoshop your tummy? (jk)
Heidur Maria says
Love your blog, been reading it for a while now :) And congratulations on the baby, so happy for you all.
One question, when you are painting the trim and especially on the window why don’t you put some tape on the window right by where you’re painting so you don’t get paint on the glass itself? Seems like it would be faster to take the tape off then scraping off all the excess paint :)
(sorry if I don’t make sense, English is my second language. I’m Icelandic)
YoungHouseLove says
With so many window panes(60 of them!) it would have taken us a while to tape them all off (probably a few hours and perhaps a whole roll of tape) and since we’ve painted for about 7 years, we have somewhat steady hands, so it’s usually faster to eye things and then just scrape small areas if we get a little on the window. For a beginner it would most likely be faster and easier to tape off though!
xo
s
Adina M. Paulson says
It looks like you did a pretty tough job over there but so far, everything looks good. The space looks beautiful already. I can’t wait to see how this will turn out. I am excited to see the transformation and i bet, it’s really going to look lovely.
Andrea says
That looks great! I agree that the 4″ trim looks a lot more balanced.
Joseph says
I chuckled a little with the first mention of Sherry not being able to paint because of being pregnant. It’s so hard to go so long without being able to spill about something like that.
Out of curiosity, when it comes to the brush you tried out have you thought about cutting the handle off or was it more than just the length of the handle you didn’t like? I have a rather long handled brush and was thinking about cutting it short, but didn’t know if there was something else you liked about that little brush you use.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh my gosh, never thought of that! Will have to try it.
xo
s
Amy says
I have to share….my husband and i have been trying for a year to get pregnant. Its been just heartbreaking, and i think unless youve been thru it its just impossible to describe how tough the road can be.
Buuuuttttt….the day you posted your fantastic news I got a positive preganancy test! We are beyond thrilled!
I am so happy for you and your growing family and so happy that I could coincidentally share in the warm fuzzies with you guys. :)
YoungHouseLove says
Oh my gosh Amy! I can’t imagine what you’ve been through. And now I’m beaming for you! Congrats and all the best of luck!
xo
s
Amy says
Sending you a virtual hug!
Katie says
You must have seen this already, but when I saw it I was sure it must have been your sunroom with the angled ceiling painted blue: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/91620173643011704/
All of our ceilings are plain old white but I’m scheming how I can change that up before too long!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, we love that pic! We linked to it back when we were planning the sunroom. Such an inspiration!
xo
s
Andrea says
It really looks great. An open sunroom/porch is on my wishlist of home additions.
Claire says
Belated congratulations on your pregnancy!! I’m so excited for you guys!!
My husband & I got some great news earlier this week…we’re expecting baby #2 too! Hubby joked to me that now I’ll be pregnant the same time as my best friend. I was confused and he said “young house love”. I talk about you guys pretty often but no worries, I have friends IRL, I’m not stalking you or anything. Uh, my explanation is not making me sound any less weird. :-)
The main reason for my post was to ask you where/how you got information on what DIY products are safe for pregnant women to use?? I need to caulk windows & bathrooms but obviously don’t want to do it if its a danger to me.
Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Congrats Claire! Here’s a post with info about what I will and won’t do while prego (I did a lot of googling and chatted with my doc about it). Essentially the consensus seems to be that going VOC-free whenever possible is the best thing to do. Thankfully they sell no-VOC caulk and paint and lots of other stuff!
xo
s