It’s been really quiet here on the blog… but in real life it’s been anything BUT! I don’t know about everyone else but spring is my favorite season and I find myself full of energy, motivation and in general the happiest of happy! Take note of the beautiful skies in these pictures. We had days and days of this with temps in the 70’s. It was heaven!
Thanks to daylight savings time and Richie getting a week out of school for spring break we have accomplished some pretty good stuff in the last 10 days. Of course I’m covered in scrapes, cuts, splinters, and even have a bruised butt (can’t remember what I backed in to but I do remember thinking “OH, that’s going to look lovely!) So yes, the Advil bottle is empty but the smile on my face makes up for every ache I feel.
It seems like yesterday we said “we need to replace our rotten fence”. Oh wait… that was like 4 years ago. Time really flies when you’re having fun, doesn’t it? Apparently it does even when you’re NOT having fun. HA HA! So let there be more fun. Lets build a fence!
I tried and tried to find some really good pictures of how horrible our fence was. The fact is that I didn’t take that many simply because it was so embarrassing I realized that I purposely would “crop” the fence out of photos. I did find a few little gems from the day we got the house and these will definitely give you an idea of what we had to deal with.
The one above is a view of the back fence standing at the fire pit.
The one below is after we cut out vegetation and trees.
You can see how much jasmine had been allowed to grow on the fence and cause it to rot and deteriorate. The first big task was to pull all those vines off of there and actually kill the jasmine to keep it from coming back once we built a new fence. The neighbor behind us said “do whatever you need to do”. So for the next 2 years Richie battled all that stuff and finally killed it all. Jasmine is EVIL!
We were then left with a rotten fence that was literally being propped up with wood scraps and tarps. It was pretty trashy. But it was low on the list when you have no walls in your house. You know how that goes… “we’ll get to it”.
So with the help of his father (who is the finest man on the face of the earth!) They tore that sucker down and built “me” a new one. They love saying that — “We built YOUR new fence”. Why is everything MINE? MEN! (later I caught them beating their chests and saying “LOOK WHAT WE HAVE CREATED!”. It was a Tom Hanks “Castaway” moment.
Okay… back to our Island…. Check out that nasty fence. I seriously have no idea how it was still standing.
With the help of some manly tools the fence came down. I had to giggle because I went out to help start hauling the fence off and I was literally pulling it down with my hands. I think Richie just looks for a reason to get out the power tools. (LOL)
Every once in a while we get some really lucky breaks and we were quite happy to find that most of the posts were still in excellent condition. We decided to use what was there and only had to replace 3 posts. That saved so much time! Unfortunately they weren’t all plumb so we had to do some adjusting by digging around them and moving them a little. No big deal, really.
You can see below some of the posts being pushed into place and held while new concrete was poured. This evened all the posts up. Such smart men!
Once the cement dried they began running the rot board and the stringers. The pretty stuff was about to begin. I’m happy his dad helped with this because Richie is a stickler about everything being level and plumb. My patience runs thin… so thank you to my father in law!!!!!
After the stringers were all up Richie and I finished it up by hanging each picket and doubling up so there were no gaps after the fence begins to expand and contract …. with the help of a massive nail gun (more power!!!) That thing scared the crap out of me. It blows air out at you with each drive and I swear it feels like it’s going to blow you over. It is a life and time saver, though.
After the pickets went up Richie topped it all off with some trim at the top. I love how that looks… so finished and neat.
LOOK WHAT HE CREATED! Okay, it’s not fire… but it sure lights me up!
I look forward to it aging a bit. I’m not super fond of the new look. I much prefer that grey weathered patina. NOT ROTTEN, just weathered. :-)
So hello you pretty new fence. I love you and I know how good you were built. May you live a long and happy life! Now only two more sides to go. More fencing this summer….
I also want to take a minute to thank all the new subscribers in the last few weeks. There’s been a wonderful flurry of new blog followers and I’m so thankful to have you here. I probably don’t say it enough but I truly appreciate having so many kind people watching and cheering us on. So many of you are doing your own renovations so it’s great to have such a terrific support group. I look forward to meeting you all. Please feel free to leave comments or drop me an email any time. Anyway… WELCOME new followers!
Hello, gorgeous new fence! It’s so beautiful and how fun to have it finished and ready to enjoy for the upcoming season. It’s amazing how much new life it breathes into your yard. The guys did an amazing job… congrats! So when’s the BBQ? :)
Thanks Danielle! I’m really looking forward to having the yard so nice and tidy. It makes being outside really enjoyable and the weather has been amazing. I’m really going to LOVE looking out and seeing a nice, pretty, new fence instead of a piece of crap about to fall over. It has changed me for the better! Funny how some wood and nails can make a girl giddy!
I will say this repeatedly, if you lived closer, I’d be hiring you guys to do everything we need. The basement. Our kitchen. Possibly a new fence. It looks gorgeous! I love how it flows so simply and elegantly in the yard AND how awesome it is for privacy.
Hi Alex! And I’ll say it again and again… I’d much rather help you than work on my own house. Except for the fence! The fence has changed my attitude BIG TIME! There’s so many windows in this house and it was down right depressing to look out and see that torn up tarp and the rotting fence hanging by a string. I came home from work today and just looked out the back and stood there with the biggest grin on my face. DORK! I’m a simple shit I guess. I appreciate every little thing we accomplish. This was no exception. Thanks so much, friend!
NICE job! I really like your design of overlapped boards, and that you can’t see the posts–just a looong expanse of solid fence. It complements your house’s modern design. My husband built our new fence a few years ago, on the hottest weekend of the year, of course (I thought he would expire). I also thought it looked too new for our Craftsman house … then I made the mistake of applying clear preservative. It’s taken years to achieve the weathered effect (DUH). So just leave yours alone. It’s beautiful!
HEY D’ARCY!! Thanks for the comment. So nice to hear from you! Oh my goodness, we are so lucky to have handsome hunks to do all these wonderful things we need done, aren’t we? HA HA HA! I don’t think I could have done this house with a good partner who isn’t afraid to tackle anything. After visiting your blog I’m sure you feel the same! ( love it, by the way) I did think about putting a water proofer on it but decided against it. I’m so glad you agree. I think it’s kind of pretty when it starts to turn that light gray color. I’m just happy it’s standing up!! I must say that I’m SO HAPPY he did this now instead of waiting until JUNE. A dead husband is no good to me!
(laughing) It’s too darn hot… so I know how you guys must have felt. Love you home and I’ll definitely be keeping up with your progress too. Thanks again!
You don’t know HOW many times I have told Eric, “Be careful–you’re no good to me injured!” Here’s to our guys! BTW, I love, love, love midcentury homes. If I didn’t live in bungalowville, I would have one (and may someday). Can’t wait to see more of yours!
so much for spring BREAK!!! ha. fun to see all the work you guys accomplished. the fence looks great!!! and it’s so nice you have a father-in-law to help with the labor. it looks like your backyard goes on for miles! i love all the different sections with the paverrs an DG. it’s amazing how this clean looking fence really gave that area some pizazz. hopefully that natural patina look will come in quickly! now it’s cocktail hour to celebrate! :D
ps i heard morrissey canceled the rest of his tour. you must be bummed the hell out! :(
Richie’s dad is 72 and that man has more energy than both of us put together. I never heard Richie moan and groan so much this weekend. (He’ll be 50 this year). All I could think about was “how the hell does his dad keep up”. Thank goodness he does. He’s always there when we need him. God love him! I have great in-laws.
Oh yes, lady… cocktail hour came every evening for days. That bottle of tequila is GONE! We’d work our asses off and settle down with a nice margarita. Last night Richie says “hey, where’s the margarita’s”? Like I had missed something really important. I think I’ve turned him into a lush. It was fun.
Yes, poor Morrissey. POOR STACEY! That’s the second time I’ve bought tickets and had him cancel. I actually feel bad for the guy. Sounds like he’s going through a lot. OH well. I’m just happy I got to see him at least once. I should have known it was too good to be true. Seeing him only blocks away from my house was like a dream. Time to wake up and take a piss. Dream over! That’s okay… but thanks for the sympathy. You’re the best! Love ya.
The fence looks great Stacey! I really like the trim on top – it does give a very clean look (and PROVES how nicely everything lines up). Yes, it will look even better when it gets just a little bit aged. We have a new little retaining wall by our sidewalk (the snowplow guys knocked it down and then rebuilt it) – I am also hoping that the wood darkens and just gets a teeny bit more weathered.
We are hoping to get some fencing in the next few years…(we live on a fairly busy corner and will need to corral Little Dude) I keep my eyes peeled but I rarely see fences that I like and I fear how much it will change the look of our house/landscaping (the fence will have to enclose some part of our front and side yard as we don’t really have a back yard) – this one does intrigue though…
Another virtual high five, Yee haw! :)
Jocelyn! Hey lady… thanks for this. I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. I’m with you… fencing is hard for me. I love the look of a horizontal fence (very mod) but we decided to match the siding on the house. That made more sense to both of us. We also considered one of those galvalume fences but thought the neighbors might freak out on us.
I remember the photos of your front yard and you have an AWESOME lot. I can definitely see where fencing would be a must for at least some part of it. Yep, you’ll need a swing set for your little man… or a sand box… or something really fun. Playing in the yard (with privacy) is a must for both kids and adults!!! (giggle) Thanks for looking. I’ll take that high five… even with splinters under my fingernails.
YOUR new fence looks AWESOME! :)
HA HA! MY FENCE! Love that. I have no idea why he does that but any time something is getting done (that I’ve probably bitched about) ends up becoming MINE.
“I hung YOUR lights”. “I fixed YOUR toilet”. “I mowed YOUR Lawn”. “I built YOUR fence”. Hummmm… so happy to know its ALL MINE! ALL MINE. MINE! (evil laugh)
Too funny. Thanks, Brittney. Your pretty fence was definitely good inspiration for us. One more thing off the list. I know you’re in sheetrock heaven about now. YAY!
What an amazing fence, Stacey, it looks wonderful! You guys did a really great job! I also love that pathway and the plants:-) Ah, spring looks so lovely, we still have a few patches of snow to get rid of, I’m really tired of winter now. I sooo enjoy your great blog, I’m so glad I found you!
THANK YOU so much! I love your comments… always so uplifting and kind. The back yard is really not that big. The back porch takes up most of the yard and the house is set really far back on the lot so it’s probably the smallest backyard in the neighborhood. I’m really looking forward to getting out in the yard and planting a few new things and cleaning up the beds and pathways. It’s really pretty in the summer when everything is so green. This new fence is going to make it look so much better.
I bet you are SOOOO ready for some warmth. Winter has stayed WAY too long for so many people… in all parts of the world. Enough is enough. Right now everything is blooming here in Texas and the tree pollen is outrageous. Sneezes-a-plenty! Until then… you have that gorgeous kitchen to hang out in! It would be hard from me to leave that space. :-) Thanks, Tove!
Beautiful fence! We have to finish the 2nd half of our fence this year (unfortunately spring is still several wks away in the great white north- it’s snowing as I type). We were so excited with how nice our new fence looked- as much for what you can no longer see as for it’s esthetic (in our case, it’s true what they say about fences & good neighbours)
A couple of questions, though- your pickets don’t look like treated wood- is that the case? We didn’t want to use treated wood for ours so we used a stain to protect it. My question is, did you have to seal your fence with anything, or is that the advantage of the Texas climate? Oh, that, and the fact that you already have beautiful weather that we won’t see the likes of until May ; ).
SNOWING! SNOWING! ENOUGH already! I always feel bad when I turn on the weather and see so many people still suffering through snow storms while I’m running around in shorts and smelling the flowers. Not fair! Hope some warm air and sunny skies finds you soon. I bet your fence looks wonderful.
All the wood we used was treated. You can definitely tell it has “something” on it in real life. Richie says that it’s a safer process than they used years ago. I guess that means it’s not so toxic or something. But yes, all treated and hopefully long lasting. We are not going to stain or put any kind of sealer on it. I just want it to “weather” naturally and then turn a light gray color. I’m just so happy the darn thing is standing, Cindy. I cannot lie… it was embarrassing to have people come over and look out there and see that mess. YIKES! One more major thing off our long list. Feels so good, but there’s two more sides waiting for him this summer. THANK YOU for looking. (I’m blowing some warm air your way… and a few flowers) :-)
ya, that’s true the treated wood has improved but the stuff available to us still has a green tinge- so we were going to stain it but a semi-transparent light colour that we weren’t sure would disguise the green or if it would affect the final colour.
We bought untreated wood direct from a mill and got a better price than the treated- it will require a bit more maintenance since it will need to be stained again from time to time.
I really love the look of your fence- now can’t wait until ours in done.
Thanks for the “warm” wishes!
I’m so excited for you. The new fence is beautiful. We need to do this someday, but alas that day is not near. I’m not even sure it is over the rainbow. It may be several rainbows away. I know you understand!
Thanks, Jessica! I’ve thought about you a number of times during this last week… thinking about all that you’ll accomplish during YOUR time off. Having that break is so awesome this time of year and I’m grateful Richie was willing to give up a few of his days to do this. I haven’t let him forget how much I appreciate it. I’m so excited. Don’t worry… your fence will come. It took us 4 years to get here… so enjoy those rainbows, girl! Happy spring break – Have fun!
Awesome!! That was a TON of work… and I hear you about the jasmine. Our plant-nemesis is wisteria… which our neighbors grow on a trellis… and which is eating all their trees, and trying to consume ours too. I tried to suggest to them that they KEEP IT OUT of the trees… but I guess they don’t get it.
I’m with you on not having taken enough photos! I guess I was waiting for it to look “better.”
It’s like having a kid (or at least that’s what people say). It’s so freakin’ painful while it’s happening and then you forget. Thankfully we have forgotten the pain and work and we’re at the ooooo, and ahhhhh stage. Our fence is wrapped in a blanket and we’re just sitting around staring at it! I feel like a new mom. Does that count? Giving birth to a fence? She’s so pretty.
What is UP with people thinking invasive plant matter is OKAY? Wisteria covered the fence of our previous house so I know exactly what you’re talking about. Why can’t they see that your way is the RIGHT WAY! HA HA! Yes, I regret not having more dramatic photos. I was so overwhelmed at the time I would just forget to take them. It was a jungle out there! It only took us 4 years, Victoria. Geez!!!! Thanks for the visit. Hope your “whipping up” great design ideas for your kitchen!
Love your new fence! We didn’t put the board at the bottom, but yours looks so great that I think we’ll go back and do that to ours. Doesn’t it totally change how you feel when you go out in the yard? We’re getting bids on decks and patios, so I’m getting excited about that.
Oh Dana… I was about to say “you have no idea how much it changes how you feel”… but clearly YOU DO! Your new fence really pushed us over the edge to get this done. It’s so motivating to see other people’s progress. It gets you off your butt to do something with your own stuff. SO YES, I’m loving this pretty fence. THANK YOU!
Yes that board on the bottom (Richie calls it a rot board) really not only looks nice but will keep the bottom of the pickets from rotting. Instead you can just replace that board instead of the entire fence. I just think it looks polished, ya know! Thanks for checking it out. Can’t wait to see your new deck patio. Your place is going to be SO AWESOME!
The new fence looks fabulous. It will be gray and weathered in no time. Kind of like Tom Hanks’ character in Castaway :).
Ha Ha!.. good one! Thanks Kelly! I’ve really been enjoying it over the last week. Maybe I’ll name it “WILSON”. Thanks for visiting.
That is ONE FINE LOOKING FENCE!!! That is so awesome you have handy men. Shawn is getting better haha! Ok, we have a rotting fence on the one side of our property that looks almost exactly like your before. I don’t think I have many pics of it either. Shawn was checking it out the other day and touched it slightly and it was about to fall over. Ah, like you, it is at the bottom of a long list. Just when I think we are done, something happens – like our heating ac unit starts sounding like a bomb going off – argh!!
Well, thank you! Richie just smilec from ear to ear on this comment. He tries not to get all worked up over stuff but he really should be proud. He acts like it’s no big deal, but I know it really is. So sweet of you. Those lists just keep growing and growing don’t they. I don’t think you can own a home and go for too long without something needing attention. Seems impossible!
Your retaining wall looks amazing by the way, so we both got to cross something major off those lists. YAY for us! I hope you disabled the bomb… at least wear protective gear! HA!
Ahhhh, now that is one good lookin fence! I’m so jealous of your fence and your spring weather, we aren’t aloud to put up solid fences where we live and it’s still snowing here :( So, thanks for the post, I can stair at your lovely fence/ sunny skies while I wait for spring!
Hi Kari! Thanks so much. I have never heard of not allowing a solid fence. Obviously all parts of the country are different… but I can’t really imagine living in this house without one. All the windows are wonderful and I love being able to keep them open and not have the whole neighborhood see me in my pj’s. The fence was down for two days and I felt so naked! HA HA HA! Glad to have it back up.
Hope spring finds you soon. Some areas of Texas are up into the 80’s. (which is really too hot for March!)
That is one nice fence. I am beside myself impressed that you guys did it. We have paid for fences, several times. Honestly, you saved several thousand dollars. At least. Our back fence had ivy growing on it when we moved in. IVY. The stems were an inch thick like wood. We pulled it all down. GROSS. Then we asked the back fence neighbors if they would like to split the cost of the new fence because the ivy had done to our fence what the jasmine did to yours (I have removed jasmine as well, don’t love fence crawlers)… Neighbors said NO! They loved their old weathered fence. So we waited for the next big storm and it blew down. Neighbor knocked on our door and said “let’s fix the fence.” Husband said NO. And that is how we got a new fence. We are on good terms with the neighbors. New one weathered in no time.
See.. this is why I love blogging! You totally understand what we’ve been through… on so many levels!! Thanks, Rebecca. If it’s not the fence then it’s usually a tree I’m having to squabble with a neighbor over. I had the same type experience with a neighbors dead tree that was about 3 feet from my house. We put on a $20,000 roof and all I wanted was them to pay for half to remove the tree so it didn’t fall on my house. THEY SAID NO! It’s infuriating. Months later they hired someone off the street to cut it down and then two days later the same people robbed their house. Needless to say… we are NOT their favorite neighbors and that’s fine with me. They should have said YES… and so should have your neighbors. Sometimes people are hard-headed!!! Thanks for the story…LOVED IT! Looking forward to my pretty gray fence. Ivy and jasmine = Pain in the ass!
Love the new fence! I have a feeling you will be spending a lot of quality wine drinking hours enjoying that refreshed back yard. If only it were wine drinking outdoors weather in STL! Cheers – CT
Absolutely! Just finished up a bottle of Pinot Grigio last night. It’s been a good week with my new fence. She’s so pretty. I find myself in a great mood when I get home. SO SILLY!!!
Thanks, CT.
Fab! Fab! Fab! I have to say, it’s very painful for me to see all the green grass and flower blooms in your yard… we STILL have snow. :(
Hi Stacey! Loved this post! Your writing is so entertaining, and your photos are so beautifully composed. AND the work you have been doing to your home and yard is so inspirational! I wish my husband and I were more hands-on with our projects, like you guys… Something we can do is yard-work. But wouldn’t ya know, we just got several inches of fresh snow! It looks like January here in Minnesota! So, the snow shovels are still out, and the rakes will have to wait…
Thanks Allison! I sometimes wish the “hands-on” projects would be on someone else’s hands! Mine are dirty, tired and full of blisters. HA! But in the end I guess it’s all worth it.
I just can’t believe snow in April! Seriously… we have already planted our vegetable garden and are getting tomato blooms. All my flowers and trees are blooming and everything is so lush!
Crazy how different the country is from one part to another. Hope you get some SPRING soon! Thanks for the visit.