Need advice for new home exterior please!
Hi! I have recently purchased this timber home. The front has weathered nicely, but the sides are very dark grey...almost black. I'd like to stain it in a light grey, similar to the pic shown here (last photo). I love the house, but at the moment it feels more Longmire than Cape Cod. I've just forked out a lot of cash for 2 bathrooms and an walk-in renovation, so I can't afford to hire a professional for the exterior. I'm getting conflicting advice. Some people say to prime it with white first, then do an opaque stain to unify the colors. Others say use the grey stain right over the dark, discolored areas. What say you, experts? :-)
Comments (21)
houssaon
4 years ago
PROSina Sadeddin Architectural Design
4 years agoRelated Discussions
New Bluebird houses, need advice please
Comments (10)I second all Jane's thoughts. If you can be prepared, bluebirding is an extremely rewarding experience. Many of us(correction: MOST of us) have had to deal with house sparrows. I can't tell you how many people I've known who, in the first year hosting bluebirds they have success, and for some reason, the house sparrows become a bigger problem in the second year, and people are taken by surprise (or shock) when the house sparrows kill the male in the box, or the female as she incubates eggs, or they smash unattended eggs, or toss the eggs out. In my first experience, a male house sparrow killed 6 newborn hatchlings by pecking them on the head. So if you decide to proceed, just be prepared. Bet's web site, www.sialis.org is a wonderful resource, and we will be here if you need us. Another option is to add hole reducers and host chickadees, if they are in your area. The proper hole reducer will prevent house sparrows from entering. You might want to read up on that at the website linked below. P.S. The little round wooden thing that many bluebird nestboxes come with (some people call them "predator guards") which extends the entrance does not protect anything from predators. BlueBars Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.sialis.org/...See MoreNew home! Need some exterior advice.
Comments (11)You may get some ideas for a style from this site linked below. I have contracted with them to replace the 6 ft. cedar fencing that I had installed in 1996 enclosing my 60' x 80' 'puppy pen'. http://burnsfencing.com/residential/decorative-fence-maine/ They're in Maine, so likely can't help you, but I think the styles they show under decorative fencing are pretty universal. I chose this one below, which is called Princeton. What I liked is that I will save money, as you can have galvanized posts to support the panels, rather than the cedar that I have now. They are easier to install as they can just pound them rather than digging very deep holes for the cedar ones, and they tell me that they'll last a lot longer than the cedar ones. They won't show at all from the outside, as you see in the example below....See MoreNeed advice on updating exterior of our new house.
Comments (5)I think you should post some more pictures. That picture is probably the most unflattering view of your nice house. It makes the garage door look exaggerated, which it probably isn't in person. Everything depends on your budget, of course, but without spending too much money (like changing the roof and exterior materials), which I am certainly not qualified to give opinions about, I would think about creating a wider, more substantial and nicer walkway to the front door. A couple of pretty planters on either side of the garage, and larger light fixtures would go a long way. Im sure you could do something else with that post. Let's wait for experts!...See MoreNeed advice of home exterior finishes please!
Comments (3)I think I would budget for a different, much more modern door. Those builder doors are just blech....See More
Angel 18432
4 years ago
PROBeverlyFLADeziner
4 years ago
mnmamax3
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoCute house! Love to see how it looks all washed up, but I don't really see the grey working at all though. The reason the "grayish" works on the other house is the grey in the shingles. Your roof is solid tan. It might work with a darker color but I think the med taupe might be difficult to pull off. Most of the examples I found online have a lighter cream home with tan roof or a home the same color as the roof. If you leave the wood tone of your wood and the tan roof, you could provide some dimension by painting your trim and porch a contrasting color like a cream or white or black.
cat_ky
4 years agobutlera
4 years agobutlera
4 years agoAlso wanted to share this photo I found of a light grey stain with tan roof. This is the idea I have in mind. This is Benjamin Moore Copley Gray HC-104.
decoenthusiaste
4 years ago- PRO
BeverlyFLADeziner
4 years ago butlera
4 years agoAngel 18432
4 years agodecoenthusiaste
4 years agobutlera
4 years agoAngel and deco, not all cape cod style homes are shingled, and some of them have porches as well (as seen below). My new place shares traits with cape cod style, such as dormer windows. I already have a round log cabin as a cottage. This home is a permanent residence; located in a harbour town, and I'd like to move away from woodsy and toward a more coastal look, as I explained above.
asterales
4 years agodecoenthusiaste
4 years ago
greenfish1234
4 years agogreenfish1234
4 years agogreenfish1234
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoPps: the last house is much less attractive than yours and still looks like a log cabin, not a cape. But it has an unnatural uniform color that looks horrible on logs. Uniform color is for clapboard. Even capes with traditional cedar shingles are not uniform in color. They are resplendent with “dirt and mildew,” and they are NEVER washed.
butlera
4 years ago
greenfish1234