520 12C St N property

This house stands tall among the others on its block. It is a wooden structure built in 1911. It has been added onto a few times, all but one of which has been torn down. There does not seem to be cohesive history connected to this house. There is, however, a large foundation problem to be corrected – stable for now but in need of heavy work. You can read all about its progress here.

no longer on the fence

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The decision was made a few days ago to redo the fence line at the rear of the property separating the two suites.  Why?

The concrete area that used to house the gazebo was not used well.  It will be allotted to the rear suite, and a new walkway will be put in for rear parking and garbage access for the main suite (house).  It won’t affect the back decks of the house. 

Also, the rear suite gate would not close because of a) constant perpendicular pull and b) my incorrect decision to use a type of hinge ordered from the States. 

old fence

previous main suite walkway shared with rear suite patio

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new fence begins

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It’s started.  The three new fence posts are cemented in.  They need to be brushed with a wire wheel and painted in black Tremclad paint. 

This new plan will allow the rear tenant to use the entire concrete area where the gazebo previously sat plus another bit of dirt area to plan flowers, grass, or whatever they want. 

wild flowers, fruit trees, and shrubs

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Some of the wild flower seeds must have been what Sandra has identified as “wild lettuce”.  They grow like trees!  Now my fruit trees are inundated by what amounts to giant weeds.  I’ll have to pull some.

 

Some of the shrubs in the front, next to the sidewalk, have died off.  I pulled four dead shrubs and kept two that were half-dead.  I’ll have to trim them sometime.  In the mean time, I watered the two new shrubs.  I hope they take.

rear deck pickets

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The rear tenant wants a little privacy.  To that end, we’re adding pickets to the rear deck which will create a visual barrier between the two areas. They still have to be cut to the appropriate height (i.e. the tallest point not rotted away!), power washed, and stained.

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posts and pads

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The fence posts are painted now, in Tremclad black, ready for holes to be drilled for rails.  Four new pads are now installed, gravel and sand underneath.

Next: move the shed out of the house’s rear walkway, drill the holes, exchange the bolts (should have 5″, not 4″), and put up the rails.

Tremclad black

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I took a wire wheel to the steel fence posts to remove the surface rust.  I could have painted right over the rust with Tremclad paint, according to others around me, but, according to the directions on the can, this is a no-no.  Take the rust off first!

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