Wishing for a Do Over
We've been restoring this house for over two years. That's more than half the time I spent in college when getting my undergraduate degree. Yet for some reason, I still always surprise myself when it comes to the things I don't think through quite right.
As part of our recent efforts to prepare and install our front exterior door, I've been working to apply the stain...not a complicated task, but also not something imprevious impervious (thanks POPS) to my poor planning.
The good thing is that I got the technical parts of the job right...we used a Minwax Pre-Stain Conditioner to prepare the door (a great solution that really helped the stain go on evenly...typically a challenge with Douglas Fir) and Sherwin Williams Wood Classics as the stain. As you can see, we used different colors for the interior side (Burnished Walnut) and exterior side (Dark Cherry) of the door...
The bad thing is that I got the "art" wrong when I went to apply the stain. For some reason, in the rush to get things going last week I didn't think of the easiest way to do the job. I dove in and began applying the stain--I wanted to get it done that evening--leaving the door in the frame. As a result, it was exceptionally difficult to apply stain to the bottom side of the door...even after I propped the door open with a spare 2x8 I had lying around the stop.
You'd think I might say to myself, as I'm lying on my back on the cold concrete, something like "There has got to be an easier way..." but nope, I just pressed on. Trying to crawl around the propped open door, I did most of the underside of the door lying on my back. Unfourtunately, this didn't result in the most even application of the stain.
So, tonight I did what should have occured to me in the first place and pulled the pins out of the hinges, removed the door from its frame, and put it on a pair of proper sawhorses where I could apply another stain coat and (hope to) even out the original finish I'd created.
It's not the worst of mistakes I've made (and probably not the worst I'll still make) but it does still make me feel sheepish to confess how much we're still making it up as we go along on this house.
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Comments
Imprevious? Come on, Aaron, you can do better than that. Besides, one of the earlier posts suggested you remove the door!! I would wager your beautiful wife,mother-to-be, would know better...POPS -30-
Posted by: POPS | October 23, 2005 10:45 AM
POPS, I don't claim any pride in my spelling so thanks for the catch. You're also correct, Nick's comment made me realize I should have taken the door off it's hinges...sorry if I didn't give credit where due.
Posted by: Aaron | October 23, 2005 11:07 AM
See my post today and you'll see we are all learning as we go. And when we are tired over here, we aren't always the sharpest problem solvers either. My consolation is we have the stick-to-it-ness to see it through and not give up when trouble arises. I believe you do too- but I know it's a pain!
Posted by: Jocelyn | October 23, 2005 1:45 PM
Um, I don't usually comment but I have to say that I appreciate Aaron's honesty. He could have skipped telling us all about this but he was just telling it like it was so we could maybe learn from it. I've made plenty of mistakes when I've been overwhelmed and tired, and will probably think twice if I'm ever in a similar situation now that he has shared his story. I like the real stories I get here. It's why I keep coming back and why its so much better than those shows that make everything look easier than it is.
Posted by: Micki | October 23, 2005 4:08 PM
Hey, at least you got a do-over on "impervious."
I hope I don't have to start being too anal about spelling on my blog. That's no fun.
Posted by: Amanda | October 23, 2005 9:06 PM
don't you hate it when you miss the obvious, and then everyone tells you how obvious it was? i can't tell you how many times we've done that around here...last week, i was hanging the shades we ordered for the kitchen, and i kept thinking to myself "hmmm, these brackets seem to be backwards. i'll have to call the company and complain." i was in quite a snit over it. then ken noticed that what i thought was the front side of the shade was actually the back side, so the brackets were fine and i was hanging them backwards! he saved me from making that embarrassing phone call, but i felt like a dope, nonetheless.
your door looks fabulous. it was a great choice for the house, and a patch of uneven stain will not be noticeable. it's just a little bit of evidence that you're learning by doing, and there's nothing wrong with that.
Posted by: mary | October 24, 2005 8:16 AM
Oh, I can think of WAY worse staining mishaps. Like the time I tried to stain bookcases in waning light (I really, really wanted to get them done, and the mosquitoes in the garage were sucking all my blood). They were supposed to look like black walnut, but they ended up looking like ebony. Ooops...
I think the door looks wonderful. Cannot wait to see it hung!
Posted by: tully_monster | October 24, 2005 11:21 AM
I know contractors who've been doing this stuff every day for 25+ years and STILL make mistakes just like like yours on occasion. the difference is that many of them aren't forthright enough to admit it and move on.
I really second Micki's post: given what you guys have accomplished and continue to do, it's just as helpful (and engaging) to see how you goof as how you succeed. I mean, you don't want us to get the impression that it's all effortless, do you? ;^)
The door does look great~ I especially like the darker color.
Posted by: Nathan | October 24, 2005 11:43 AM
It has been said that the best carpenter is the one who knows how to hide his mistakes... POPS -30-
Posted by: POPS | October 24, 2005 11:55 AM
I never claimed to be a good carpenter--I'm just trying to be a good (and honest) storyteller sharing what it's like fixing up a house for the first time. :-) As for being a good carpenter, give me another few years on that...
Posted by: Aaron | October 24, 2005 12:21 PM
At least it looks wonderful in the end!
Posted by: Kristin | October 24, 2005 2:10 PM
Well, I certainly appreciated this story, Aaron! We're all learning as we go. Bottom line... the door is gorgeous! Well done!
Maria
Posted by: Serendipity House | October 27, 2005 3:16 PM