What I did at my house today...

[Vala]

Got the bathroom window done and installed!

I did end up having to remove the casings to access the weights.

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The "before"

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Outside view

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[Manalto]

Ahhhhh....

Getting rid of that old (new) window is like removing a splinter!

[Willa]

Got the bathroom window done and installed!

It looks very good. Getting that replacement window outta there is such a relief.

[Willa]

I spent some time on the scaffold picking and scraping at the paint.

The paint up close is pretty bad. I have some figuring to do about how to deal with the many complex and curved surfaces. Very little of the old paint remains - a small trace of bright red in the center to the diamonds with rays, a little dark green, a little rusty ochre.

I'm still a little spooked on the scaffold, but calm down after I've been up for a few minutes. The sun is intense between 1:00 - 5:30 p.m. then it moves away. The time after supper was quite pleasant and breezy with no harsh rays.

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[Manalto]

What great detailing on the gable of your house. (I have a weakness for fish-scale shingles.) I wasn't even aware of the brick/terracotta trim until I saw these photos.

Do you think a heat gun might be useful for this project?

[awomanwithahammer]

Oh, my goodness! What wonderful detail, and the corbels, and everything looks to be completely intact. I don't see anywhere that looks rotten, just has layers and layers of paint.

I was going to suggest the heat gun as well. It's my BFF.

[Willa]

Do you think a heat gun might be useful for this project?

The heat gun is a slippery slope ! My thinking is to leave the paint that is well adhered alone. The worst areas are the ones that had the most exposure to the elements, while areas that have been somewhat protected are pretty to very sound.

I estimate it would take about 5 hours per large corbel to get all the paint heat stripped off, including in the carved recesses. I don't know that this will improve the overall look of the fresh paint on top ? My first concern is that whatever primer/paint I put on will really adhere. Given the apparent age of the last coat of paint, whatever it was stayed put (ie alkyd paint, with the old high VOC formula).

[Manalto]

I estimate it would take about 5 hours per large corbel to get all the paint heat stripped off, including in the carved recesses.

Good point, and also a good way to get yourself discouraged and resentful about the scope of the project.

I keep thinking a nice muted green (sage?) would be handsome against that blonde brick.

[phil]

looks fun !

I bet if you do scrape the roughened fishscale , there is some risk that you'll pull a few so I'd start by making a few to replace any rather than stressing over the weak ones. You could just pick up a pack of cedar shingles and do that shape on a cheapo tabletop bandsaw or even a jigsaw. you could cut enough to replace them all in an evening. If they pull out while scraping or if they are rot pitted too badly for your liking . you can replace a few. the ones under the corbel and near the peak were better protected so I wouldn't change those. the rest just needs scraping, I'd use a little tarp to shelter yourself but not so much that you choke on fumes. the wind will affect the heat gun if there is any. Of course if you plan to change color you need to scrape more thoroughly. I like the color myself. I don't think you need to get it all off the corbels , when you scrape you'll see, if it comes easy take it off, if it's solid move ahead. looks stuck where it's sheltered. the flat stuff will go faster. some curved scrapers might be handy. I'd tape two heat guns together, You just need to use two extension cords and different outlets and then if it gets too hot just tip it away from the house. in the fiddly spots you'll slow the scraping so just use one gun. If you use cheapo lightweight ones they arent' too heavy to hold.
that way you aren't always waiting for the paint to heat up or trying to scrape when it isn't hot yet. you'll have double heat when it's on the surface and if it's getting too hot or smoking, just tip away a moment then back again. if you keep it on all the time it'll get too hot unless you scrape fast but just turn your wrist and direct it away a moment and you can control the heat that way.
then the paint is softer and scraping is easier and faster.

if the surface isnt' cold to begin with then the paint heats faster so you might try a heat lamp clamped like 4 feet away or a small heater so that as you begin heating with the gun it isn't stone cold. Not so close it's a fire hazard of course but if it's just warm to the touch when you begin it will go faster.

If you tarp you could use a little car heater instead to keep your shelter yourself warm if it turns cool or rainy or too hot from the direct sun.
Of course keeping the tarp well away from your work with the heat gun and you might not need it all the time but it will help if you aren't depending on the weather to cooperate.

part of what slows things is clearing hot sticky paint from the blade, You might nail down a big metal coffee can so you can clear the blade without putting down your heat gun that way you just rub the blade across the edge of the can and keep going without putting down the heat gun or skipping a beat.
if you have to stop to clear the blade with both hands then you need to switch off the heat gun , put it down clear the blade, pick it up again and now you are back to pre-heating before you can commence scraping so this trick avoids a lot of that time spent in frequently re-starting. If you dont;l mind dropping the chips you could just nail down a blade or strip of metal to scrape against.. this way the scraping blade stays quite warm and the paint doesn't cool and turn to stone. If the blade cools too much use the heat gun just for a second, to warm it and the paint and scrape again. then keep going.

I'd use a scraper on some but also a fairly stiff long handled flat 2" putty knife because it is easier to clear than the carbide scrapers. use the carbide when you have most of the bulk off. some of that you can probably do cold once you break the bulk off. when you cold scrape then you dontl; have ot worry about clearing the carbide blade so much. I'd wear a leather glove on your scraper hand to prevent burning yourself. don't wear flammable clothing.
what kind of paint will you use?

[Vala]

Another masterpiece completed!

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the dreaded before...

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Exterior view before and after shots

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