The Mountain Cabin

When we first found the cabin we had to park at the end of the lane and walk up a winding path to the cabin. No one had been there for a while and the forest was trying to take it all back; it was too closed in for a vehicle without getting a paint job messed up.

After making our way down the long driveway we made it to the cabin.  Awwww….. poor thing! It was sitting there in the middle of the woods and barely visible. The forest was trying to take it back too. We were instantly smitten! The cabin was sitting there all hidden in the woods waiting for someone to love it again.

In spite of the years of neglect the structure was sound and we knew it had lots of potential. The view was spell binding off the front deck. The elevation on the deck of this cabin is 4412'. At this elevation the climate can be harsh and cabins need to be maintained promptly so they can weather the harsh winter. The cabin was needing some attention. 

So, we bought it and jumped right in. Because winter comes early at that elevation we started on the outside as quickly as we could before the first snowfall comes. The Husband power washed the house, storage building and all the decking. This took a couple trips to the cabin to complete but made a huge difference. 

Look at the difference the power washing made to the deck

  

Power washed cabin .... already looking better      

 Once we had this step completed it was time to paint. The Husband wasn't thrilled with my plan for the cabin paint job but he followed through with it. Thanks goodness for his power spray painter. Whew!

Two coats of primer went on first. 

Then 2 coats high gloss enamel. 

The Husband wasn't sure he needed to paint that last coat of paint. The carpenter suggested he could wait till spring and see how the one coat held up. The Husband liked that idea.  Then the carpenter said "if it needs another coat then you can paint it again but in the spring you will have to tape all the windows and doors because the news ones will have been installed". The Husband didn't like that thought; he muttered a bit but he did the second coat of paint. We started calling The Husband "Darth Vader" because he wore a respirator while painting and sounded just like Darth Vader.  The force was with him; two coats of primer and two coats of paint later Darth Vader was finally finished painting the main color on the cabin. It was well worth his effort; the siding is well protected and feels great.  

The little ugly duckling is changing everyday    

 After the painting was complete Darth Vader confessed his secret. He only painted the storage building one coat; "I want to see which paint job lasts longer".  Hmmmm ….. storage building protected by trees vs. cabin on side of mountain taking the brunt of the weather and wind? No fair! No wonder Darth Vader was a villain.

When the windows come in the cabin will really start to look great. I can't wait. Now I have to work out a front door color.  I wonder if Darth Vader has any suggestions? 

The carpenter has started replacing the trim boards, which I have already painted white. I can't wait to see them all up. He should start putting in new windows next week. Once the ugly brown windows are replaced with the new white vinyl ones it's going to look sharp. I can't wait!

There is lots more to come.

I'm glad you're here, pull up a chair and sit a spell.

Mountain Belle