Siding - Summer 2012

One of the major house projects we had hoped to complete this summer was to have siding installed on the house. Last Fall, David and I completed two rows of the house wrap ourselves which, if you remember from our posts, was more than a challenge for us due to the height. To finish the job, he asked another missionary to help out with the higher rows which required using scaffolding. We worked to cover the house with house wrap before last year's winter weather arrived to help protect the OSB. 

Fast forward to Spring and the above photo proves that we definitely had some strong winds during the winter months.

With the OSB exposed we knew that we needed to get the house wrap on again and do our best to purchase the siding needed to close it all in.

Praise the Lord, just in time, He provided the funds for us to be able to both purchase the siding and pay to have it installed.

As soon as the weather was warm enough to work comfortably, the men whom we hired came out to begin the process. Due to our extreme cold temperatures here in Siberia, siding is installed a bit differently than in the States. As you can see the siding is divided into three sections on each side of the house. These shorter spans help prevent sagging as a result of our drastic temperatures in summer and winter.

This photo below is not the greatest picture but you can see the trim pieces all on along the roof and the drain pipes, even though we have to finish them on the bottom end, are in place. 

I can't tell you what a blessing it is for us to have an all siding intact, closed in, and completed looking house! 

We plan on finishing the foundation walls, where you can see the yellow insulation below the siding, off with artificial rock at a later date but we are excited to have this "siding" chapter closed in our home building process.

Finishing the House Wrap - All the Way Up!

Several posts ago I mentioned how we needed to get the house wrap on the house completed up to the roof. With the sloped position of our land, some areas around the house are very high from the ground to the roof. At the beginning of these efforts, David and I were going to have to do this work alone. We couldn't seem to find any help since the builders we know were all busy themselves with other projects. So, my hubby gave it some thought and built this huge ladder for us to use. We managed to get it vertical with just the two of us, by pulling it up by a rope through the window.  This was one of those times which truly strengthens a missionary wife's prayer life. I was praying since I was pretty sure positive I didn't have the strength to help my husband move this huge ladder all the way around the house! Within a few minutes of our raising the ladder it began raining which meant that we couldn't work any longer that day (answer to prayer). It rained the next day as well (answer to prayer). By the third day, David was able to get some young men who work for a friend of ours to do the job! YES! (Prayer completely answered!) I was very happy to say the least! After several days of them working, talking about how scary it was to have to climb up the scaffolding all the way to the top and saying how they didn't have the strength to move that ladder anymore, I was really rejoicing.

THE Ladder!

Praise the Lord, every day the guys worked on the house wrap we had beautiful sunny weather. So, since they were busy doing this job, David and I were able to get some other work done inside the house and in the garden.

A smaller ladder the guys were able to put on top of the scaffolding

Now that the house wrap is on we can go forward with the insulation and drywall on the inside.

Wrapping It Up

One of our recent projects while the weather has been dry and sunny is getting the house wrap on. David spent time carefully sealing up every seam on the exterior of the house before we stapled the house wrap in place. I have definitely learned a lot from being the closest available helper for him as he works. Sometimes that may make things more difficult for him, I'm afraid! 

He even made this handy roller stick for me to put the roll of house wrap onto; thus, making it easier for me to hold the roll as high as it needed to be held and to help keep it straight and smooth as we worked around the house.

So, after a few days, we were able to complete the first two rows of wrap all the way around. It took more time for us to move the scaffolding around and re-position than it did to actually work with the house wrap. As you can see, there is still more to be done, higher. But, that is one job he will wait for another man to help him with. I am just not too steady on scaffolding - not at all, as a matter of fact!