We decided most definitely NOT to paint the exterior of our house this year (time and money being two key factors) but that doesn’t mean we’ll be slacking off all season. Some type of progress must be made, because right now I don’t know what to do with myself when the weekend rolls around there is no big project to dive into. It’s not natural to me anymore, all this free time. Relaxing is perhaps a talent one must practice regularly to enjoy, because I can’t seem to take delight in it. I keep finding weird time-wasting things to keep busy with so that I feel “productive”. If it gets any worse, I’ll be putting my canned goods in reverse alphabetical order, cross-referenced by season.

So, we’re back to talking fences again. We spent a lot of energy last spring debating about what type of fence to buy or build and what portion of the backyard it should cover. Then, just when we had it all figured out, we ran out of mental energy and just gave up.

This year, I am determined to get a fence up. The dogs are driving us batty and could really, really, really use a yard that they can run around in safely. All the walking in the world does not seem to tire Nero (our min-pin) out, so maybe some leg stretching and green-grass-rolling will help his psyche. Plus, Teague is determined to get a small deck put up out back and it’ll be much cozier if there is a fence surrounding it.

We did talk to fence companies to get some price quotes, but the labor costs are extraordinarily high. Even with a hefty tax refund in our pockets, it’s out of our league. So, DIY it is.  We’re already the proud owners of a post-hole digger, so Teague is going to have to teach me how to use it.  Based on the area we plan to fence in (about half the back yard), we’re planning on buying 25 8′ sections of fence and putting in two gates.  That means close to 30 post holes. Imagine what buff biceps I will have when I’m done digging! You’ll be needing tickets for the gun show pretty soon.

We’re going pre-built and affordable, so the style will most likely  be a traditional Cape Cod picket:

Lowes and Home Depot both sell 8’w x 4’h high sections of pressure treated pine in a similar style. Cedar is quite a bit pricier (though obviously better looking) and vinyl is just out of the question for me. I am not a fan of shiny fences!

I absolutely adore the look of white painted fences, and this would match our house trim and the Victorian style. But I don’t want to have a maintenance nightmare on our hands. We’ve got enough to keep up with already, so paint is probably out of the question.

I’m curious about white washing, a technique that was used frequently in the 17th and 18th century both indoors and out, and used mostly for exterior purposes (fences, barns, etc.) in the 19th century. Does anyone have experiene with it firsthand? I always assumed whitewash was some type of paint, but it is actually a thinned down plaster made from hydrated lime. I found plenty of articles with recipes, and the process itself doesn’t seem tough. But I can’t find any information about it’s wearabilty. I did read that white wash does not peel the way that paint will, so it should degrade more gracefully than, say, latex. Is it something we’d have to re-do every year? Every few years?
Thoughts? Suggestions? Bueller? Bueller? Anyone?

Some interesting links on whitewashing:

How to whitewash – Directions and a recipe from ehow.com

Whitewashing tips – Tips and technique AskTheBuilder.com

Whitewash receipe – A recipe and directions from the Old House Web forums