Billy Bob's Swishy New Gay-Raj

[Greg Field]

Three years ago, I bought a 1910 duplex and started fixing it up. The garage was just as old but in even worse shape because dirt was graded down from alley level against the sill plates, which had rotted out. As a result, it listed hard to port and had been listing for some time because the automatic garage door was put in during the time it was already heeled over. Plus, it was covered in horrible beige vinyl sideing over some really good (but neglected) tongue-and-groove cedar siding. The first step was to put in retaining walls to allow me to get the soil away from the sills. I did that this spring in my spare time. In late June, I started the rest of the gay-raj makeover.

 

 

FIrst, I stripped off the siding. Then, some friends helped me jack it up straight, using rams we made from 4x4s and bottle jacks. This photo shows the list. Once it was up straight, I sunk a million screws through the siding and into the studs to reinforce it and insualted the walls and sheath them inside with plywood for extra stiffness.

 

Then, I caulked the million nail holes left after siding removal, re-framed the big door so it was square with the newly upright garage, primed it, and painted it. Jennifer got to choose the base color, which was her favorite: purple. I insisted on selecting the door colors, and did something I have always wanted to do: a tricolore door. The rest of the colors I chose to meld the purple with the tricolore.

 

 

Here's a less-than-stellar pic of the results. Yes, it's a little swishy and gaudy, but so is my Coppa Italia liveried Ballabio. I does not bore me, however, and fits perfectly in this neighborhood, which is full of both Guzzis and colorful folks.

[waspp]

Greg.................. Awesome! Thanks for giving me more ideas!

 

Hal

[Ballabio Bertie]

Cool! Must be a pretty bohemian neighbourhood Greg! And no need to guess what lives in that garage......

[richard100t]

My garage was in a similar condition as yours. Funny I did just about the same thing you did to fix it. I jacked it up & poured concrete in the corners with rebar. I put the plywood on the exterior of my garage as the wood was beyond repair & vinyl sided it. No bohemian paint job for mine, just boring white vinyl.

[canada goose]

Cool!

[jrt]

I like how in the picture, it looks like you're standing on the side that's falling over. OSHA wouldn't approve

Nice paint job!

[dlaing]

 

Here's a less-than-stellar pic of the results. Yes, it's a little swishy and gaudy, but so is my Coppa Italia liveried Ballabio. I does not bore me, however, and fits perfectly in this neighborhood, which is full of both Guzzis and colorful folks.

Beautiful!

I wish I lived in a neighborhood like that.

Being one never to offend or draw attention I may have to do something like that to the inside of garage only.

[Orson]

FIrst, I stripped off the siding. Then, some friends helped me jack it up straight, using rams we made from 4x4s and bottle jacks. This photo shows the list. Once it was up straight, I sunk a million screws through the siding and into the studs to reinforce it and insualted the walls and sheath them inside with plywood for extra stiffness.

 

You may have screwed up.

 

The harbor-front buildings in Bergen, Norway were knocked crooked by an ammunition ship that exploded in the harbor.

 

Now it's been declared a United Nations Heritage site.

 

You've lost any chance for that now

 

Nice garage door though