Kara has had a busy past couple of weeks so I thought I would show you one of my recent projects to give her a little respite. The thing we like the least about our house has to be our carport. We would much rather have a garage, but we have done our best to make lemonade out of these lemons.
For those of you new to the blog here is a little run down of what we have done in the past to help our curb appeal.
You can see the carport and into the neighbor’s driveway from our living room and hall windows. We keep enough of our own in progress projects and other things under there we don’t need to add the neighbors sweet ride to the scene. So here is the before.
We had tried to use string to encourage the ivy to grow up instead of puddle on the ground, but that didn’t weather the elements too well and the ivy was a bit thin. So I decided to step up my screen game with some 5/4″x 6″ deck planks.
I used sheet metal screws that were approved to fasten treated lumber and attached the right side of my bottom board and then used a level to make sure I got things started on the right foot.
I used a scrap piece as a spacer and made sure that I kept a 1″ overhang on the right side while I let the left side run past.
Once I had all the boards in place I used a chalk line to mark the left side and cut the excess off with a circular saw.
Now if Kara had her way this is where the project would have ended. She just wanted to manicure the ivy, but leave it be at the bottom, but to me this wasn’t enough. So I painstakingly weaved the ivy through the boards by hand. Look at the difference it makes. The car virtually disappears.
So could all the readers with superior design sensibility please chime in and let Kara know that she is blessed to have a husband with such sophisticated taste. If you prefer the former let Kara know so she doesn’t feel like she is the only one unable to appreciate true design genius.
I will check back when I have more time, when the NBA playoffs are over. Anyone else watching?
Tim, I like the new look! Great work!
I can’t believe what a difference putting the ivy through made! Good job husband figure.
Go Heat!
It’s perfect!! Great job.
Pat yourself on the back Tim! Clearly your amazing design sense and commitment to giving it all =) gave a great result. Seriously, I like it a lot! We have some screening issues as well and this idea might work for us. I’ll be telling my husband about your intense drive and determination when ivy weaving becomes necessary 😉
I would have been tempted to leave the ivy on the ground out of pure laziness but that one extra step makes all the difference!
I had my doubts about the whole project until you weaved the ivy through…well done!
Tim: Wow! this looks great and I have to say that I love the ivy climbing the boards. Cindy
That looks great! I think it was so much better even just with the boards, but weaving the ivy through really added that extra something.
I think it looks great!!! If you got some wisteria to start growing up it would be even more awesome! But it definitely is a good looking way to get more privacy and block your neighbor’s “sweet ride” lol:)
okay, I admit the ivy does look awesome and the project was genius. but Kara is still the pretty one. : ) and yes, we are obsessed with the NBA playoffs! disappointed that the Thunder lost but still SO SO proud of how they did all season long. are you going for the Mavs or the heat to win it all?
No argument that Kara is by far the prettier one. It has been a great playoffs for me. The last 5 teams left were probably my five favorite and the last two are my most favorite. I like Miami more, but I am afraid Dirk is going to have fewer opportunities to win a title than Lebron so I wouldn’t be heart broken if the Mavs win. I am hoping for 7 games, Kara would prefer a sweep so my productivity returns a bit sooner.
Tim
lol.. i’m late for this dance but I like it with the ivy.. but in my case I would have had a solid wall! Good job hubby man! Are you for hire???