pgwyn Posted October 10, 2017 Share Posted October 10, 2017 I love it just like that too. It will be rustic and very natural. I like the hint of blue and red. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thimble Hall Posted October 10, 2017 Share Posted October 10, 2017 I agree, it looks ggod random Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sable Posted October 10, 2017 Author Share Posted October 10, 2017 16 hours ago, havanaholly said: Slather everything with Thompson's Water Seal and it ought to hold up to the elements pretty well. Holly, do I need to do this if it's cedar? We don't use cedar much in FL so I'm not sure. Will the seal prevent the stain from fading or keep the cedar from curling or both? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted October 10, 2017 Share Posted October 10, 2017 In our wonderfully humid climate, even cedar over time will succumb to mildew & mold. Our Havana house originally had cedar shakes an the first time we reroofed it we went with cypress; and ten years later they were just as green & black & splitting as the cedar ones had been, so we went with plain old regular shingles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sable Posted October 11, 2017 Author Share Posted October 11, 2017 4 hours ago, havanaholly said: In our wonderfully humid climate, even cedar over time will succumb to mildew & mold. Our Havana house originally had cedar shakes an the first time we reroofed it we went with cypress; and ten years later they were just as green & black & splitting as the cedar ones had been, so we went with plain old regular shingles. Good point. Anything with nooks and crannies develops mildew here and these shakes are full of them. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sable Posted October 11, 2017 Author Share Posted October 11, 2017 With all of the expensive tools I have, a chisel is working out to be the best tool for carving the stairs. The main problem is that the stump is so green and alive. It's not like chiseling dried wood. It weeps a milky sap as I cut into it and I keep telling it not to cry, I'm making it into something special. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sable Posted October 11, 2017 Author Share Posted October 11, 2017 We've discussed this film before but we have a lot of newbies who will enjoy this. It's in keeping with the tree stump theme. I cried the first time I saw it. http://www.thegnomistfilm.com/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted October 11, 2017 Share Posted October 11, 2017 1 hour ago, Sable said: We've discussed this film before but we have a lot of newbies who will enjoy this. It's in keeping with the tree stump theme. I cried the first time I saw it. http://www.thegnomistfilm.com/ Oh, THANK YOU! for posting that link again! I love that film. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sable Posted October 13, 2017 Author Share Posted October 13, 2017 Just not loving the blue stain on the roof so I'm spray painting it brown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sable Posted October 13, 2017 Author Share Posted October 13, 2017 The copper roof ridge is too reflective. Anyone walking in the rear yard will be blinded by the sun during certain times of the day. So I'll probably paint it brown, too. Original design in head just won't work in reality. Also, the scale of the roof renders much larger doors and windows than I would have liked. Maybe I'll pay the $550 to have the whole stump uprooted! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 Or let one of your neighbors with an ax chop a concavity into it and let Nature turn it back into compost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 12 minutes ago, Sable said: than I would have liked. There's the problem. We've all learned that it isn't what we would like --- it's up to the house. Let it rest a bit after its traumatic experience and it will eventually let show you what it wants. (As for the copper, it won't stay shiny forever. Natural aging should take place fairly quickly in your salty, humid climate.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sable Posted October 13, 2017 Author Share Posted October 13, 2017 15 minutes ago, havanaholly said: Or let one of your neighbors with an ax chop a concavity into it and let Nature turn it back into compost. Pool acid poured on top usually does the trick but it's not very eco friendly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sable Posted October 13, 2017 Author Share Posted October 13, 2017 9 minutes ago, KathieB said: (As for the copper, it won't stay shiny forever. Natural aging should take place fairly quickly in your salty, humid climate.) The copper panel is actually copper colored aluminum so I don't really know if it would age like normal copper since I don't know what "copper colored" really means. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grazhina Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 I'm seeing that the stump already has a roof, the cut part is nice and solid and would protect those living within from rain and wind. I see tiny windows all over the place, you just need to accentuate them with a bit of paint, some bark awnings,or twigs. Some are open, some are closed. A door is tucked away in a crevice, you'd just be able to see it. I think it's a blue one. I think I see some tiny rope ladders too. A second door would be nice. A house should have 2 doors, one might need to go in or out the back way. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sable Posted March 5, 2018 Author Share Posted March 5, 2018 This is a photo of my attempt at cutting out steps into the tree stump. The wood is soft and fibrous. It looks like it is going to crumble as it dries out. The chisel I was using while it was still green wood is just taking chucks out. I’m hoping my Dremel will soften the steps out. If it doesn’t then the entire project will turn into crumbling saw dust and I’ll have to have the stump removed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debsrand56 Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 Oh, no! Fingers crossed that your Dremel works. This is such a great project. Is there a way, once the steps are cut, to paint/varnish/something to preserve the wood and keep it from crumbling? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sable Posted March 5, 2018 Author Share Posted March 5, 2018 59 minutes ago, Debsrand56 said: Oh, no! Fingers crossed that your Dremel works. This is such a great project. Is there a way, once the steps are cut, to paint/varnish/something to preserve the wood and keep it from crumbling? I thought about that and might try it. However, our high humidity, monsoon rains and hot Florida sun usually destroys wood sealers. Maybe I’ll stop the steps where they are and place the door there instead of continuing the steps any further up the root. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thimble Hall Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 Sable, I think this is a terrific project and am very envious of your garden stump, it was sad that it happened the way it did but it is coming to life again in your hands. I have just watched the film for the first time and I was very emotional through out the whole thing there is nothing I can add in relation to it as it speaks beautifully for itself,, and yes I cried too. I have no magic words to make your fairy house last but I do so hope you keep going with it, little bits here and there when you can. I was looking at sites last week for ideas for weathering houses and I found myself on a railway site, I am sorry I can't remember which one but I do remember a spray they had with simulated verdigris on copper colored metal alloy maybe you can track that down. I remember because I thought the metal may make an interesting roof on a tiny house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sable Posted March 5, 2018 Author Share Posted March 5, 2018 I had used copper sheets but they reflected to sun too much. It was blinding. So I had to paint them brown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thimble Hall Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 Oh OK, well maybe the humidity will remove patches of the brown paint and let bits of the copper shine through. I think it is going to be beautiful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 2 hours ago, Sable said: Maybe I’ll stop the steps where they are and place the door there instead of continuing the steps any further up the root. What if the steps went only so far and then a rustic ladder continued on up to where you had planned the doorway to be? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sable Posted March 5, 2018 Author Share Posted March 5, 2018 25 minutes ago, KathieB said: What if the steps went only so far and then a rustic ladder continued on up to where you had planned the doorway to be? Thought about that. Too hard to get the groceries up a ladder. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 Well the fairy wouldn't need steps OR ladder to schlep stuff, they would just be for his/ her non-flying visitors, no? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thimble Hall Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 I think the steps would be good for placing things on, I do agree the fairies may not need to use them to get to the door,but the vision of the house is yours Sable not mine, whatever you choose I think it is a lively idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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