2026-09-22
I'd been procrastinating this small project for too long, partially because of weather. But it's time to get it done.
It's a facia board on my house that has rotted for some reason. I need to investigate where the moisture got in to cause it, and then replace the board. I'll post a completed picture when done as well as any insights I gather about what happened to cause it:
Rained out AGAIN! not even 2 hours after posting this, I was headed out to fix a clogged outdoor drain on my place and then tackle this.
Anyway, below is a MindNode mind map I had made for the micro steps I needed to accomplish in order to complete this. You can see that I had completed some of the steps on previous days...wait, my next step is to cut a new board!...know what?...I'm only rained out of doing the drain. I can go out and create my new facia board in my garage out of the rain! (blogging this has helped me see that).
2026-09-25
I got the new board mitered on the least damaged end to 45 degrees. I plan to mount it in place temporarily to accurately mark the second (right hand) end before cutting it.
2026-09-27
We got the old board off and discovered more rot beneath that we’ll have to deal with:
We actually used 2 ladders side by side. We got the new board held up there and marked and custom fitted for later installation (after we paint it and deal with the rot behind it).
2026-09-28
I found THIS product at Home Depot to apply before replacing the facia board on top:
I used a wire brush to remove what they call "punky" wood as recommended before applying the product. It put a lot of wood fibers in the air which required a lot of cleanup on the porch and of my clothes and myself. Hopefully I'll get the product applied today.
It's pretty interesting to me that even though I planned things down to the minutest detail in my mind map project plan, that the step I'm on wasn't in the plan because of finding the rot-beneath-the-rot that has to be dealt with. It occurs to me that this happens with projects more times than not.
…Yes, got that applied, and used Kilz primer on top of that up on the 2x12. Also got the facia board primed (Debbie wielded the brush on the new board). We’ll keep at it. We’ll get it done.
2026-09-29
Rain was predicted and we had to get to Lowe’s to get some 19/32 OSB board to replace what came from between the 2x12 and the outer facia board. We covered our work with plastic and went and got the OSB board (4x8 sheet for $21.XX).
2026-10-04
I haven't updated here in a few days, but we have been working on it as the weather allowed.
We got the OSB board cut to fit. The area remains primed and covered due to rain:
2026-10-12
We were finally able to get the plastic cover off of the facia (stopped raining), and we got the internal parts mostly primed and got the 19/32 OSB spacer board in place. We’ll finish priming tomorrow and start assembling.
The Bondo Rotted Wood restorer had worked VERY well even though one can was just enough for one coat. I’d coated it the same day with Kilz latex primer and the “punky” wood area was very hard when we took the plastic cover off. I applied a second coat of Kilz today.
The 19/32 OSB spacer board in place:
2026-10-13
Got the main facia board up there and positioned on a “peg” (drilled in upper center while holding then placed a large finishing nail to hold in place) and measured how much to cut off of the bottom with the skill saw. Marked a line and planned out how to make a skill saw rail to cut the board to the correct width.
2026-10-14
Priming cut edge of outside facia board:
2026-10-16
Now we just have to paint the white sealer line the color of the stucco…then start a”Paint the House” project. 🤪🙁🫤.
