The side door project

[Twitchin Kitten]

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This weekend we started tackling the awful and non-existant side porch and messed up door. Out came the wildflowers that was hiding the mess in the warm months and all the block is put aside.

I leveled the ground, dug a trench and put in a board so I can raise the grade with sand so I can use the same blocks as I made the two backyard patios with. I have enough of those left over to do a nice "step up" or "first step" the entire width of the house.

First was the door. The storm door is gone and I'm not sure if I'll put another one back. Depends on if I can make this old door draft proof.

The screen had to go. It kept blowing off it's moorings all summer. So it's off. The jamb needed rebuilding and the step plate was rotted and so was the 2x8's holding the jamb from the house frame.
Those are now replaced.

I should put a new door in but if we replace it with a nice pre-hung aluminum or vinyl door, that rotten dog of mine will damage it. So for now, the wood door with the plexiglass protecting it is fine.

I framed out a new inside 'stopper' with 4" pine and then made a nice decorative frame outside to cover up that nasty aluminum flashing those retards that had the house before me rigged.

Today I pained the primary coats of the frame. Tomorrow the step - that will now be black to match the black and white kitchen floor.

Then I start raising the grade and laying the block and then I'll put a small one step up deck to the door like we did out back.

I also need to get two more pieces of border wood for the short 4' from the pavement to the house and secure that with "L" brackets to form a frame to hold the sand and keep it from shifting.

Before - dangerous and ugly:

   

In progress as of last night:
edit: dammit! click the pics for a right-side up view.