So. I am trying to fix my home. It's a good home, it has a lot of good memories. And it also needs a bit of help with it's front porch.
Before pictures:
3 of the 4 blocks were super loose, which is a hazard.
And that one brick is all chipped beyond my abilities.
So! I pulled out the loose stones, sanded/cleaned and washed them off.
(Yes, I will be prepping the rest of the porch to be painted next)
Whoever originally did this, I don't even know what to think. I just knew I was going to use all that cement I bought and maybe more !!
I prepped the cement, put in an amount - what looked right, added in the block, added more cement. It was definitely a learning curve! And wow, the original peanut butter consistency I was told to blend the cement into felt kind on the sloppy side. As the cement settled more, it was easier to work with BUT YOU HAVE TO THEN WORK FAST!! HAHAHAHAHA
And no, I don't mean as in super fast, as in you have to learn to gauge if the cement on the block is set enough to handle more cement to get it to the proper thickness/holding needs. Because that first go around, it was like trying to keep water in leaking glass - ie it doesn't exactly work.
Cement drying does not make the porch look pretty.
This angle is much prettier though!
I came back the next day and took an updated picture. It's better, because those bitches won't move now!! Woot on that part! BUT, atheistically, it was not pleasing at all. I had a little bit of the cement left, so I mixed it again.
And slathered it all over the blocks. With my gloved hand because trying with the trowel was useless.
Yes, I see that indentation, but that one brick is just back further than the others and I could not move it out. So...I don't know, but it's still going to get painted.
Again, drying is not pretty.
On a more personal level, my back was having none of this, because I am pms'ing and my period is about to start full throttle. I probably took longer because of this, but it doesn't matter as long as it gets done!!
