The Joy of Painting

The process of exterior painting can be described using numerous adjectives. A few that instantly come to mind are monotonous, tedious, mundane, and boring. So, one can understand my bemusement when the students of the JDHS House-Build project expressed excitement upon hearing that their next major project was to paint our house’s siding.

Given that Juneau’s climate does not provide ideal conditions for exterior painting, our painting operation had us situated in the scene room of the Juneau-Douglas High School. But before we could start painting our siding we had to unload it into the scene room first.

Moving hundreds, if not thousands, of pounds of fiber-cement siding is a difficult task. The material is very flimsy and, if improperly handled, can easily break. So the students employed the potent combination of teamwork and focus to get the job done.

Once the siding had been unloaded into the scene room, JDHS teacher Andy Bullick gave the students an overview of the painting process, covering everything from preparation and techniques to the all-important step of cleaning up.

Briefed on the basics, the students got to work. With half the group painting and the other half moving unpainted siding to the paint benches and painted siding to our stacking area, the once quiet scene shop had turned into a hub of activity. Pieces of siding were being painted and stacked so quickly that those supervising had a difficult time keeping tabs on everything.

With all of their hustle-and-bustle, the students required only several hours to get the majority of the siding painted and stored. Once the siding has been given ample time to dry we will transport it over to the house and begin emplacing it.

Weekly Weather Update for Spring Break Field Trip with Habitat for Humanity:

Juneau: 37 degrees fahrenheit with heavy rain
Orlando: 69 degrees fahrenheit and overcast