When the going gets tough, the tough start busting up stuff
We have a covered porch at the front of our house. The ceiling on this porch was covered with crappy, photo-of-wood-panelling and it was ugly. One day a big chunk fell off and we knew it was time to do a fix. We also knew that the raccoons like our porch and we suspected they were taking shelter in the ceiling--that's a bad thing.
I was alone and didn't think to take a photo so I submit this for your imagination: Me, wearing safety googles, a dust mask, gloves and a hard helmet, wielding a wonderbar and a hockey stick (i.e. a long handled pry tool, you'll understand why I wanted to stand away from the prying in a minute. About an hour later the ceiling looked like this:
And there was a big pile of this:
Yes, that's what you think it is (the close-up photo was too gross). I thought of calling an urban wildlife biologist, but I was pretty sure we had a racoon problem. Fucking distructive racoons. It seems they actually live next door (our houses are attached) and just used our roof as a <<ahem>> depository.
Well, we put a stop to that. It took three trips to the Home Depot, some wire mesh, plywood, 35 tongue-and-groove pine planks, two chunks of insulation and a can of Great Stuff, but now we have a racoon-proof ceiling that's very pretty.
Well, we're almost done. We still need to add some trim, stain and seal, but the ugly paneling and racoon home is gone!
I already have plans to change the mailbox, outside light fixture, house number and front door colour. I'm thinking all the HGTV is getting to me.
Yikes, that's quite a project. Nice you've got it critter-proofed now!
Posted by: Miss T | June 20, 2007 at 08:36 AM
eeewwwwww! That's icky! Glad you were able to raccoon-proof . . . bleah!
Posted by: chris | June 20, 2007 at 08:37 AM
There has to be a use for all that "stuff." Maybe the flower-beds? The porch ceiling looks great!
Posted by: Katherine | June 20, 2007 at 08:44 AM
I'm sure my parents would love to lend you their coon hound, she'd take care of those ringtails in short order!!
Posted by: Heather | June 20, 2007 at 08:47 AM
Ugh. We have a drop ceiling in the (unfinished) basement, semi-removed, that has years of accumulated mouse poop. Not fun to clean up! But your finished product looks fabulous.
Posted by: Katy | June 20, 2007 at 09:00 AM
If you love us, you'll recreate the outfit for a photo op and post it.
Posted by: Rachel H | June 20, 2007 at 09:32 AM
could it be squirrels? sounds like it is going to be beautimous!
Posted by: minnie | June 20, 2007 at 09:34 AM
Wow, it looks like the raccons were eating plenty of fiber! The new ceiling is looking nice.
Posted by: Lisa Lowery | June 20, 2007 at 10:25 AM
What a great improvement! Your new ceiling is looking good. Much as I despise Dow Chemical, that Great Stuff really is. (great, I mean)
Posted by: kmkat | June 20, 2007 at 10:34 AM
Ew Ew Ew.
Great stuff is great! I hope you got to play with it for a bit.
Posted by: Emily | June 20, 2007 at 10:37 AM
That kind of work is intensely satisfying, isn't it? A clear enemy, a clear goal. Visible progress.
I feel that way about the squirrels in my backyard, though I have to admit the way the mess with the cat is pretty funny.
Posted by: Juno | June 20, 2007 at 10:55 AM
Ew-w. Lucky for you, having a hockey stick.
The porch is going to be beautiful when it's done, though.
Posted by: Cordelia | June 20, 2007 at 12:00 PM
Eeeew! The joys of home ownership, right? We have battled ground squirrels and a possum but no raccoons...yet. FYI - don't let a ground squirrel crawl into the back of your dryer machine through the vent that leads to the outside.
Posted by: Knittripps | June 20, 2007 at 01:27 PM
Yuckadoo! We have them using our roof as the 'depository'. In front of the u/s window of course. When we're really lucky, they leave a bone or two up there too.
Hateful creatures....
Posted by: Martha Mihaly | June 20, 2007 at 02:56 PM
Nice job! But you may now have to change your blog name to something more demolition/construction oriented. "And she demos, too..." What do you think? ;)
Posted by: Romi | June 20, 2007 at 04:33 PM
wow, you are doing a great job!
and no more doo doo!
Posted by: vanessa | June 20, 2007 at 07:20 PM
Atta girl! There's nothing quite like a big demo project to release the endorphins. It looks great. And I hate Raccoons. Little b***ards have been terrorizing my outdoor kitties and eating their cat food all week. They're mean. And untidy.
Posted by: Laurel | June 20, 2007 at 10:00 PM
Ewwwwwww.
Posted by: deeni | June 21, 2007 at 12:41 AM
Looks like a very satisfying job.
Be very careful with those droppings. And definitely do not put them on your garden.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/nwgardens/243582_lovejoy08.html
Posted by: KarenJoSeattle | June 21, 2007 at 05:03 PM
Yikes. But I like your determination. I bet such a physical endeavor was a good way to get out a lot of steam. Too bad there's no picture of you in your HGTV get up.
Posted by: Jennifer | June 21, 2007 at 11:19 PM
My parents have an above ground pool and the racoons use it to wash their food. We know this by the "evidence" they leave on the deck around the pool. My mom discovered that if she puts one of those tacky moving lawn ornaments on there they stay away. The downside of course is that she has the tacky flamingo on her deck which is visible to the road below... (BTW - there is a huge backstory to why she even has this thing, but that is a post in and of itself.)
http://www.improvementscatalog.com/mercado/search.do?freeText=flamingo
Posted by: Kris | June 23, 2007 at 08:55 AM
That's quite a pile you've got there. I can't imagine how happy you are to get rid of that before the weather got any warmer...
Posted by: Becka | June 23, 2007 at 10:44 PM