Painted Steps

Over the weekend I painted the porch steps with leftover porch and floor paint. First I scrubbed the stairs like Cinderella with a bucket of hot soapy water and an old dish sponge to get all the dirt and green mossy stuff off (the steps don’t see enough direct sun). The prep work took twice as long as the painting, but isn't that always the way?

We had just enough paint left in the can for one final coat, down to the last drop. I was a little nervous that there wouldn't be enough but it was just right. And now the steps look fresh and clean and much more welcoming.

Having a decent looking front porch really gives the first impression of the house. If something is dilapidated, you notice and think, "wow they really need to fix this." If it's in good shape, it disappears. At best, I know a nice front porch and manicured front yard blend into an overall general good impression, but that's what we're trying to do. We want our house to look maintained and well cared for - not the one the neighborhood kids say is haunted because it's falling apart. (Though falling apart is so easy to do! Old houses require so much maintenance!)

(In this picture there are some tree pollen bits that fell on the stairs post-painting. I didn't want to disturb the paint curing process to sweep them off for perfect pictures.)