Our New Deck!
We had our deck redone. Below are pictures showing the progress! All the surface decking is from recycled plastic lumber called Durabord. This is neat stuff, which won't grow moss, is non skid, and will never have to be stained! It will retain it's "cedar" color for its life. You can check this great product out at RPM.
There are LOTS of pictures, so it does take a while to download them all. Please be patient if you are interested in seeing them all - it is GREAT fun to see the changes! Now that our deck has been done for a couple of months, we LOVE it! It is everything we had hoped it would be. The dogs enjoy the dry space, and so do I! It sure is nice to stand in the dry area when it rains, while the dogs go potty. Thanks for looking!
Day 1 - Feb. 13, 2002
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This first day, the guys took down the upper deck (very exciting!). The wood was pretty rotten, so they had to be very careful. After cutting it loose, it crashed down to the lower deck, leaving only the stair standing. Looks like the stairs were the only thing holding it up! They also got all the railings down and the decking around the old hot tub. |
Day 2 - Feb. 14, 2002
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Day 2 brought down the rest of the old deck! It is all dismantled now. Hopefully today, they will start the frame work on the new deck. They brought some of the new wood for the frame of the new deck in yesterday, and began hauling away some of the old stuff. This last picture is of the pile of old stuff sitting in our front yard. Pretty, huh? :-) |
Day 3 - Feb. 15, 2002
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Today, the workers took away most of the old decking material, and began to work on the new one! They got the framework mostly done for the lower deck, right off our lower sliding doors. John, one of the workers was very nice, and placed some joists (that will be used on the upper portion of the deck) across the joists in the lower deck, so we have a walkable surface to get the dogs out to the yard. With my wire pen going from the door over to the yard, we have a nice, enclosed space! Yea! I don't know if they will work tomorrow (Sat. Feb. 16), or if they will wait to come back on Mon. With this nice "fix" on the deck surface, it doesn't matter if they wait. It sure is nice to see the new deck beginning to go up! |
Day 4 - Feb. 18, 2002
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Today the guys worked on framing the upper deck, and added some more to the lower deck. They also placed the beams for the side deck. Apparently the guy who did the original measurements, didn't put in the computer program that they are working off, that our house sticks out on the upper level by a foot. Which means that the upper deck is now a foot wider out from the house than originally planned. They will have to make a couple modifications to make it work with the side deck (like having a larger landing at the bottom of the stairs), but that's not a problem. They are clever guys - I'm sure they will make it work. I have faith! It looks (almost) like a deck again! |
Day 5 - Feb. 19, 2002
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| Today, the guys worked really hard and got most of the side deck framed out. They put in an extra support beam in the middle where the hot tub will go. Good thinking! Our landing is much bigger this time around - due mostly to the foot extra mistake on the upper deck, as the stairs have to have a place to end up. So it extends out more, and is longer, too. Hopefully they will work on the stairs tomorrow. Then, the top planking? It's getting there!
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Day 6 - Feb. 20, 2002
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| Today, John worked on cutting the risers for the stairs. He got two of the large risers attached, but couldn't do more as he was here by himself. He needs help to do the other two. He also got the risers cut for the stairs off the deck to go to the yard. Not quite ready to attach them, yet, though. Tomorrow should see the stair framing finished. If the decking is done being manufactured, they could start with that, too! (Not sure when it will be done - the head guy is checking on it).
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Day 7 - Feb. 21, 2002
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| Poor, lonely John. This is the second day he was here by himself. It was raining this morning, so when no one showed up at the normal time, I just assumed it was because no one was coming today. I was wrong! John showed up at noon with a truck load of our plastic deck surface material! He had gone to pick it up, thus was late getting here. All afternoon he said help was supposed to arrive to help him unload, and maybe start putting the decking down. No one ever came. John unloaded the WHOLE huge load of materials himself. Needless to say, that's all that got done today. So the pictures above show all the material that has arrived so far. We will still be getting fence panels for the privacy fence around the hot tub. John said that IF help arrives in the morning tomorrow, they should get all the deck surface on the lower deck, and probably a good portion of the side deck. I can't wait!
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Day 8 - Feb. 22, 2002
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WOW! Lots of great progress today! They got the decking on the lower deck, over half of the side deck, most of the posts attached for the railings, and the other stair risers attached. Very neat! It is really looking like a deck, now! And yes, John DID have help today - two other young gentlemen. :-) |
Day 9 - Feb. 25, 2002
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Lots more done today! John and crew got the side deck all covered, as well as the upper deck and stairs! They used up all the decking material they had, so couldn't finish up the landings at the top and bottom of the stairs, though. If more is made by tomorrow, John will be back (with help?) to finish up the decking. If the rest of the decking isn't ready, John said he probably wouldn't be here tomorrow. I guess the next step after the rest of the decking is down it to build the railings, and the privacy fence. It's getting close! Then they have the front porch to do! |
Update - Feb. 28, 2002
| Well, we are stalled right now. After Monday, when they used up all the decking that had been made for us, there are still some spots that need to be finished. Unfortunately, we have to wait for the decking to be manufactured. Then on top of that, John and several of the other workers seem to have come down with the flu! Poor guys! So, naturally, they have not been out to work on anything since Mon. All we can do is just wait (and hope they are better soon!) . . . |
Day 10 - Mar. 1, 2002
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John was feeling somewhat better, so came by today with Casey and worked on building our railings. Boy, does it look sharp with the railings on! Wow! Very nice. The rest of the decking material still isn't here, so they couldn't do all the railings, as they need to get that in place first (naturally). But they did get all the railings done on the lower deck, so it encloses it nice for the dogs, with the pen only needing to go across the open end! We talked about my arbor today, too. :-) There will be gates at the entrance to the dog's yard, the top of the stairs to the yard, the bottom of the stairs to the top deck, and we decided we'd also like one at the top of the big stairs. Can't wait until it is all finished! Hopefully the guys will continue to feel ok! |
Day 11 - Mar. 4, 2002
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John got all the railings done for the top deck today (except for one panel where they need it open to do the rest of the decking on the landing). We STILL don't have the last bits we need for the landings, or the privacy fence. John is rather frustrated with the company for their delay. Tomorrow, if the decking isn't ready, he will work on installing the "Dry Space" gutter-things to go under the top deck to keep the lower level dry. Cool! Eventually it will all get here and get done! (Can't wait!!) |
Day 12 - Mar. 5, 2002
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| These pics were taken the morning of the 6th, as I was running all day on the 5th, and never had a chance to do the pics! John and a helper put in the dry space gutter system to catch all the water leaking through the upper deck. This should keep the lower deck nearly dry. Now I can't wait to see how well it works! They also got up part of the railing for one side of the stairs. John had planned to come back today (the 6th), but never showed up. I hope he isn't sick again! Hopefully someone will be out tomorrow. The guys are getting just as anxious to complete the deck as we are to have it done!
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Update - March 7, 2002
| Collin, the company owner called tonight to let us know that the materials we are waiting for are STILL not done. He didn't come right out and say so, but left us with the feeling that no one would be back until the decking is manufactured. And since there isn't much more they can do until they have that, it makes sense. The decking is supposed to be started/completed (not sure which) by Mon. the 11th - or so the company promised. Keep your fingers crossed! |
Day 13 - March 14, 2002
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Hoorah! John and a friend showed up today! No one had been here since the 5th. The rest of our decking material AND the privacy fence boards were finally done! YEA! So, they were able to get both landings completed, along with all the rest of the railings on the deck, plus the one railing on the stairs. Then John discovered he was short on the pieces that finish off the bottom of the railings. Sigh! However, the only thing left railings-wise is the second railing on the stairs. At least we have one! They also started on the fence. It is going to look GREAT! Hopefully they will be here tomorrow to finish up the fence, and maybe start on the front porch or gates. Our dry space guttering for under the upper deck is really nice, though there were a couple leaks. John will work on trying to stop those. BIG difference when it rained this past week!! |
Day 14 - Mar. 15, 2002
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| John was late getting here today - he ran up to Redmond (a long way) to get more pieces to work on the last railings. He got here around noon, and spent the afternoon finishing up the other railing for the stairs. This one was a bit tricky as it had to tie in to the bottom of the upper deck. It's getting there!
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Day 15 - Mar. 18, 2002
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John came this morning, while I was in bed for my "morning nap". By the time I got up and showered, he was gone! He was all by himself again, and just couldn't get the rest of the top trellis pieces up by himself. He got discouraged, so headed home. He got the privacy fence finshed, and started on the trellis part on the top. The other side will also have beams, plus there will be cross pieces along that top set of beams. Should be neat! |
Day 16 - Mar. 20, 2002
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| Today John worked on our front porch! He got all the old one ripped out, plus the framing and decking done on the platform. He didn't do the stair risers, as the wood for those was too wet to accurately mark and cut. They are currently in our garage (hopefully) drying out. With any luck, they will be ok tomorrow to work with, and the stairs will be done! On the left is the "Before" picture.
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Day 17 - Mar. 21, 2002
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John finished up the front porch today! It looks great! Very sturdy! And now my poor clematis that has been pulled over to the side for a month can finally have the railings to grow on again! Such a happy plant. :-) |
Day 18 - March 22, 2002
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The end is in sight! John finished off the trellis on top of the privacy fence today (isn't it GREAT?), built the "plug" for the hole in the dogs yard, fixed the open end of the gutters to cut down on the leakage, and a couple little things that had been missed (like a couple nails in one of the stairs). After he got the part done in the dog's yard, we noticed that there was still a good sized opening between the railing of the deck and the fence. After talking about it for a while, John came up with a good plan to shut that off, too. He will be back Mon. or Tues. he said to work on the arbor, gates and shed stairs. That's all that's left! And he plans to come on Sat. with his friend to haul away the old hot tub and all it's pumps, heaters, etc. Yea! |
Day 19 - Mar. 26, 2002
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John came by this afternoon, and made three of the gates, and closed off the last little space between the new deck railing and the fence around the dog yard. He plans to come back tomorrow to do the last gate and the arbor, plus the steps to the shed and other last little things. Unfortunately, RPM is out of the pickets, so John will use up what is here, but will not be able to finish that last bit on the arbor. However, hopefully by tomorrow, all will be 99% done. John will probably do clean up, too. Yea! ALMOST there! |
Day 20 - Mar. 27, 2002
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| Well, the best laid plans and all! :-) John got the fourth gate done today, but had problems with the arbor. One of the tall posts got cut too short. Ooops! So off he went to get another. Now it seems REALLY tall. I thought the other would be fine, but he insisted it wouldn't. It's going to look REALLY nice when it's done, though! He found some pickets at Collin's house, so there may be enough to finish it up. Or it will only be short a couple, which can be done later. But hopefully tomorrow (keep your fingers crossed!) it will essentially be done. And yes, the arbor is leaning to the right. One of the posts had a slight bend in it, and it is pulling the others with it. John will put bracers on it tomorrow to make it stay straight.
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Day 21 - Mar. 28, 2002
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It's DONE! Hooray! John finished up the arbor, plus the shed steps and all the other little final touches. They DID have enought pickets to finish up the arbor completely! Then he hauled away several loads of the debris. Except for a bit of "sawdust" (plastic dust?), it's finally complete! I will take some pics soon (after we get the last bits cleaned up), so everyone can see the completed project as a whole. It turned out super nice! We really love our deck! :-)
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