Jayson's Deck - Up She Goes (Slowly)

[Spelunx]

When will your deck be finished? You've been at it for a while...

We're *hoping* to have ours up in the next two (3 day) weekends. It's only low, and the footings are in so it shouldn't be too bad, but I'm sure a lot of people on here will have something to say about my projected timeframe!

Yep, it seems like ages for me... I had four weeks off work, and got the bulk of it done then, but the F$%^ing bush poles were a riteous PITA, and added at least a week to the project.

I have been painting and preparing the hand-rail and balusters, but there is no point puting that up until the roof goes on, as the trusses would have to lift up and over the rail, adding to the degree of difficulty.

For the last four weeks I have only been puting in Saturdays, as I have to play hockey on Sundays, and I need at least one day a week to spend with my 17 month old daughter and wife.

Once the roof goes on tomorrow, I am going to head indoors and paint the nursery, as we have another bub due in six weeks, so that takes priority!

Once that is done, the rest of the hand-rail etc will go up, but I can do that by myself, so I am not relying on Reg to help me out.

Anyway, enough of the excuses (did I mention I cracked two ribs at hockey four weeks ago?), the deck WILL be finished before summer. (Hehe, that gives me heaps of time)

Goodluck with your deck, please post some pics.

Jayson

[LotteBum]

I know exactly what you mean. Although we don't have any kids, I find it hard to stay focused on one thing. We've got a zillion things we've started and haven't quite finished around the house and I'm rather over it. This deck seems to be taking shape very quickly though, but that's because it's only low and the footings were done by the guy who did the restumping, to make life easier for us.

I'll post some photos later in the week (when I have them). Until then, we'll be working every evening after work. I'm glad next weekend is long.

Lotte

[Spelunx]

Thought I had better post a pic, just so you guys didn't think I was slacking off or anything.

I managed to get a bit of work done over the long weekend, the rest of the trusses went up. The last one was a bit of a challenge, as it hangs out over the end of the deck by about 400mm, and we couldn't reach it to skew-nail down. So basically we chucked all the tusses up there, then slid them along the beams until they were in place, then nailed off a couple of battens to keep them there.

The pic is me up the top, screwing in the last of the batten screws.

On the Monday we started putting the tin on, I don't have a pic as yet, but it will be on the way. The wind picked up a fair bit by 2pm, so we didn't get to finish it, too dangerous for this little black duck!

Last weekend I moved inside for the day and put the first coat of paint on the nursery. The pressure is on, because the 'lil apprentice is due in six weeks (Crikey! ) so the second coat needs to go on tomorrow, then the curtains need to go up, and the (insert needless thing that we really *must* have)......

Anyway, the plan is to paint the nursery tomorrow AM, then leave the house open for as long as possilble, pregnant ladies and smelly paints shouldn't really mix. Then Sunday the rest of the roof is going on.

Once the nursery is finished, I will get back outside and finish the deck....

Until then, enjoy the one picture here, I will post a couple more after the rest of the roof goes one!

Cheers

Jayson

[Spelunx]

Ok, so the second part of the roof went on this Sunday.

I reckong the job looks amazing at the moment, I can finally sit bakc and see how much work I have done!

There is still quite a bit to do, like the handrail, filling in the gable, finishing the deck, etc, but that is all going to have to wait until the baby is born.

At the moment, SWMBO has decreed that the nursery takes precedent over decking..... *bugger*

I told her in would need to buy one of those pink cordless drill's that Hitachi are making, as they are specifically designed for putting up curtains, but she reckoned that $500 on a panasonic was enough for one lifetime.

Anyway, have a look at the pic, and some suitable oooohs and aaaahs wouldn't go astray....

Can't wait to get out there and do the finishing touches, to make it look more like a house with a deck on it, and less like a deck with a house behind it!

Cheers

Jayson.

[Groggy]

Jayson, that's the mother of all decks!

[Spelunx]

Jayson, that's the mother of all decks!

Cheers Groggy!

[Yonnee]

OOOooooooooo...

AAAAaaaaaaaaaahh...


It's the 8th Engineering wonder of the modern world... The Taj-Madeck.



BTW... What did you do for flashing from the centre 'A'-frame roof onto the side wings?

[Spelunx]

OOOooooooooo...

AAAAaaaaaaaaaahh...


It's the 8th Engineering wonder of the modern world... The Taj-Madeck.



BTW... What did you do for flashing from the centre 'A'-frame roof onto the side wings?

Cheers!


I didn't use any flashing, as yet. The pitch naturally over-ran the side-roof, so the water runs down the gable, then onto the 'wings', the wings are angled at 6 degrees, so the water runs off onto the ground below. I do need a little bit of flashing, as there is a small space at the very back, where it reaches the original roof. I am planning to put some clear perspex stuff on the back of the gable, and that will need to be flashed onto the original roof, so I will over-order a bit, and use 20cm or so to flash the top of the gable.

I did think about guttering, but then I thought: Gutter need cleaning, gutters need down pipes, downpipes need storm water drains, storm water drains need digging, too much like hard work for me!

I hope that makes sense!

[MrFixIt]

Hi

Do you often build things THROUGH the "A" frame/scaffold See image.

Though I am not a big fan of the "pole" look, it is a good looking deck

I am curious though. In the other image in post #12...

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...6&postcount=12

...there is a pole between each "internal" corner and the external corner at the front of the deck. Why is that pole there? A design choice or a necessary item?

Similarly why is there a pole in the very front middle of the deck? Design choice?

Keep up the good work

[vlv8vic]

It does look as though it runs through the scaffold, if you look more closely though you'll notice the scaffold is behind the frame and there is something of similar colour and shape leaning against the front. Also makes it look as though the pole makes its way through one of the scaffold steps.
Interesting trickery to the eye nonetheless.

[Spelunx]

Hi

Do you often build things THROUGH the "A" frame/scaffold See image.

It does look strange, doesn't it? I have posted a pic from a different angle, taken a minute after the first, and you can clearly see that there are two trellis frames, one in front of the other. Nicely spotted though!

Though I am not a big fan of the "pole" look, it is a good looking deck

I am curious though. In the other image in post #12...

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...6&postcount=12

...there is a pole between each "internal" corner and the external corner at the front of the deck. Why is that pole there? A design choice or a necessary item?

Similarly why is there a pole in the very front middle of the deck? Design choice?

Keep up the good work

All posts are there for structural reasons. The deck is 5.5m wide, and it is very difficult, if not impossible to span that far with timber, 2.7 is easily done though. Similarly, the posts on the side, in the middle are needed, as the deck is 6m long, so the posts are 3m from the house, and that is about as far as a joist can span. I could have made the deck smaller, but I wanted to make maximum use of the space.

I wasn't sure about running the posts all the way to the roof, but I decided to cantilever the roof-beam, rather than attach it to the house, and I felt that the extra support was a bonus. I ran the front middle post through to hand-rail height, as I think that it looks the best. It also makes the balistrading very sturdy.

[Spelunx]

I thought I would post a quick up-date. I have been trying to snatch a few hours work here and there, between feeding, changing, burping, sleeping, and that is just me ! The Little Apprentice Version II is giving us a hard time, and he is only seven weeks old! Luckily, Little Apprentice Version I (21 months old) is a great kid, so that makes life a little easier for us.

Essentially what I have been doing is painting and preparing the top and bottom rail, and the ballusters. This has taken a long time, and is very frustrating work. I don't know why I decided to cut out my own rebates to make the top and bottom, it has taken a long time, and nearly wrecked my table-saw in the process.

When is hasn't been raining, I have been out finishing the deck off. I have cut the edges of the bearers, joists and decking flush, then put a couple of boards on the front just to finish it off nicely.

I started the hand-rail and balusters on the weekend, what you can see there is about an hour and a half worth of work, so it has progressed a lot quicker than I imagined. I was dreading the job of screwing in each balluster, but it is way easier than I thought.

Hopefully I will get some fine weather and a reflux-free weekend soon, and get my teeth into it properly.

After that, I am ordering in some Hardy-plank and laser-lite for the front and back of the roof, after the mains power has been moved of cause.

Anyway, enjoy the pics, and stand by for some more updates in a week or two!

Cheers

Jayson.

[Burnsy]

Lookin great Jayson Bet your itchin to get it finished before the summer so you can sit up there and suck back a few cold ones

Are Western Power making you put in a dome and bring in the power underground or are you allowed to relocate the wire?

[Spelunx]

Lookin great Jayson Bet your itchin to get it finished before the summer so you can sit up there and suck back a few cold ones

You bet! I am planning a huge BBQ as a deck-christening, and the amber fluid shall flow, thats for sure!

Are Western Power making you put in a dome and bring in the power underground or are you allowed to relocate the wire?

I don't think so. I had a sparky come round a month or so ago to go through the house and tell me rough costings for things, as I want to move some light fittings and add others, plus wire-in deck lights and the like. He said there is a $250 fee for Western Power to reconnect the power, but he is licenced to do the work.

The power comes in from a pole across the road, so I can't see how they could force me to put my bit underground, or at least I hope not!

[Rough Sawn]

That is one of the nicest decks I have ever seen! You should be proud that's for sure!