Deck Part 9 - The Deck made of Dominoes.

The holiday weekend was very busy for me. I worked, and had some family social obligations that kept me from working on the deck.

Today (Wed), tomorrow, and Friday are my days off, and I planed on getting a lot of work done on the deck.

Today was overall pretty good. I got the 8 of the posts up and 2 of the 3 beams up. I got the long beam (spanning five posts - closest to the house), and one of the ten foot beams.



I would have been finished today (at a good cutoff point) at about 6:30 pm but when putting up the last joist (to hold the beans and posts in place for the night), I lost my grip on the board, as it fell over (2x10x20 - Very heavy) it started knocking all the other boards over like dominoes. What you see in today’s pictures all fell down except the three posts and the short beam, and one other post. It was a horrific experience and set me back another two hours… I was finally back to where I was at 6:30 around 8:30 - got stuff put away and did my beer run…

Ahhh… Michelob Golden Light…

A change in plans...

Well, we did not go to Lagoon Park last night after all... I forgot that today is Rebecca's last day of preschool, and the class (and family members) are invited to a Lagoon Park Picnic! (Not to mention that next week Jonathan and Zachary's respective classes will also be having a picnic at Lagoon Park...) So instead of going to the park last night and again this morning, we watched a Minnesota Twins game while playing a family game of Mexican Train.

Deck Part 8 - A Victorious Weekend! + More!

I am on a 4 day off rotation (Sat, Sun, Mon, and Tues). With 4 days off, I can get a lot of work on the Deck done. This is a list of what was done before my days off…

8 of 11 footings were in the ground.
5 of the 8 footings were backfilled and “totally complete”
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I had the following items in mind for the weekend.
Finish making the remaining 3 footings
Backfill the remaining 6 footings that needed to be backfilled.
Start working on the ledger board.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


As of 2pm on Tuesday (my last day off) I have finished the three tasks I wanted to, (not only starting the ledger board, but actually finishing it!) I will put all the post supports on their footings (but not tightened all the way down yet) and to move one pallet of wood that was delivered before dinner.

(The delivery driver placed the pallet with the wood for the railing on top of the wood for the framing. So, in order to get to the wood for the framing (what I need next) I have to move all the railing wood.)

So, I hope by dinner time tonight that I will have the three tasks I set out to have done completed, along with 2 additional tasks.

I will declare this weekend a victory, and call it quits at this point. Tonight, we are going to have some family fun! (Do I smell Lagoon Park?)

Jonathan in performing in a school production in a few minutes, so I am off to see that. (He plays a recorder solo in one part of the production…)

Starting tomorrow, it’s back to work for another 7 day stretch. At least they are all 8 hour days (no overtime), and into a three day off weekend (also without overtime!) I should be able to get some good progression on the deck done over the next 7-10 days!

That first beer and cigar on the deck will taste so damn good!

Deck Part 7 - And We're Off!

I started today and got 5 of 11 footings in!

All that is left is to "backfill" around the holes.
(I have one completly finished)

They should cure for about a week before I put any weight on them.

Deck Part 6 - First inspection...

Just finished meeting with the inspector. My footings passed with flying colors! Everything lined up correctly, was deep and wide enough! He talked about the modifications I made to the original plans, and after clairifying a thing or two, he was impressed to hear what I had done! He said my idea(s) for change were much better than the original plans!

Step two... CEMENT.

Probibly will start tomorow (assuming the weather cooperates.)

Oh, yeah...

I also got the "King Tut" tickets ordered today... Pretty exciting... and pretty draining (of our budget that is...)

5 tickets ran over $180.00.

That hurts... But I hope (at least for Jonathan) it will be worth it in the end! I gueess $180.00 for a once-in-a-lifetime event is better than a few new video games... (But I am ssure the kids will disagree with me on that one!)

Deck Part 5 - More digging

I rented an eight inch bore. The posts need too be eight inch, but bevel out to twelve to fourteen inches at the very bottom.

I was worried about how I was going to apporach this daunting task, but it has gone much better than anticipated. I use the shovel and scrape out the bottom of the holes, and pull up the debris dirt. It's a little time consuming, but is easy work. I put on the XM Radio and just start diggin' away.... Next thing you know, it's time to clean up for work.

I got 8 of the 11 holes finished yesterday. I will have the rest done today, and the footings will be ready for inspection!

Because it's not "perfect" - I'll end up needing more concrete than I originally ordered, and some rebar - but that's ok...

Deck Part 4 - Digging.

The lumber was delivered, and the footings are in (or almost.)

I forgot to widen the bottom of the footings to make them and actual "Foot" (as is, they are cyilinders). But Most of the work is done, I have to go in and "ream" out the bottom of the holes to make them a bit wider... Slower work than using a power auger and making the holes in the biginning, but nessessary.



Ben was home for the weekend to help too. He helped with the digging, helped clean up the thatch that we "de-thatched" earlier in the day, mowed the lawn, and weedwacked!

David

Ed's new truck...

Yup.. Ed bought a new truck! Here are a picture!



Is that druel running down my chin? How is it Ed can drive this truck, and I GET to drive this....



Do you think he would notice if I switched vehicles?? With the average 33 mpg that I am getting with my little escort, I think I'll hang on to it!

David

Deck part 3 - The permit came today!

I got the building permit today, and (as expected) there were a few changes that needed to be addressed...

Along the ledger board where the patio door cantilevers out over the house, I have to add a "double-header" (no, not as in baseball) along the ledger board. So along the patio cantilever there will be three 2x10's running parallel with the house. Then the two joist boards that meet up with the ledger board along the house will also have to be doubled, all the way back to the rim joist at the end. I am still not clear if I will need any additional posts and beams, but the inspector did not list any new footing placements on my plans. I will have to make a phone call to clear up a couple of last minute questions, and then... Time to go!

On a side note... Of course yesterday, I pulled a muscle in my back and it got a little worse today. Hopefully by the time the materials arrive, and I'm ready to "dig in" - I'll be better...

Wont be long now!!

Dad.