Our deck just showed up. [Archive] - Cigar Asylum Cigar Forum

shilala

06-17-2011, 01:55 PM

We've been doing a bunch of work on the house since Spring. I put in beds for bushes, stone around them, started building cabinets for all the walls in the garage (every square inch of walls), added a piece of concrete to widen our driveway, and we just finished a sidewalk that goes from front to back, and got our garden in.
The big project is our deck.
It's enormous. I have no idea what I was thinking. I do all this stuff myself, aside from hiring a buddy to help with the concrete, and it takes me forever. He helped pour the 21 concrete piers, they were 48" deep and we used 8" form tubes. We mixed all that by hand, it was a job.
So the deck is ready to go up, finally.
I designed it and drew the plans a few weeks ago, got all the permits from zoning, the building commission and the homeowner's association, and just bought all the screws and fasteners and stuff yesterday.
I ordered the lumber yesterday and it showed up just a little while ago. When it came off the truck and I got a good look at it, I just about puked. This thing is gonna be the end of me.
Fortunately my father-in-law is going to help, so we should have it done in about a week, weather permitting.
I figured I'd post up pics as it goes so I can see the start-to-finish.
Here she is in imagination stage...

That's our house, the pile, my sweet baby, and the boy.
http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad96/scottshilala/15e5b380.jpg

This is just a shot from the other end of the pile.
http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad96/scottshilala/a932b290.jpg

Ranger_B

06-17-2011, 01:57 PM

Scott just remember one board at a time. The next thing you know it will be done and youll be proud and on to the next project........ Staining. LOL enjoy man!

The Poet

06-17-2011, 02:00 PM

A deck? Hell, Scott, you could build the whole damn ship with all that lumber! :r

Best of luck with it, brother.

Remo

06-17-2011, 02:00 PM

Good luck, it will look/be great when done :tu but I don't envy the building part :r

Remo

06-17-2011, 02:02 PM

p.s after the deck you need a fence, "good fences makes for good neighbors" or something like that, lol

Commander Quan

06-17-2011, 02:02 PM

So when will you be having the first herf on it? :tu

shilala

06-17-2011, 02:02 PM

Scott just remember one board at a time. The next thing you know it will be done and youll be proud and on to the next project........ Staining. LOL enjoy man!
I can stain this stuff immediately, so it'll be stained before the screws even cool down. :D

688sonarmen

06-17-2011, 02:04 PM

It's going to look great, or build and Arc like Bruce Allmighty:D

kelmac07

06-17-2011, 02:30 PM

Looks like you got some work to do brother. :D

Sherlockholms

06-17-2011, 02:33 PM

It looks like its going to be a nice deck Scott.

hotreds

06-17-2011, 02:39 PM

Wow!

CRIMPS

06-17-2011, 02:39 PM

What a great project! yeah, one board at a time.

There is something about working with wood that is so rewarding... for me, at least.

pektel

06-17-2011, 02:41 PM

REminds me of that scene in Evan ALmighty when he gets the shipment to start building the ark lol.

Looks like a fun project! :tu

shilala

06-17-2011, 02:44 PM

So when will you be having the first herf on it? :tu
Probably before it's even done. :D

nofeardiver

06-17-2011, 02:46 PM

very nice bro good luck...

Old Sailor

06-17-2011, 04:18 PM

Wow, almost enough wood to build an Ark....just ask Al!!:r

Bill86

06-17-2011, 04:23 PM

Good luck Scott, Just think of smoking on it when you're done :tu

Ogre

06-17-2011, 04:33 PM

I feel your pain brother. I am building a 12 x 16 shed. My pile was just a little smaller than yours!!!

forgop

06-17-2011, 04:49 PM

I'm about 60% complete with a deck project myself. I went with TimberTech composite decking at $2/ft as I didn't want the hassle of maintaining the real stuff. I'm probably going to just wait until next year when I make some money again to put up the railings.
At least with my deck, I'm using the existing joists though.

But it was very wise of you to do this while you still had an empty lot to drive through next to you.

shilala

06-17-2011, 05:03 PM

I feel your pain brother. I am building a 12 x 16 shed. My pile was just a little smaller than yours!!!

I have to build a shed before Fall, Larry. That's easy. No 20' 2x12's in them. :)
But it was very wise of you to do this while you still had an empty lot to drive through next to you.
That has been a HUGE help all along the way. I want to get everything done before they sell that lot. It'll save tons of pain, for sure.

TBone

06-17-2011, 05:06 PM

Damn, all that work in front of you should be fulfilling...so while you working hard I'll take that vacation you've been thinking about off to Michigan

forgop

06-17-2011, 05:15 PM

I have to build a shed before Fall, Larry. That's easy. No 20' 2x12's in them. :)

That has been a HUGE help all along the way. I want to get everything done before they sell that lot. It'll save tons of pain, for sure.

My previous house was on a corner lot. Before I put my fence up, I had a couple of contractors doing work for neighbors ask (at least they asked) if they could drive through my bark yard in their trucks. Ummmmmmmmmm.....how about NO???? He tried telling me it wouldn't leave ruts in the yard and I was even more sure to not have ruts in the yard by not having him drive through my yard.

I had a concrete patio poured at that house. They presented the option of pumping it (a good bit of money-maybe up to $1k) and I thought nah, I could deal with it so they pulled into the back yard in the concrete truck. I would have been time/money ahead to pump it than all the hassle I spent getting topsoil, renting a bobcat, and then seeding the hell out of it multiple times.

OLS

06-17-2011, 05:30 PM

Especially when the re-seeding is likely because of all the soil compression. That's what starts crabgrass and such,
you can fill a rut in, but it's never the same unless you dig it all out and break it up and put it all back.

BC-Axeman

06-17-2011, 06:10 PM

What the heck? Ya building an ark?
;s
I stain all the wood before building with it. I like having all sides sealed. I also use end grain sealer on all the cut ends. Stuff called Anchorseal.

SoCalSmoker

06-17-2011, 06:20 PM

Is it done yet? :r :r
It will be really nice after all your work

shilala

06-18-2011, 06:19 AM

What the heck? Ya building an ark?
;s
I stain all the wood before building with it. I like having all sides sealed. I also use end grain sealer on all the cut ends. Stuff called Anchorseal.
I would absolutely love to stain and seal everything on the way up, Lance. With the FIL helping, it just won't happen. I'll have to crawl all under this thing with a sprayer when I'm done to make sure I get everything, including the cut ends.
The deck is free-floating, not anchored to the house, so there will be a little room to get into all the ends. :tu

shilala

06-20-2011, 06:50 AM

The father-in-law is on the way for round two. We got all the trusses done but one on Saturday. I did the next to last one after he left and dropped it on my leg. That's when I decided to quit for the evening. :D
I'll get a progress pic as soon as I go out there, cause we'll be a lot further ahead at the end of the day.

big a

06-20-2011, 07:51 AM

Gotta love home improvement projects. Good luck with the rest of the deck and I'm sure will turn out great.

kaisersozei

06-20-2011, 08:05 AM

I feel your pain brother. I am building a 12 x 16 shed. My pile was just a little smaller than yours!!!

I'm right there with ya, Larry--put the foundation down this weekend for an 8x13 shed, got a pile of lumber in the backyard as well. Not as big as Scott's though :jd

Good luck, Scott, that's quite a job, I'll be interested to see your progress!

hscmit

06-20-2011, 08:39 AM

lets see some new pictures

Sled Dog

06-20-2011, 08:54 AM

Going to be great when finished... I spent this weekend power washing the deck and staining it. Next time it needs staining, its getting ripped up and i'm going with composite!

BC-Axeman

06-20-2011, 10:12 AM

I did Ipe. Very strong wood. Very beautiful. You can stain it if you want but it will last just as long anyway, like 50 years. It's like Teak, but not as expensive. The native softwoods are getting lower and lower in quality and my deck was not well suited for the composites they had at the time. They were weak and very strong sunlight eroded them badly. My neighbor has to tighten all the screws down every couple of years as the deck wears away. I think they have solved that problem now. I would put a plastic deck on a rental or spec house without a second thought.

shilala

06-20-2011, 08:07 PM

This is what we did yesterday. We built the last truss this morning and started running all the stringers. That should be done tomorrow and then we're gonna work on the railing and start the decking. We need to put some more infill in for the decking designs and so forth, that'll slow us down.
I didn't get a pic of today's progress cause it was dark, I just now came in.
Anyways, pics of yesterdays progress...

http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad96/scottshilala/e71084ba.jpg

http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad96/scottshilala/8b3aa4de.jpg

Starscream

06-21-2011, 08:44 AM

Good luck, Scott. You'll get plenty of exercise in with this one.:tu

forgop

06-21-2011, 09:17 AM

How many square feet will the deck be? Looks like it'll be pretty nice.

Mattso3000

06-21-2011, 09:35 AM

The support beams look great, how are they going to be attached to the footings? Or is this going to be completely free floating? Huge deck, looks like it's going to be great when done.

hscmit

06-21-2011, 11:27 AM

looking good

shilala

06-21-2011, 01:15 PM

How many square feet will the deck be? Looks like it'll be pretty nice.

Right around 640 sq. ft.

The support beams look great, how are they going to be attached to the footings? Or is this going to be completely free floating? Huge deck, looks like it's going to be great when done.

The deck is free floating, which by definition means it's not attached to the house. It's attached to the 8" round-48" deep pilings with hurricane clips. If you don't fasten a deck down, it just amounts to a big airplane that'll fly away in the first windstorm. That'd suck something awful.

shilala

06-21-2011, 01:18 PM

I just came in to take a little fiver. I locked up pretty good and couldn't work my little paws, so I doubled up on my meds and I'm ready to get back out there.
We just finished the last of the stringers (joists) and I'm not sure what our next move is.

forgop

06-21-2011, 03:16 PM

Right around 640 sq. ft.

Awesome-mine is probably around 680 sq ft and I hope to finish it before the weekend of the 4th. I'm holding off on putting the posts/rails up next year until I graduate/get back to work and make better use of the $1k it's gonna cost for post covers, skirts, caps, etc. until then. I already have the rails, but I'm not about to put them up over 4x4's only to take them down again to put the post caps, skirts, and covers on.

shilala

06-22-2011, 07:39 PM

We got done with all the joists and got the posts up today.
Tomorrow we have to work in the steps by the sidewalk, then we can start with the decking. We'll have to scab in a bunch more 8" infill to carry the deck design, so I'm not sure how far we'll get with the decking. Tomorrow is going to be one of those "work your ass off and go nowhere" days.
These pics will catch you guys right up to where we I stopped this evening. My FIL Bruce went home a bit early, and I wrapped up around 8:30 so I could work in the garden a bit.
Some more pictures...

http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad96/scottshilala/960f0c69.jpg

http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad96/scottshilala/8aae92d0.jpg

http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad96/scottshilala/963bf701.jpg

shilala

06-22-2011, 07:40 PM

And a few more...

http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad96/scottshilala/d7178a3b.jpg

http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad96/scottshilala/ddc0dfd5.jpg

http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad96/scottshilala/fc48678d.jpg

hscmit

06-22-2011, 07:41 PM

looking great scott

shilala

06-22-2011, 07:43 PM

Thanks, James. I'm really excited about getting to do the fun stuff now. :D

Starscream

06-22-2011, 07:46 PM

Making progress!:tu Pretty good size. I'm jealous!

Ogre

06-22-2011, 07:48 PM

Awesome job brother, looking good!!

Old Sailor

06-22-2011, 08:30 PM

:tu:tu:tu

yourchoice

06-22-2011, 08:35 PM

Looking good, Scott!

nofeardiver

06-22-2011, 09:01 PM

wow that is awesome, that will be sick when you get done...

Volusianator

06-22-2011, 09:21 PM

That doesn't look like a deck, it looks like lumber. Now get a cigar and turn it into a deck!

Volusianator

06-22-2011, 09:22 PM

My bad, didn't read everything, it's now starting to look like a very well built solid deck. Now grab a cigar and finish the damn thing!

kaisersozei

06-23-2011, 07:36 AM

Damn, Scott--that deck is probably gonna be more sturdy than your house!

Blak Smyth

06-23-2011, 07:42 AM

That is a huge deck! I'm jealous, I am starting a paver patio this weekend. Not looking forward to putting it in, but can't wait to smoke on it.

neoflex

06-23-2011, 07:51 AM

Nice job! Should be very enjoyable when your finished.:banger

shilala

06-28-2011, 12:29 PM

I have some updated pics.
The red patio umbrella thing (or whatever you call them) was just something to cover the tools in the rain. It allowed us to keep working through a lot of crappy conditions. Now that the sun is back, we just use it to cool off. It was a good idea, but it wasn't my idea. The FIL thought of that.
Today, yet ANOTHER load of lumber showed up. I ordered another 100 decking boards and some 2x12's for the front steps. We needed a couple 4x4's, too.
We keep adding stuff. The underside of the railing will have solid sndwiched lighting and there will be 1/2"x1" aluminum balusters all around the deck. 210 of them. Th thought hurts my head.
We made a number of other aesthetic improvements along the way and she's getting prettier and prettier. Today we're off, so I ran all over and got a ton of stuff we needed and bought the FIL a couple gifts. I got me a few toys, too. :D
Enough blah, here's some more pics...

http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad96/scottshilala/8aad657f.jpg

http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad96/scottshilala/0829c350.jpg

shilala

06-28-2011, 12:30 PM

http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad96/scottshilala/10e638c0.jpg

http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad96/scottshilala/da04054f.jpg

http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad96/scottshilala/31aad127.jpg

http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad96/scottshilala/e94b39d2.jpg

Drez

06-28-2011, 12:33 PM

looking good brother!!!

shilala

06-28-2011, 12:34 PM

I'm gonna grab a power nap and then I'll get out there and get to work finishing all the thousand loose ends. Bruce doesn't like to finish stuff, so it's been quite a battle. I like to finish everything before I move ahead so there's not a week of sucky jobs to do at the end.
Oh, I tested the stain we picked out on a few different boards that were totally different colors. It looks gorgeous, I couldn't be more pleased. :D

markem

06-28-2011, 12:35 PM

sweetness! Amazing job. Hope you get many, many years of enjoyment out of that deck!

IBQTEE1

06-28-2011, 01:13 PM

Looking good

cricky101

06-28-2011, 01:24 PM

That looks awesome! I wish I had skills :(

kaisersozei

06-29-2011, 08:27 AM

Coming together nicely :tu

TheTraveler

06-29-2011, 10:10 AM

Yeah, that's definitely looking good. Of course, in addition to additional herf space, dining al fresco in the evening, and all other benefits that come with having a deck .....

there's also less grass to mow! :D

shilala

07-10-2011, 02:21 PM

She's almost done, phase one, anyways. So it's time for the inaugural cigar. :D
I'll get gobs of pics as soon as phase one is done, then when the skirting and underneath storage is done.
Anyways, here's the smoke, courtesy of Vinnie. :tu

http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad96/scottshilala/95bc5cad.jpg

EricF

07-10-2011, 02:36 PM

Looking real good Scott!!!!!!!! :tu

RevSmoke

07-10-2011, 03:48 PM

A deck? WOW! That's huge? How's your back been holding up through all this?

Peace of the Lord be with you.

audio1der

07-12-2011, 03:50 PM

I really respect someone who isn't afraid to get his hands dirty and do some manual labor. Right on- can't wait to see the final product :tu

shilala

07-12-2011, 05:56 PM

A deck? WOW! That's huge? How's your back been holding up through all this?

Peace of the Lord be with you.
My back has been really good. The muscle crap, not so much. It's giving me fits. Hopefully I'll be back out there tomorrow and get the railing done so we can get the staining finished. :tu

Ogre

07-12-2011, 06:18 PM

Looking good brother!!! Can't wait to see it finished.

longknocker

07-12-2011, 06:22 PM

:tu:)

TBone

07-12-2011, 08:25 PM

Wow Scott, that is a phenomenal deck, great workmanship from the pics.

hotreds

07-12-2011, 08:58 PM

That looks awesome! I wish I had skills :(

:tpd:
Yeah, I can't even make an ashtray!

hscmit

07-13-2011, 07:31 AM

turned out great

hope you have many years of enjoyment out of it

elderboy02

07-13-2011, 07:51 AM

Awesome work Scott! :tu

Ranger_B

07-13-2011, 08:17 AM

Looking great Scott! You guys have a great eye for the aesthetic.

shilala

07-13-2011, 10:33 AM

Here's some update pics. There's still more work to do, but there's a lot of progress since the last pics, so what the hell.

http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad96/scottshilala/b3a666b6.jpg

http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad96/scottshilala/27cda5b3.jpg

http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad96/scottshilala/c561965e.jpg

http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad96/scottshilala/1b8e3346.jpg

shilala

07-13-2011, 10:34 AM

http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad96/scottshilala/11fde8a9.jpg

http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad96/scottshilala/9552e183.jpg

http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad96/scottshilala/57c446f1.jpg

shilala

07-13-2011, 10:40 AM

That next to last picture makes the railing pickets look crooked. They're not. Weird camera angle.
After I go get the kids and go to the grocery store I'm gonna finish the railing on the other side of the steps, and try to finish reinstalling the rest of the railing caps and effects and stuff.
We used rope lights up in a groove under the 8" railing cap to shine some light down around the whole edge of the deck. It lights up the black aluminum pickets, too. It looks absolutely awesome. It was well worth all the extra work and money (ouch).
I've not worked on it for the last four days or so cause I've been in crappy shape. I can put a little bump in it tonight, then hopefully I'll get a good day in it tomorrow.
Then the second coat of stain goes on and all the cracks and misses get fixed. Then I start skirting it and building storage underneath. That'll suck. You guys can come over and do that if you want. I'll supply beer, cigars and food. Whatever it takes. :D

hotreds

07-13-2011, 11:02 AM

bee-you-ti-ful!

cmitch

07-13-2011, 11:15 AM

I'm a deck builder and I can tell you that job is par excellence.:tu

ade06

07-13-2011, 11:20 AM

Wow, you da man!

NeuRon

07-13-2011, 11:24 AM

Scott, you are very talented! looks fabulous man

shilala

07-15-2011, 01:14 PM

forgop

07-15-2011, 02:09 PM

After completing my deck of nearly 700 sq ft myself with 99% of the boards being cut at an angle on both ends, I can assure you how much more time it takes to complete it.

Looks great.

nofeardiver

07-15-2011, 02:11 PM

Very nice job, looks awesome...

BC-Axeman

07-15-2011, 02:15 PM

I took the tent down and started putting tools away today. I have a few odds and ends left, but those things won't require half the stuff I had out there. So I decided to roll up, and I'll redeploy with the right stuff for phase 2.
Phase 2.a
Then Phase 2.b
Then 2.b.1a
Then ....
Is how most of my biggest projects end up. Here's hoping yous isn't that way.:chr

shilala

07-15-2011, 03:01 PM

Phase 2.a
Then Phase 2.b
Then 2.b.1a
Then ....
Is how most of my biggest projects end up. Here's hoping yous isn't that way.:chr
I smell something like that on the horizon. I made sure we could bring the concrete sidewalk around back, but I don't see that happening. Phase 2 is just skirting it and building storage underneath. It's not a big deal, but it'll take some time.

J0eybb

07-15-2011, 03:04 PM

Under Deck storage? Is this where the balls go?

shilala

07-17-2011, 11:31 AM

Just screwed down the last board on this dirty whore. There's some little stuff to do, an evening here, an evening there, but it's nothing that needs bothered with for now.
If I didn't want to do all the extra stuff, it'd just be done. I have to go help the father-in-law with his deck now. That's good, cause I can get reacquainted with my motorcycle for a couple hours a day driving back and forth. :tu

doctorcue

07-17-2011, 04:10 PM

Looks great man! Awesome work!!!

gvarsity

07-17-2011, 09:07 PM

Sweet deck Scott. About the size of my first house. Congratulations.

taltos

07-18-2011, 06:25 AM

Spectacular Scott. My back yard is not big enough for a deck that size.:D

shilala

07-18-2011, 10:23 AM

We had it all lit up last night, I wish I'd have gotten pics. I'll try to remember to do that tonight.

shilala

10-11-2011, 11:58 AM

I'm coming around the last corner with the skirting. I'm super pleased with how it's turning out.
I had concepted this skirting design in my little brain and it looked super easy. Once I started figuring out how to deploy the idea it got really hard. It required me to work from the front side of the deck and the back side, and it was sheer hell. I put a section in and it didn't do the view-blocking I wanted at all and I was completely stifled as how to math it out so it worked. Plus my whole method of building it sucked.
Then I got sick for about a month. That gave me time to think on how to get this thing done. I figured out how to put up backing so I could do it all by myself from the front side and figured out the depth of the inside boards and height relation to the front boards. I went back out last week, tore out everything I had done, and started fresh.
It worked like a charm. :tu
So I've been picking away at this for the last week, an hour or two here and there. Today I'm hoping I can last long enough to get it all finished up.
Then I have to go to Phase III and replace all the wood that's seeping sap, redo the stair treads by the sliding glass door, and finish around a dryer vent.
Then Phase IV will be to try and dodge raindrops and get the skirting stained, stain the replaced wood, areas I sanded out, and all the cracks between ten million boards.
Phase V will be running electric to all the lighting, putting in a switch outside (or inside), and adding lighting beneath the deck to light up the skirting.
Nothing to it. :D
Here's a couple shots of the skirting...

Side finished on the face...
http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad96/scottshilala/854de732.jpg

Front of the deck finished under the cantilever. You can see how the two layers of 5/4 board work so the air comes right through but you can't see through it...
http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad96/scottshilala/2900e133.jpg

shilala

10-11-2011, 12:04 PM

I'm also leaving three sections between the posts "open", meaning I can just pull screws to remove the skirting between posts. Once the wood dries and shrinks up, I can panelize these areas and turn the skirting into swinging doors or easily removable panels.
One area will definately have to swing so the kids can get their bikes out from under the deck without a bunch of grief. I may build a garage door of sorts in that area that will just roll up, or use receding barn-door glides. I can struggle with that later.