Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Double Deck Construction

It all started with the pilings. Four of them. (Top Photo).

Then the landscaping cloth. I also parged the part of the house that will be under the deck and did any other finishing touches that needed done.

Then I dumped a bucket full of tile rock on top of the cloth and raked it out. Just looks  a lot nicer and hopefully a bunch of grass and other fire hazards may not accumulate under the deck this way.


The bottom deck.

              The double deck so far. I had to get kind of technical building the deck so far. Still got lots to do. Gotta finish attaching what I have there so far, put the floor on the top deck, which will consist of 3/4 inch plywood. The top floor will act as a roof for the bottom deck. I have a real gradual slope to it. The front is probably about 3/4 of an inch lower than where it attaches at the house on that 10 foot spread. It isn't much, but at least water should run away from the house hopefully. By the time this whole double deck is done, it will have costed around  $2000 or more. Just the lumber and supplies for the top part was around $900.00. Nails, screws, joist hangers, angle connectors and the pressure treated lumber. She all adds up. The bottom deck is constructed using 2x8 joists and top using 2x10 joists as there will be some snow load up there. Each deck is 10x16 feet.
                 I still have to finish the siding, clean the chimney, complete the electrical and get it inspected. These are the things I'm hoping to get done before the snow flies. I know I have been pretty slack assed on the my house project lately. I hav'nt had the freedom to simply enjoy life like this for years, and I have been taking advantage of that. It seems that all I have done for the last 25 to 30 years was work, and I am just now starting to take time just for me.  I think about my dad a lot lately. I just recently turned 49 years of age, my dad died of cancer when he was 51, and I'm like wow, he was just in the  prime of his life. But that was kind of cut short for him and I sure hope something like that don't happen to me. Not for the next few years anyway. I'm going to try for at least another 49, and if I can't have that, at least I am going to take full advantage of  the years I do have left. A part of that plan does consist of getting more done on the house as well as having a lot of fun.
            I'm still playing around in the markets, and the markets are paying off for me a little more all the time as I gain experience. I will be the first to admit that the markets are not making me wealthy, not yet, but they have been paying a little extra to add to the monthly rent income. Anyway, that's my life for this day.  


               
 



16 comments:

  1. Looking good. Hope the winter isn't too bad. Here in PA everyone is saying it's going to be a bad winter. But, that was said last year and it wasn't bad.

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    1. Thanks Sharon. Ya one can't seem to totally trust the forecasts it seems. Last winter was alright here too, but we did get a lot of snow, which slowed down the solar charging a fair bit.

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  2. Great looking decks so far Mark! Those are going to be nice! I've been wanting one on the back of my house but haven't taken the time to check into what it takes to build one. Your pics are helpful. :)
    Really glad to see you taking time off from work Mark, you deserve it! Life's too short. :)

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  3. Thanks Jeanie. That top deck will be especially nice to help me remove snow from the solar panels on the roof, hopefully. It will also be nice to just soak up some morning sun and drink coffee on too. I have actually been taking a lot of time off just to play lately. I'm really liking it.

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  4. Thanks for sharing nice deck pictures in this post. It give us an IDEA to design our decks.

    Virginia general contractors

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    1. Glad you liked Sprofile. You can send the royalties my way if you like.

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  5. The double deck is a great idea. We love our covered porches at the cabin. Even in the winter we can eat outdoors and sit in our chairs. Plus, the more protected porch on the north side next to the cliff is a great place to store some of our firewood to keep it dry and handy. - Margy

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  6. It is going to be nice to have the snow and rain off the main deck for the BBQ, and probably even have my freezer out there. And like you say, fire wood.


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  7. Have no idea how I stumbled on to your blog, lol... but have enjoyed reading old and new posts. My late husband and I built a 10x20 deck on the back of our house. Did a pretty fair job, and saved a lot of $'s. It was a slow learning curve but we gotter done.

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  8. Glad to hear you have enjoyed my blog so far Brighid. I took a quick run through some of yours too. Interesting, although I didn't get to far into it just yet, but I plan to have a closer look soon.

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  9. Hello Hermit. Just wanted to say hello. Been away for a while. So nice to see how everything has come along well for you and your mansion.

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  10. Hello Jen. Long time no see. A lot of things have happened, but not much lately. Good to see you again Jen.

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  11. Haven't seen much of you in a while... things good?

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  12. Hello Lynnanne. Ya, things are pretty good. Been thinking of throwing another post up there soon. I know I have been pretty slack about posting things lately and I will be trying to change that soon. Hows things in your neck of the woods?

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    1. My neck of the woods is now the new frozen tundra! We have been experiencing the winter of a lifetime, I do believe (not with snow amounts, although it's been pretty consistent). We've had temps colder than Alaska... and it seems like it's lasted a lifetime, too. lol I'm ready for spring, past ready.

      How's winter in the house? Everything keeping up like it should with your heating system and all?

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    2. Everythings pretty good in the house. Im used to the cold weather and when it gets down to -35C, it don't even fizz me much. As long as Im all cozied up in the house and nice crackling fire burning. Im really liking it actually. No major problems with things yet. I have been running the generator a little more than I would like to be as I have kept the freezer inside all winter, next winter will be different. But its still not too bad. We have had a lot of snow, so it does put quite a damper on the solar power making. But it will soon be time to retire the genny for most of the summer soon.

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