Okay, so Chris’ infomercial career flamed out faster than a roman candle. Regardless, you can see her debut (and sadly, she told me, her infomercial swan song as well), at AcquaEssentials.com. Our good friend Javier Martinez from Madrid, Spain, was recently in Dallas to launch his company’s line of high-end spa products in the U.S.

So check out his web site and have a look at Chris’ contribution recorded at the AcquaEssentials launch party from a couple of weeks ago. The food was yummy, plus I got to sample something called “Mondariz Hydro Man Cream”. Anyway, check it out, and buy something!

~kp~

After more than a month, it is done. And it’s raining.

View 1.

View 1.

View 2.

View 2.

View 3.

View 3.

The two benches were made out of leftover materials.

The two benches were made out of leftover materials.

View from the living room.

View from the living room.

~kp~

After a week in which we endured downtime having run out of wood, deck screws, and cable hardware, and in which our area saw a wave of thunderstorms packing winds in excess of seventy miles an hour pelt us with anywhere between six and eight inches of rain in less than a twenty-four hour period beginning 7 p.m. Wednesday evening, construction on the deck is finally finished.

Now it’s a matter of letting the wood dry out sufficiently enough in order for us to stain it.

The new deck clocks in almost exactly at 275 square feet, and makes us feel like we will really be able to spread out when everything is back in order.

Special thanks go out to our friend Mark, not only for providing the structural design, but for lending his expertise and sharing his wealth of knowledge over the course of this project.

View 1 - Day 14

View 1 - Day 14

View 2 - Day 14

View 2 - Day 14

View 3 - Day 14

View 3 - Day 14

One of my favorite features: rows of 2x2 cedar serve as deck skirting, which looks great and denies our dog (and other critters) access underneath the deck.

One of my favorite features: rows of 2x2 cedar serve as deck skirting, which looks great and denies our dog (and other critters) access underneath the deck.

Handrail, steel cable, and turnbuckle detail.

Handrail, steel cable, and turnbuckle detail.

This shot shows the deck cantilevered out over the edge of the flagstone wall. The stairway handrail (top right) was a sorely needed addition; the flagstone can be very slick when wet.

This shot shows the deck cantilevered out over the edge of the flagstone wall. The stairway handrail (top right) was a sorely needed addition; the flagstone can be very slick when wet.

Done!

Done! Except for staining and sealing. :-(

~kp~

A little shorter workday Saturday, but we still made good progress. The first seven rows or so of decking material are in place, and our three outside handrail posts, which until now had only been held in place by a couple of temporary screws, are permanently affixed with a pair of six-inch bolts driven through them. They aren’t going anywhere. Trust me.

And the transformer for our sprinkler control box, which had been laying on the damp ground underneath the old deck for God only knows how many years (who made that wildly unstable decision?), is now safe, hidden, and secure in an external outlet box mounted to one of our new joists.

With my vacation over and my return to work imminent, my contributions on the deck are mostly over until sanding, staining and sealing. I’d anticipate that all the construction will be wrapped up within the next two or three days by our handyman extraordinaire.

View 1 - Day 6.

View 1 - Day 6.

View 2 - Day 6.

View 2 - Day 6.

View 3 - Day 6.

View 3 - Day 6.

This mess of spliced wiring and the transformer for our sprinkler system was uncovered during demolition, laying in the damp soil below our old deck.

This mess of spliced wiring and the transformer for our sprinkler system was uncovered during demolition, laying in the damp soil below our old deck.

Not anymore. For about twelve bucks a weather resistant junction box mounted to one of the new deck joists has us breathing easier.

Not anymore. For about twelve bucks a weather resistant junction box mounted to one of the new deck joists has us breathing easier.

This shot shows the ledger bolted to the foundation of the house just below the sill of the sliding glass doors. With much of the weight of the deck now transferred to the house via ten 2x8 joists, we saved ourselves the trouble of digging and pouring concrete for four more posts.

Shown here is the ledger bolted to the foundation of the house just below the sill of the sliding glass doors. With much of the weight of the deck now transferred to the house via ten 2x8 joists, we saved ourselves the trouble of digging and pouring concrete for four more posts. Metal flashing and liberal use of caulk should keep water away.

This shot shows the two center beams (bottom), one of ten joists hung over it, and the decking layer on top. One of our six handrail posts is at the right.

This shot shows the two center beams (bottom), one of ten joists hung over it, and the decking layer on top. One of our six handrail posts is at the top right.

~kp~

Another long but solid day of progress on Friday. All ten of our joists are installed, our hand rail posts are in, level, and at the proper height, and the funky corner around the top of the flagstone steps is framed. We are essentially ready to begin putting down decking material.

Day 5 - View 1. It's starting to look like something.

View 1 - Day 5. It's starting to look like something.

Day 5 - View 2.

View 2 - Day 5.

Day 5 - View 3.

View 3 - Day 5.

~kp~

A productive day Thursday, nearly eleven hours from start to finish, but for the first time our efforts are taking shape, and we can now glimpse what will be when this project is finished.

The day began by attaching seven cedar posts, then installing four beams that span the width of the deck. It took us a while to get everything square, but we are now within about 3/16″ of being exactly square, not bad considering the foundation to which our ledger is attached isn’t true either, and looks like it bowed in a couple of places when it was poured thirty-eight years ago.

Four days in, the deck finally begins to take shape.

View 1 - Day 4. Four days in, the deck finally begins to take shape.

View 2 - Day 4. The beams are nearly finished, and the first three of ten joists are in.

View 2 - Day 4. The beams are nearly finished, and the first three of ten joists are in.

View 3 - Day 4. With the deck now cantilevered out over the flagstone wall, it feels like it will be much larger than the old one.

View 3 - Day 4. With the deck now cantilevered out over the flagstone wall, it feels like it will be much larger than the old one.

~kp~

Yesterday was almost a total loss, as we waited for the 2nd straight day for our lumber to arrive. It finally showed up around four o’clock in the afternoon. Not much time for anything other than to haul it into the garage, and, for a few long pieces, the house, as evidenced in the photos below.

Tuesday was pretty humbling, as we endured what was pretty much a physical beating. We spent the day hammer-drilling into the foundation of our house to attach the ledger (so the house will now bear much of the weight of the deck, eliminating the need for four additional posts), drilling the soil for our post holes, moving dirt so the soil under the deck will drain properly, hauling 60-pound bags of concrete outside, and mixing and shoveling it into our seven post holes.

As a result, three days in and about all we have to show for our efforts is the site layout, our ledger attached, and our post holes dug and poured with concrete, J-bolts at the ready.

The house, by the way, smells amazing with all that cedar.

Day 3 - Home Depot finally shows up with our cedar, nearly two days late.

Day 3 - Home Depot finally shows up with our cedar, nearly two days late.

Day 3 - Our stockpile has arrived. So this is what a couple of thousand dollars of cedar looks like....

Day 3 - Our stockpile has arrived. Most of what we'll need is stored in the garage....

Day 3 - A few of the longest pieces, as long as twenty feet, had to be stashed in the front hallway overnight.

Day 3 - A few of the longest pieces, as long as twenty feet, had to be stashed in the front hallway overnight.

~kp~

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