It’s now June, and our remodeling efforts head outside to tackle the last large project for a while: rebuilding the old, rotted deck we inherited with a new one that will be better looking, uses better materials, and is better designed to withstand the effects of mother nature.
The main problem with the old deck, other than the fact that it was probably at least three decades old, was that although the posts were in concrete, the concrete was several inches underground. As a result, nearly all of the 19 wood posts were constantly exposed to moisture in the soil, which is why some them broke off easily during demolition. A couple of them were rotted up to 90% through at the soil level.
I didn’t bother taking any photos of the demolition, mostly because it was an unholy mess. Suffice to say that it took two full days of work over the course of two weekends, along with the much appreciated borrowing of pickup trucks from two friends to haul away three loads of debris.
For this project we’ve enlisted the help of a handyman friend who provided a nifty design along with his expertise. I am merely serving as his sous chef while I take a week of vacation to help out. A couple of days in, one thing is apparent: this would be nearly an impossible job for one person to do alone, no matter the experience. There is just too much lifting, positioning, mixing and pouring of concrete and so on for one person to do without nearly dropping dead.
The basic layout of the new deck is not much different than the old one. Handrails will replace the U-shaped bench that surrounded most of the perimeter facing the yard. And the old flagstone at the deck level, which was unsightly and a ridiculous trip hazard, has been removed.
The new deck will have a more contemporary look to complement the mid-century modern design of the townhouse. And we’ve chosen cedar to replace the untreated lumber of the old deck, which should be much more durable and is not as prone to warping as pressure-treated wood.
What you see below are photos of the old deck and a nice, but organized pile of dirt after a day and a half of work, taken during a rain delay. I’ll try to post updates at least every other day from here on out. Provided I have the energy left to pick up a camera, that is.
View 1 - Before demolition. Where we started. Note the drug-induced flagstone-wood border.
View 2 - Before demolition.
View 3 - Before demolition.
View 1 - Day 2. Taken during an hour-long rain delay the morning of Day 2. Note at this point five of seven new post holes are dug and ready for concrete.
View 2 - Day 2.
View 3 - Day 2.
~kp~
