April 24, 20197 yr Looking very good Steven. How are the deck boards fastened to the old concrete porch, with tapcons?
April 24, 20197 yr Author Popular Post After an early Lunch this morning, started in about 1100 hrs...hauled a few toys outside, again....got a nailer added for the box-out corner...had to notch a plank.. Sabresaw did a plunge cut, to complete the circular saw cuts....Then a couple tap-cons at the far end, then work from the front to the back...second row of tap-cons were added...was a bit springy in the middle.. then just keep adding boards....hand to clamp a few ends down, and pull them tight, and add a screw, or three.. Fun part was notching around that downspout (will add an elbow, later) then a couple shorter planks to complete the "floor" Not too bad, for just one carpenter working? Finally got help, later in the day...after I had dug out a 2 x 12 from under the pile of lumber, and hoist it onto the sawhorses....whew..( started to sprinkle, too) Brought the "Plan" out, and made a few cuts for the first stringer... Took the completed stringer over to the deck...wasn't even close....came back, cut the bottom step off...and trimmed for height,,and tried a second time Better, but not quite right...lowered the bottom two steps to allow for the thickness of the treads...about the time of the third test fit...the rains came....took a break until it passed through.... later, managed to get all three stringers done, and attached to the deck....when looking for the store-bought treads....4' wide, and NOT deep enough, and I was 2 treads short... trashed the other two treads, and made my own....as they sent way too many 2 x 8s... Had to rip the second board to fit...Back was having "issues" legs were too.... I did use a had saw, of sorts.. I doubt if working in wet, treated lumber will bother it too much... Have a few "Cold Ones" in the fridge...calling my name...another 6 hour day.. Stay tuned
April 25, 20197 yr Popular Post Coming along nicely!! I knew somewhere along the line a hand tool would get used!!!
April 25, 20197 yr Author Popular Post Ugly, nasty, dreary, rainy day....calling this a Rain Day. I barely was able to walk to the back of the wallie world store, and get two saw blades, and walk back to the front, was even pushing a cart around like a walker.Finally dug out the old sawzall.. $10 yard sale find from a few years ago, needed the blade clamp replaced, is all... Heavy beasty...still had a metal cutting blade in it....decided I needed something more suited for woodworking.. because, I doubt IF the little blade can chew it's way through one of these... I managed to dodge the rain drops enough, to mark a "level line" around each post. I used one of the spindles for the railing, to mark how high above the deck the top rail needs to be, at least the bottom of that rail...have one post that is a bit...off, due the the plank below being a bit higher than the rest. rain drops..walk back in, they stop....walked back out with a square in hand to square a cut line all around each post...yep, start to sprinkle, again....lines were done...then brought out the level, to see how things lined up...rain started again....we done. Not sure I want to run that saw while the rain keeps showing up....maybe tomorrow, eh? Stay tuned...
April 26, 20197 yr Author Popular Post Well, wasn't a total washout for today...rain moved off to the north of here for a while....tried out the sawzall... Lopped these 4 down to the lines, 2 x 6 plank to check for fit...had to add the top 2 x 4...sawzall was shaking the post way too much. First, clamped it in place, then screwed it in place. 2 x 6 is quite wide enough...will use the 2 x 8s on hand.. front 3 also were done... Got the rails in place first, then the cuts, including the 2 x 4s for length...getting a bit too dark to work much longer...packed up the toys for another day.. waiting on the Monsoons to go away... Edited April 26, 20197 yr by steven newman
April 26, 20197 yr Steve, hope it works well in the long term. What I was taught long ago if your are going to fasten the porch to the house or in your case the concrete then the posts must not heave with frost. Thus 4' deep footers are required or when the posts heave they will tear the concrete /house or rim joist apart. For surface mounted posts like yours you should construct it as a free floating deck. That way if a corner heaves the frame of the deck moves with it. I really hope this works out for you and i wish you the best of luck.
April 26, 20197 yr Popular Post No dovetails????? Seriously?? I have been keeping track just for that.
April 26, 20197 yr Author Popular Post Well, the rain has moved out of the area, for awhile....bright, sunny day out there.....so Tool box set up? Got the top rail for the front done..2 x 8, then added a few spindles... Added a post for the stairs' handrail.. Will do some figuring on the handrail set up tomorrow....mailcarrier liked the steps, though. Got rid of the skinny 2 x 6 rail, replaced with a 2 x 8...mitered the back corner, added a blocking for the house number post.. And build the back part of the railing... had to work around the downspout over here, too. Do not throw away those 45 degree cutoffs....makes good corner bracing... Front rail does a mitered return....for a plant shelf...strated the spidles at the back corner... Scrap of 2 x 4 as a spacer...worked from the corner over to the house, then started along the side until the bundle of spindles was gone ( have a couple more)... Got to about here, bundles are out on the sawhorses, drying out....getting a bit too sore for a Friday....put the toys away, and then all the clouds go away.. May go out and see if I can just do spindles for a while....stay tuned...
April 26, 20197 yr Author Popular Post Well, bright and sunny, a bit cool....haul the drill/driver, and a box of 3" screws....Craig had hauled both bundles on to the deck...moved one over to where I could open it, and get a few spindles,,,,2 x 4 scrap to help the spacing...had to scrounge one extra spindle, to keep from opening the second bundle (gets a bit messy ) Didn't really take all that long, either..another view? From the "inside" looking out. Details from working around that back downspout.. 4 x 4 stubby for the top rails, bottom rail has 6" structural wood screws that reach into the joist under the decking, little corner brace helps a bit, too.. Front corner, where there is a "return" (no spindles, though) might just do. has a screw coming in from the outside, as well. Toys are put away for the night. When it warms up in the morning, will be doing handrails for the steps.... Stay tuned...
April 27, 20197 yr Author Popular Post Too cold this morning, went to a few yard sales instead, even bought a new 4' level...got home, clouds were starting to roll in...dug out the old Dewalt router ( garage sale pick, years ago) and found a few wrenches.. So I could add a large round over bit...and tighten it down..takes 2 wrenches, btw.. 1" radius Bosch bit ( came with the router, BTW ) uncoiled the cord.. All metal. Cord is a bit worn...hauled this out to the railing... One hand for the camera, the other so this heavy beast doesn't fall off into the mud..you NEED both hands to run this thing, lots of torque... Test drive was cut short by the rain drops starting to fall, but... Splintery, sharp edges are gone, at least along the front railing. More rain, not holding a metal electric tool out in the stuff...called it a day...knees are on strike, anyway.....Router is a Dewalt DW610 Stay tuned
April 28, 20197 yr Author Popular Post Wasn't that great of weather, this morning, Boss wanted to go shopping, and Lunch...got back home to almost clear skies, and warmer weather...drag out the toys, we have work to do...including the Miter box saw stand.. A cordless one.. Had to find the angle of the dangle, first... lay the brand new level down, the a huge bevel gauge, blade for plumb, body for the angle...19 degrees...set that on the mitre saw as 71 degrees.. There is NO notch to lock this in place, need both hand to keep things lined up, so a clamp was used to hold the wood. Cut a 2 x 4 to the angle at both ends, and install it. The 4 x 4 post out front was done in two cuts with the circular saw...too much handsaw work...attach the 4 x 4 to the stringer, checking for plumb....had a concrete slab under the 4 x 4, and used the 2 x 4 to mark the cut lines...then install it with 6" screws....spindles were also cut at the top.. 2x4 scrap to set the spacing at the top, then level to plumb the spindle in place...4 x 4 at the top was trimmed to match...sawzall...and a 5/4 deck board was used as a top rail.. 4 x 4 laying there got a bevel top made... This sticks up above the railing, and will have the new house numbers installed to it....was added to the south side of the steps..then the Boss wanted railing lights installed.. Got these solar lights installed, put all the toys away, and am now having a "Cold One" or two...One week to build a deck? with rain days, too. May take a week off, before the next Honey-do project....need a couple youngsters to clean up all the scraps, and un-used lumber...yard is a mess.. have a back porch step to re-do...have to turn on the Single Brain Cell Sketch Up, again...and see what it comes up with, now that the front is completed... Stay tuned Edited April 28, 20197 yr by steven newman
April 29, 20197 yr Looks good!!! I have had so-so success with solar lights so don't be too disappointed if they don't last long.
April 29, 20197 yr Author Popular Post Yep, if they fill up with water, they tend to go bad..... Punchlist is about done, so...IF you were parked out front of the house, and walked up the sidewalk.. And, if you would have parked in the alley beside the house... These are the views you would see.... This is the main reason for this build...so the Boss and her bad knees can get up onto the front porch...she can zip right up these...Lights and house numbers installed...as you step up the stairs... You get a view of the back corner. Boss went out and found a porch glider at a garage sale..before this build, it would have been on the ground...not now... And, the view out the front door. 6 days of work, average of 5 hours a day...working around rain showers. I am bushed.. thanks for following along.
April 30, 20197 yr Author back porch...and work on the gazebo....honey-dos, once they start, they never seem to end...
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