The Deck

Finishing the deck has always been on our to do list. The way the original deck was left, really gave the impression that it was left incomplete. The front edge had an angle cut out while the back was a straight shot, and the stairs were hastily built and not stable. So Jake and picked a weekend and got to it.

We had already most of the lumber for this project - purchased at an auction earlier in the year. So, when we had a free weekend and the weather was nice, we got to work. The first step was to dig the required footing holds by hand using the auger on loan from my grandpa. We then attached the support joists and framed out the rest of the area. Because we decided to create an octagon shape that built on the original angel of the deck, the framing took a little more planning than a simple square. We ended up notching the 4x4's so that the 2x12's fit properly. Then we hung joists which also needed to be cut at angels to incorporate the octagon shape.

The final product turned out great, and we were able to accomplish this over the weekend. We still need to add stairs, but we wanted to add a patio around the deck first, so that will be a 2019 project.

In the meantime, we enjoyed many an evening on our new found deck space enjoying the view.