Friday, June 5, 2015

Deck

Hello!!! Well things are still chugging along.... slowly. During the last school holidays Blake helped me start to knock down the last section of the house which was lots of fun. Then we started on the deck. I had 3 weeks holiday to get it all done and just failed. It took a lot longer than I had anticipated. So I have been spending most weekends finishing it off. I still have the last row to do and some trimming but it will have to wait as the knees and back have had enough. A big thanks to Connor for lending his muscles! I couldn't have done it without him.

The kids love it. Don't have a photo of that but will try and get one this week. The deck is spotted gum. It is really tough stuff, kids have taken hammers to it and no dents in sight. The deck is 15.8m x 3.66m. I secured it with galvanised ring shanked nails... thousands of them! Would have used screws but with the spotted gum being so hard it actually complicated things. We are really happy with it. Looking forward to finishing the front of the house with shingles, lights and guttering. But that will have to wait. The hallway takes precedence as it is very drafty at the back which is making the kids bedrooms really cold.... so I think I'd better get onto it.



Scary moments when the digger was so close to my glass doors. 

All my posts in place and some cut. Next time I probably would use metal stirrups instead. 
My jig for cutting the posts neatly. Worked really well. 
Weed matting
drainage rock 
Bearers and joists.
Was sad to have to cut the joists.





All the kids took turns helping me. They were a terrific help and sped up the job.  Gee I was sick of  hammering by the end. 

I used Organ oil on the deck. It was ok but after reading much material on mill glaze I probably should have gone the Cutek. A lot less fuss. Pity it took over a month for Mitre 10 to get me the sample pots! 

3 comments:

Libby said...

Looks amazing!

Unknown said...

It look AWESOME.... You guys as amazing, just a wonderful family way to make memories that will last a life time and your children are learning so incredible life lessons... <3 <3 Love Lynda and Robert

Anonymous said...

I am proud of you.