JavaMan - Computer Programmer and Deck Builder!

[JavaMan]

Well, it seems like every year, since before we were married, my beautiful wife and I come up with one really BIG project for that year.  One year it was putting rock veneer on the fireplace (complete with mantel and hearth installation)... then it was remodel the downstairs bathroom.  Last year it was simply put in 200 feet of fence to keep the goats where they were supposed to be.

Well, this year, it's replace 400 square feet of deck, and add another 100 ft sq.  On the kitchen side of the house the old deck was never ledger'd to the house and it is beginning to pull away from the house.  Soon, my dog will fall into the crack as I bring her in to the house in the evening!   The decking across the front of the place is "ok" but coming loose, and the stringers on the stairs down from the front door are rotting.  So, it's time.

Good thing I married a woman of means as she's going to have to pull some cash from savings to cover this.

Of course, we're going to spend this much on the deck, which means no hot tub this year... and maybe next! 

I'm hoping to get it all completed before the end of June, but I have to tear down the old, put in new footers and piers, and then begin building the new.  All preceded by laying it all out properly and triple and quadruple checking where I'm going to pour the piers. (I do NOT want to have to redo those  ).  Of course, once the framing is built, the actual decking will go on pretty smoothly.

I'm calling it practice for up at the Ranch, when I put a deck on the actual cabin in a year or two 

[OlJarhead]

You might be worse then me! 

Good luck though!  Besides, when you can't work on the cabin this is the next best thing right?

[JavaMan]

Yup, it is!

Besides, it will keep me in bruised fingers and aching muscles - all of which will help the diet. (as of this morning 49 pounds lost - only another 49 or so to go  )

Keeps me outta the refrigerator 

[OlJarhead]

Yup, it is!

Besides, it will keep me in bruised fingers and aching muscles - all of which will help the diet. (as of this morning 49 pounds lost - only another 49 or so to go  )

Keeps me outta the refrigerator 

Nice!!!  What crazy diet are you on?  I lost 17lbs but it's been a big battle!

[JavaMan]

Nice!!!  What crazy diet are you on?  I lost 17lbs but it's been a big battle!

It is a crazy diet... it's called the Dukan Diet.  (search Amazon for "The Dukan Diet")

Starts out only protein for 2-7 days (we went 7) ... then for the next, quite long phase which we are in now, you alternate days of only protein with days of protein and vegetables.  Doesn't matter if it's 2 days on then 2 the next, or 1 day one 1 day the other, or 5 days protein and then 5 with protein and veggies ... (we're doing 1 & 1) ... but the crazy thing works.  49 in 2 1/2 months! (of course, I a guy, and guys lose faster - Beautiful tells me she's lost about 30 in the same time)

Once you hit the goal, you start introducing fruits and breads. That phase lasts 5 days for each pound you lost. So if you lose 100 pounds, it will last for 500 days (yes, you read that right).

Once that is done, you can eat one helping of what ever you want (a helping size is defined by you) - you just can't have seconds - 6 days a week, and the last day is a protein only day.

The other thing he does is requires you to be active - moving.  One thing he says to cut out are the elevators and escalators - stairs are the mode of changing floors for the rest of your life. (of course, if you have 10 floors, maybe do a couple and then catch the elevator for the rest!)

I'll let you know how it's going when I get to the goal ... and then how the "acclimation" goes - adding in the fruits and breads (I love good, fresh bread)

[JavaMan]

Well, yes, it's been a while on this thread. 

But the deck is finally underway!  Yippie!

We took delivery of over $8100 work of lumber and Trex a couple weeks ago, and I started pulling the old deck apart up by the front door.

Add in the railings and the footing and a few other "Incidentals" and it will top out probably close to $11,000!   But here, who am I to complain.  We got a hot tub for free recently, so deck and hot tub together would have run over $20K, so it's like a 1/2 price sale... 

And what I found was ... No pressure treated lumber was used in the current deck - at least not at the "front" doorway.  All of which means that there is more work here than I originally thought.

So far the deck is down from the front, the fascia off of the rafters, and now I've poured two of the four footings and ordered some of the additional stuff that I will need.

Tonight, I get to pour the first two columns (I always wanted to play with tube forms! ) ... on top of those go some posts, then a bean across and we're on our way.  Another set about 6 feet further out from the house and beyond that stairs.

I've been taking a few pictures, so hopefully will find some time to take them off the camera soon.