Deck Progress

Those of you who are my Instagram friends...sorry to bore you with these pictures again. But since none of my family is on Instragram -- they haven't seen these pictures. And since this is our "Official Family History" that will hopefully someday soon make it into another blog book...it needs to be documented here.

We decided to take on a momentous task this summer. Building our own deck. We've thought long and hard about it...for well over a year now and finally got up the gumption to do it. The hope is to have it done sometime mid summer so we get to enjoy it for a bit before it gets cold. So far, so good.

BEFORE

First step was to have the utility companies come out and mark the area where we would be building. As luck would have it, pretty much EVERY utility ran through our area. We had marks of every color: red, orange, yellow, green, and blue.

Our wood was delivered a little behind schedule...and then it proceeded to rain like cats and dogs all over it. This would become a theme. We have had rain more days than not since starting this project. It has really slowed us down.

The ledger board (the board that attaches to the house) was a monumental undertaking as Eric had to drill into the brick to secure it. He also cut about 6 inches off of the bottom of this bay window. The bay window will eventually become a door that we will use to access the deck (just FYI).

Next came the post hole digging. Seems like every where Eric dug he ran into our sprinkler lines (the one lines that weren't marked by any utility company.) Sigh. But he found a way to make it work. Mason and Eric mixed up concrete in a wheelbarrow, poured it into forms...and voila... Footings!

It was so exciting to see the first pole go up. Man that is tall!!!! I think it ended up getting a foot or two trimmed off the top, but it is a very high deck!

Progress!! Eric and Mason put in a couple hours of deck building every day after work. Often they would only get an hour in before the storms rolled in. We had tons of dramatic afternoon storms that week.

The frame is complete.

Starting to put up the joists (the boards running perpendicular to the house)...

Eric, Mason, and Devin (Eric's younger brother) spent all day on Saturday putting up the joists. It was hard work...but I think they had a good time working together. 

 The view from the window in my kitchen that will become a door.

It is looking good!!!! I am amazed at how it is evolving and progressing each day. Eric is constantly astonishing me with what he can do. It is also great to have a son who loves working with his dad and is his right hand man. They are a powerful team. And we have had other family and neighbors pitch in as well. Many thanks to them too. We still have a LONG road ahead, but we are off to a good start.