The pressure treated lumber shortage is very real. I run a lumberyard in Southern Illinois and have not been able to purchase any for several weeks. It has doubled in price in the last 3 months. I hope you are able to get your deck done. It will be a wonderful addition to your yard.
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Today turned out to be reasonably productive day. With Barbara's help we moved and spread about 3 tons of stone. Didn't quite finish, but will tomorrow.
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Today, after Barbara got home from work, we set the first set of posts. Had to stop because the skeeters were gathering for an attack. I set the first post before she came home by running a 12' joist from the high spot on the patio and leveled it and clamped it to a batter board (2x4) sitting in the footing block. I drew a pencil line across the 2x4 along the bottom edge of the joist, then measured down from there the width of the 2x8s I have and drew a line with a speed square. I then measured from that line to the end of the board and transferred that measurement to a pressure treated 4x4 and cut it with my miter saw. When Barbara came home, we used a water level to transfer the height of that first post to each successive post and cut them. I put the 4 foot level across each pair of posts as I set them and they were so dead perfect level. I attribute that to Barbara's accuracy with the water level (and mine marking the post and cutting.) Tomorrow I'll do the second row.
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Wow, what a project for the two of you! I'm really impressed. That new deck is going to be worth all the effort, though. You're doing a beautiful job. I enjoy reading about the precision with which you're completing each task.
KathrynComment
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Last edited by Dewesq55; August 16, 2020, 07:14 PM.Comment
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Looking good so far! Here's wishing you good luck on finding the lumber you need!Comment
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Here's what I did yesterday and today. It doesn't look like much but there was a lot of fusding and fidgeting to get everything level (yesterday) and square (today). The 2 boards screwed down across 2 corners are to hold everything square. I only got joist hangers on one side today, as I got tuckered out. Tomorrow I will construct one of the beams (I don't have the lumber for the second one yet) and finish the first module (in case it wasn't apparent, I'm building the deck modularly) and maybe get started on the next one.
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Enjoying this. Thank you for sharing. Looking forward to more.Comment
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So far today. We have thunderstorms at the moment. I'm hoping to get something else done before sundown, but who knows.
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No actual progress photos today. As noted elsewhere, we have a Bilco cellar door which needs to be framed around, which is a bit complicated, at least for me. I won't most of yesterday and today working it all out and dry fitting everything. Just when I thought I was about ready to screw it all together, I discovered I'd made an error and the Bilco door want going to be able to open. So I have to take apart some of what Is put together and move a couple of double joist hangers a couple inches each. The good news is that only 1 board needs to be recut. The one that's too short will be able to be mostly salvaged for another purpose so no real harm.
We did get this rather substantial lumber delivery today:
We now have ALMOST all the lumber we need to complete the project. It seems that about 25% of the 20 for deck boards I bought and paid for turned out to be badly damaged when the store was pulling them for delivery so they didn't deliver them. They are owed to me, but who knows when they will get them in. Barbra and I spent some time today moving about half of those 20 footers to the back yard. Will move the rest tomorrow. These are laying just off the street at the moment. With the cost and scarcity of pressure treated decking around here, we are concerned that they could grow legs and walk if we keep them that exposed to traffic.Comment
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I got the framing in the second, more complicated section mostly done. The Bilco door opens (YAY!!!) The good news is that the rest of the framing should be pretty uncomplicated after this, just basic squares or rectangles. I'm hoping to finish off this section and do all or most of the next one tomorrow (probably overly optimistic, but . . .)
Last edited by Dewesq55; August 27, 2020, 05:11 PM.Comment
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HawkerXP - Yes. Thanks for your concern. The high spot on the patio is the corner to the left of the Bilco doors. Everything is leveled to that corner. The framing members are several inches above the concrete near the doors and there is plenty of room for drainage. I should add, that's a 1½" Schedule 40 PVC pipe for the sump pump discharge. It's nearly 2" OD and passes under the framing with room to spare.Last edited by Dewesq55; August 27, 2020, 05:48 PM.
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While our deck expansion is now definitely in the future, its being delayed by the increased price of materials due to the PT shortage. On the upside, that's making Trex look more do-able if the PT prices stay up there.Comment
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It feels like a productive day, even if cut short by the weather. I finished the 2nd section except for the leveling post on the near right corner and 1 full length joist which it's being blocked by the temporary leveling support (2x6 sticking up through the framing). I can't install the post since this one is going to be anchored to the concrete and my ½" masonry bit failed while drilling the hole for the anchor. I have to go buy a new one, but I was feeling energetic so I moved in the the next section, which, as I predicted, it's coming together very quickly, since it's just a square (approximately). I sheered it together on the ground and will lift it into place, square and level it, then install the joists. I also finished extending the sump pump discharge piping under the framing.
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