The "new" deck

Folsom · « **Reply #20 on:** 13 Jun 2016, 08:39 pm »

Hidden looks nice. Be prepared to spend several extra days!

thunderbrick · « **Reply #21 on:** 13 Jun 2016, 08:40 pm »

Budget is certainly an issue, I'd be fine with flush drive screws for above, but I am also concerned about me screwing up things from below.

I may also install a rain screen underneath to keep things clean/dry. The deck doubles as hail protection for the cars.

thunderbrick · « **Reply #22 on:** 13 Jun 2016, 08:46 pm »

Quote from: Folsom on 13 Jun 2016, 08:39 pm

Hidden looks nice. Be prepared to spend several extra days!

Frankly that concerns me more. Several extra days, or several years of "oh, Honey, I wish we'd done the hidden fasteners!!!!"

Folsom · « **Reply #23 on:** 13 Jun 2016, 08:57 pm »

If you mean these... You have to press real hard to get them to go, and if you're not absolutely sinking it fast at the last moment the head can stick up. Then you can't get it in, it'll just spin. But even so when it goes correctly, Trex often creates a bulge around the screw head, so a little pre-drill goes a long ways (and I mean little, like 1/4in) prevents it, but it won't leave it flush with the top.

An AC drill is more useful for decking...

srb · « **Reply #24 on:** 13 Jun 2016, 09:33 pm »

I'm not sure all composite deck screws are created equal.

The GRK Kameleon screws have a few features that make it easier to get good results. The CEE portion of the thread enlarges the hole through the deck board and the underhead cutting teeth effectively bore a countersink.

Steve

Folsom · « **Reply #25 on:** 14 Jun 2016, 12:17 am »

In theory. I'd like to see it first. Those look like what I used. However GRK makes very good screws for other applications so who knows.

thunderbrick · « **Reply #26 on:** 14 Jun 2016, 02:40 am »

Only spent about an hour with a sawzall clearing out the last of the center beam, then dropping the new double 2x12 beam into place on supports I built yesterday evening. At this point I could attach it to the house, check them for square and start installing the floor joists under half the deck as planned, then move on the other half. Simple, right?

Then the entire project came to a screeching halt.

Called my wife (who works in another state) to tell her of the progress, and we discussed deck board options. So far, so good.

Then came the killer.....

She said "Honey, are you going to let me design the pattern of the deck boards?"

Being the ~~man~~ idiot of the house I managed to stifle the gag reflex and say "Sure, honey, that could be great!"

Now my amazing wife has tremendous artistic and design skills and I have no doubt she'll come up with something wonderful, but she has NO idea of structural concepts. I am SO screwed! There's no way I dare start joist work until she comes up with a design.

All I can do now is support the massive stairs, cut it away from the deck, replace the 3rd beam, and reattach the stairs as temporary while I design build new steps and landings.

I'd prefer to build the new steps AFTER all the decking and railing is done, but who knows?

Folsom · « **Reply #27 on:** 14 Jun 2016, 05:16 am »

Quote from: thunderbrick on 14 Jun 2016, 02:40 am

She said "Honey, are you going to let me design the pattern of the deck boards?"

Here comes a diamond!

TomS · « **Reply #28 on:** 14 Jun 2016, 12:36 pm »

Quote from: thunderbrick on 14 Jun 2016, 02:40 am

Only spent about an hour with a sawzall clearing out the last of the center beam, then dropping the new double 2x12 beam into place on supports I built yesterday evening. At this point I could attach it to the house, check them for square and start installing the floor joists under half the deck as planned, then move on the other half. Simple, right?

Then the entire project came to a screeching halt.

Called my wife (who works in another state) to tell her of the progress, and we discussed deck board options. So far, so good.

Then came the killer.....

She said "Honey, are you going to let me design the pattern of the deck boards?"

Being the ~~man~~ idiot of the house I managed to stifle the gag reflex and say "Sure, honey, that could be great!"

Now my amazing wife has tremendous artistic and design skills and I have no doubt she'll come up with something wonderful, but she has NO idea of structural concepts. I am SO screwed! There's no way I dare start joist work until she comes up with a design.

All I can do now is support the massive stairs, cut it away from the deck, replace the 3rd beam, and reattach the stairs as temporary while I design build new steps and landings.

I'd prefer to build the new steps AFTER all the decking and railing is done, but who knows?

LOL, what she really means is paver bricks! How to place them 9-10' in the air, well, those are just details.

thunderbrick · « **Reply #29 on:** 14 Jun 2016, 02:27 pm »

Did I mention she wants a hot tub?

I have no interest in those damned things! More money, more maintenance, and it'll be covered with squirrel piss and turds in no time! Those tree rats already swarm the deck to raid the bird feeders!

I am so screwed....

TomS · « **Reply #30 on:** 14 Jun 2016, 02:31 pm »

Quote from: thunderbrick on 14 Jun 2016, 02:27 pm

Did I mention she wants a hot tub?

I have no interest in those damned things! More money, more maintenance, and it'll be covered with squirrel piss and turds in no time! Those tree rats already swarm the deck to raid the bird feeders!

I am so screwed....

Yes, you are toast

thunderbrick · « **Reply #31 on:** 14 Jun 2016, 02:45 pm »

Oh, and she wants a waterfall, too.

srb · « **Reply #32 on:** 14 Jun 2016, 03:10 pm »

Quote from: thunderbrick on 14 Jun 2016, 02:45 pm

Oh, and she wants a waterfall, too.

Maybe you should give Lucas Congdon of Lucas Lagoons a call. I've seen him do amazing complete backyard makeovers with budgets as low as $150K.

mcgsxr · « **Reply #33 on:** 14 Jun 2016, 03:18 pm »

I initially fought the hot tub too. But we did buy one.

And I use it. More than I ever thought I would!

Good luck with the "mid project design changes"!

We used a hidden fastener system (I will look to see if I still have any of the boxes, but HD sold it with the Trex) and it was fine. We did face screw a number of boards due to layout constraints, but with color matching screws you have to go looking for them to really see them.

thunderbrick · « **Reply #34 on:** 14 Jun 2016, 03:34 pm »

Quote from: srb on 14 Jun 2016, 03:10 pm

Maybe you should give Lucas Congdon of Lucas Lagoons a call. I've seen him do amazing complete backyard makeovers with budgets as low as $150K.

Yeah.

That's what she wants, but $150K is about what my house and two wooded acres is worth....

thunderbrick · « **Reply #35 on:** 14 Jun 2016, 03:37 pm »

When I remodeled a bathroom she wanted a $$$ slipper tub and the modifications to the room to make it fit were, uh, daunting. In 9 years I think she's used it three times.

But it "looks nice."

WGH · « **Reply #36 on:** 17 Jun 2016, 04:13 pm »

Quote from: thunderbrick on 14 Jun 2016, 03:37 pm

When I remodeled a bathroom she wanted a $$$ slipper tub and the modifications to the room to make it fit were, uh, daunting. In 9 years I think she's used it three times.

Everybody sing along with thunderbrick

Whatever Lola Wants

thunderbrick · « **Reply #37 on:** 19 Jun 2016, 05:43 pm »

UPDATE: It's a damned miracle!

While I was traveling the warden came home to my half-demo'd mess and DIDN'T freak out!

What's more she went to the local lumberyard (not Lowe's/HD) to get a look at options and picked a Timbertech color/style I can live with very easily.

Lastly we discussed the deck's aesthetics.....

Miracle of miracles, she drew a simple but amazing floor plan that works perfectly with what I had started. No circles/diamonds on the decking,

there won't be a single butt joint in all the decking,

and the outline will reflect the yard and bend slightly around the tree. To top it off she loves my stairs and landing plans!

The only question I need to ask of this woman is "Who are you, and what have you done with my wife?"

thunderbrick · « **Reply #38 on:** 19 Jun 2016, 05:45 pm »

Quote from: WGH on 17 Jun 2016, 04:13 pm

Everybody sing along with thunderbrick

Whatever Lola Wants

thunderbrick · « **Reply #39 on:** 6 Jul 2016, 02:44 am »

Update and a question...

Been on the road for most of the past three weeks, and am now getting back to the deck.

Stairs are gone, railings are down, and I've pulled away much of the double 2x beam that was attached to the house. Half the deck is attached to the house and the other half is sort of floating, and that's where this week's work will focus. In the process I've found some hidden construction "techniques" that make it a miracle that the railing didn't collapse when we leaned on it.

Question: Is there any danger in temporarily (1-2 hours, max) cutting copper wire that goes to the ground rod? As part of this operation I want to re-route it and move it a couple of feet to fit the new "sheng fooey." If no storms are in the area is it safe to mess with it? I'm not afraid of 110AC power, but I don't want to fry anything in the man cave.