Step 7: Railing Posts and Decking

I think we could really see the final design come to life when we got the posts for the railings in and some of the decking on. Before that it's hard to visualize what the completed project will look like.

4x4 posts for the railings were sandwiched between 2x8 joists and also screwed (x6) into the facing, exterior joist. It suffices to say that they weren't moving after all that. 

We started with corners, considering they're the static points and then filled in the remaining posts at more or less 4 ft intervals.

This was tricky. Here, there is a 4x4 that supports the railing (on the right) and one that will support the handrail for the stairs. This took some careful math (uh hum, holding the posts steady to see what would work). Also, we've put the exterior cedar face on the ugly green pressure treated. Looks much better.

The posts for the stair railing had to line up... they didn't... but they really were supposed to.

Another adventure in this project was running the PVC piping under the deck for the wiring for the exterior outlets. I inched my way under the deck securing the PVC with C-clamps to the bottom of the joists. I can't say it was my favorite job ever.  

Crawling under here with spiders and other various bugs: not as fun as it sounds!

Here Kevin is notching the first piece of decking to fit around the railing post

And I'm getting right up in his face with the camera...

Don't laugh, you're using power tools! Is that spit running off the pencil?

I love the drill. 

Stagger the decking boards... very important. Otherwise the join lines match up and just don't look right

Unfortunately the clothes line had to go. I suppose we could have left it... it would have been like some sort of odd wrestling match instigator: Clothesline and Deck vs. tall friends: who will win tonight? We're still looking for another spot to attach it, besides onto the house again

The first boards in place: just enough to walk on!

Summer feet swelling, but on new cedar decking!

Frodo takes advantage and makes himself right at home

More of the decking goes in and this is where we realize the difficulty in convincing wood to defy its warpy nature. 

To keep things simple we used nails as spacers. Wood does shrink a bit but we wanted to ensure that there would be room for drainage until that happens.

"I love the new deck... I also love chicken wings"

Almost done

The stairs will go here...