Time for an update. As we had a lot of rain, last week Saturday was the only day I was able to make some kind of progress. This is where I stand: For every day of the next two weeks the forecast says RAIN, so I probably won't get to much accomplished. Today after work I finished fabricating one plank which needs to have a smaller width. I did not want to have the cut side visible, so I decided to make two cuts, remove the inner section and connect the outer sections. I used plastic lamellos and deckscrews to attach the two pieces together. Here is the fabricated small plank, next to the standard witdh. And here is the plank installed I am happy with the result, as from normal distance nobody can tell that the board is fabricated. Yeah I know, probably to much detail orientated, but doing it differently I would be unhappy everytime I would cross that board. Hoping for better weather .....
Thank you guys, for the feedback. Weather was good on Friday and ok on Saturday, so I was able to finish laying the WPC on the deck. Started to remove the wooden handrail-boards. What a bummer: Three posts are rotted. Scraped out the worst post and drilled some holes, to see how bad the damage is, and to evaluate my options. For now I let them dry out (gave each a little umbrella). Once dry I will fabricate a wood piece to fit in the "canyon". I will use a special, very viscous epoxy, which will penetrate into the wood fibers of the post, and will remain flexible once hardened. Next step is to mount the stainless steel tube for the new handrail. However, according to the weather forecast this will have to wait a couple of days.
Wow, that's pretty extensive. I've be tempted to drive a metal rod, something a few feet of rebar, down it to give the epoxy something solid to grab on to.
Just realized, that I owe you guys the happy end (at least 50% of it) The deck itself is finished. I will start doing the ramp in a couple of weeks. But before that I have many more items on my honey-do-list to check. Sometimes I feel like my wife has a deal with Jim Weise to delay my engine built, until I got everything squared away
... the sage continues. After finishing the walkway (stepstones), I started with building the support structure for the ramp. My son helped me yesterday quite a bit, so there is noticable progress after just one day.
Time for an update. Finished support structure: Finished deck layer: It took 57 boards and cutting and routing them was a mess. ...including myself may I introduce: Bosch Professional Special Edition: Good thing, the stuff is easy to vac off Next step is to install the stainless steel ropes to finish the balustrades of the ramp and the rain gutter to collect all water from the deck surface. Fortunately both do not require that I work on my knees all day long .
Reporting completion. One less thing on the honey do list. Balustrades all done, rain gutters installed. FIN