Breaking Bits

So, I have been using these Phillips deck screws and they're great. They're very strong. I like them. BUT, I have been tearing up bits left and right. I finally got a #2 Phillips driver bit that advertises that is lasts 5 times as long (I forget what brand). Well, I agree with their advertising.  I used the junk out of that thing and it never even showed wear.  However, all of a sudden like, the tip snapped off at an angle.  Time for a new bit.  You served me well, though, little bit.  I'll be getting another just like you. Unfortunately, the broken bit signaled the end of my decking installation tonight....

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Lazy Sunday on Deck

It doesn't appear that I got much done. It's because I kind of didn't. I didn't get started till almost 2 and I needed to come in and eat and feed the children just after 5 so I only really pulled out 3 hours worth of work. Perhaps some real construction pros are reading this and are like "that should've been enough to finish it." Well, not for me. I got all the posts cut, notched, drilled, and bolted to the deck where they belong. Earlier today I posted a blog and I said my goals were to get the posts installed and get a good start on the decking.  I suppose I met my goals if you consider a "good start" to be screwing down two...

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Quick Deck Update

Well, this is the deck as of yesterday's improvements.  I had more on my list to do, but I also did some things that needed done that weren't on the list.  So, I'm still good. Notice that the stairs are in and worked out perfectly. They fell JUST below the door just as planned. Also, I added all the perimeter boards. I got all the tall posts for the privacy fence notched out and predrilled and ready to install. One is in, which you can see on the far left. Four more to go. Then seven more short ones. So, today, I plan on having all the posts installed and I want to have a good start on the decking.  I'll have a limited...

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Door Glass Replacement

As I mentioned in a previous post a couple months back, I found these brand new replacement windows for our double doors in the back of our house.  I never did show the before and after of that little project.  But, it's never too late. The installation went very well throughout the whole process.  I did have to make some adjustments to the doors as the glass was slightly too tall and about three quarters of an inch shy from being the correct width.  So, I filled the gap with a strip of wood along the side and I cut into the door to make the opening tall enough for them.  Then, it was just a matter of trimming them...

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Ran Out Of Deck Puns For Blog Titles

Well, it's Thursday now.  I was supposed to have had all the joists in and the upper stringers done.  But, alas, I have yet to touch a stringer.  I did, however, get all the joists done.  And, they look great! What set me back a bit was not having the material with which to make the stringers.  So, I moved on to planning out the decking.  We're going with the pattern pictured here. (No, this is not our deck)  The boards will make squares wrapping around the tree that comes up through our deck.  So, we'll have four lines of connection points as you see here radiating out from the tree.  The problem...

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Stacking the Deck

So, last night, I commenced to adding joists to our deck in progress.  This is the part that I really love since it really shows it coming together.  I worked from almost 4:00 until 10:30 stopping only to eat a quick dinner and then get the children ready for bed and in bed. Getting the joists up really shows how big it actually will be.  Jodi and I sort of like to do things big.  I mean, if you're going to do something, why not do it big, right?  Go all out.  I can almost guarantee you that I won't be saying later "Man, I wish we would've made this deck bigger."  Conversely, I can't imagine any scenario...

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All Hands On Deck!

The time has finally arrived!  We will now commence to building the deck.  Oh, how we have looked forward to this day.  As a matter of fact, we started planning the design of our deck shortly after the renovation of the back room of our house back in January '08.  You should definitely go and check out that blog because it has a pretty good slideshow of the before and (almost) after of that project. The renovation of that back room changed the layout of how one exits our house from the back.  This path was originally through the back door located in the kitchen then through and out through the side of the mudroom. ...

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