[NH_1025r]

So, on Easter weekend we had a big do here at The Yellow House. Many friends, lots of food and drink, games, etc. A wonderful weekend was had by all – with one minor exception: Future SIL went through yet another rotten plank on the exposed side of a partially covered deck.

As a quick refresher, we bought this place about three years ago and it had sat empty for something like 18 months.

The deck is/was ~34’ wide, 8’ out covered, another 8’ past that uncovered. It sat on the ground, and I’m not entirely convinced all the lumber used was ground contact. There were rotten spots in it when we bought the place, and several more have appeared with use.

This is an issue.

Aside from the kitchen, this part of the house gets the most use. When we have friends over we always seem to end up there late into the night as drinks are consumed and tales told. There is a fire pit in the back yard, and the kitchen is just off the deck, so there’s lots of back and forth in that area.

So…

Phase 1: Remove old deck.

We snapped a line across where I wanted it to end and cut down it with a circular saw and nice new sawsall, then began tearing off the planks.

Note rot on stringers.

Stringers then cut/removed. Note: All C&D waste was cut to less than 5’ for handling reasons (I use the Subaru as a pick-up when needed).













First scab w/demo mostly done. I wanted to get something on the face before I had to knock off for a work run and wanted at least something to support the ends of the planks. I left the rest since I was very much playing it by ear, and leaving some amount of remaining wood in good shape was still in play as an option


Phase 2 continues below.

 

[NH_1025r]

Phase 2

Phase 2: Prep remaining deck

Support columns and underlying footings were in good enough shape that I didn’t need to mess with them, but the stringer across the back of the cut face had issues in places.

Added support was installed under the existing/fitted/faced areas along the cut edge.

Top scab and final trim/edge strip applied. All seams fall at least 16” off each other, and the two areas where the screen doors will be (Phase 5) have no seams. Held a ¾” overhang on the trim piece, which had to be custom fitted in sections to keep at least one straight line in play (the overhang).


Corner support. There is a lot under there you can't see



Typical along front showing stringer cutoff and first set of scabs.



Yes, there is a butt joint there, but in spite of what is seams, that area has plenty going for it underneath - and the face catches all double-support stringers with meat on both sides. This also shows final w/trim strip before Phase 3 (Below)

 

[NH_1025r]

Phase 3

Phase 3: Apply and compact first layer.

Thankfully "Buddy" was over that weekend. He was slated for a visit on the weekend then off elsewhere for the rest of the week, but his plans fell through, so we decided to continue work (I was off till Friday), eating and drinking our way through the week as weather and work allowed. Note: I started this shortly after Easter, and just completed to this point as of Thursday last week.

Some amount of grading was done (mostly with the Wee Green Beatie), then filling began.

I had already purchased an HF compactor and prepped it. It was ~$340 to rent one for the week, and the HF one was $599.

I didn’t want to be under the gun on this, and will be bringing in somewhere between 30-50 tons of 1 ½” quarry pack to rebuild some areas that are dirt driveway and shop apron. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was even more when I get done. I would say the $599 I paid for it is worth the cost over the long run.

19 tons of ¾” quarry pack.





The first layer was spread, mostly by bucket, then hand graded. Wellhead area was hand compacted, then the rest was compacted with the compactor in first a N/S (long), then E/W (short), then a final run N/S orientation. Fill was added by hand after each run was done to try to get a somewhat reasonably non-potholed sub-grade. Uncompacted hand-graded subgrade fill was held to the top of the trim, and when compacted was about 2 to 2½” below. The “end” was 4-5” depth uncompacted, 1-3” compacted, and somewhat tapered.





Next bit was to finish cutting the new grade/swale and any topsoil removal to allow for added fill.

We have two basements. The back basement is just the other side of the house wall and resembles the Mississippi River Delta most of the time. The entire foundation is hand-set stone, and to say it is porous would be a mite of an understatement. Anything I can do to shed any water away is a bonus, and there is plenty that comes down the hill and along the path up to the shop. Some we shed out to the driveway and down, but every little bit helps.

(no pics, sorry)

Final shots of Phase 3 done.







There are a few low spots yet, but I’m working 12 hr nights until late next week, so I’ll deal with them on the weekend, as well as finalized the new gutter setup (Phase 4). I’ll post pics of that in when it happens.

The Wee Green One did a bang-up job. I was able to get it in so well that Buddy said it was like “Precision Surgery”, and the FSIL commented that I “Could change a diaper with it”. This may partly be due to seat time, but it’s as much because it can get into some VERY tight places, and steers/transfers power very smoothly and consistently.

Anyway, I’ll continue this thread as the project continues.

 

[Titleist1]

Nice work!! :good2:

With this crowd I am sure you'll get all kinds of design ideas for the outside area to keep you busy for the next 5 years and spend all your money!! We'll get you to phase 15 and 16 in no time! :gizmo: :laugh:

:munch:

 

[NH_1025r]

Nice work!! :good2:

With this crowd I am sure you'll get all kinds of design ideas for the outside area to keep you busy for the next 5 years and spend all your money!! We'll get you to phase 15 and 16 in no time! :gizmo: :laugh:

:munch:

<snort> You see that area past where I was working that is enclosed by stone walls? That's about 60' wide and 80-90' deep.

About where I stopped work is where the two side walls end. That entire area is going to be reworked. It's enclosed by stone walls that were actually the foundation for a barn. It has a gazebo, a raised bed, and sloping beds going up the walls in various areas.

The gazebo is coming out, as is the raised bed. Any interesting plants/flowers (there are some out there) will be relocated to a new raised/sloped bed along the right/picket fence side, the left and back walls may be converted to high raised beds using the stone walls for the rear enclosure. The rest, in the end, will be graded, finished (somehow, not sure yet), and have a very nice fire pit in the center. What is now deck and new work posted above will be coming out and concrete poured out to about where the current work ends.

15 of 16? more like 1500 or 1600...

Addendum: The shed is going and there will be wooden deck and possibly a sunroom/breakfast nook thing added ti the north side of the house that wraps around to the someday new concrete deck.