Fixing The Deck

(From 2009)

I spend a lot of time pulling weeds.  They're everywhere, and they drive me crazy.  One summer morning I leaned over to pull some weeds next to the small deck in front of the small front door.  And a piece of the decking broke off.

So I started investigating, and I realized that there was a lot of rotted wood.

So I decided to re-build it.  

Tear out the old.

Luckily, my contractor, Adam Munderback, was at the house replacing some siding.  He looked over the deck and said that there were no serious issues -- no termites, no structural problems.  He told me to head over to Williams Lumber  in Rhinebeck to pick up some T&G flooring.

I used some 2 x 4s to shore up the framing and get it pitched forward so rain water would run away from the house.  Then I put back the decking.

Some old cans of Schlitz Malt Liquor uncovered during the dig:

The last piece is a bit tricky, but I cut it down on the table saw and got it to fit.

I did pass off to Adam the job of fixing and trimming the post-bottom.

All done.

 I kind of think I should have just stained and sealed it.  But I caulked around the edges and put on a coat of primer.  It's been six years.  Hopefully this spring I'll actually paint it!