Posted 15 November 2014 - 05:04 PM
test upload of a picture of my deck ... ps those are 8' sections of railing across the back, and the picture is taken standing on the bridge out to the deck. ... 
How'd I do Mr. deck professional stuff is straight and all lines line up square, no matter what perspective you look at it. ...
I hope to have the chimney below Santa finished shortly after Thanksgiving.
Edited by dirtstudent2, 15 November 2014 - 05:49 PM.
Posted 15 November 2014 - 05:45 PM
Posted 16 November 2014 - 04:21 PM
The deck looks nice but the Santa looks a little too liberal!!
Posted 16 November 2014 - 04:37 PM
Posted 16 November 2014 - 07:32 PM
Rails sagging already ? I assume you used the vinyl from
The depot or lowes lol
yep and I didn't put the supports under them. There's nothing special about the lowes sagging without the supports. Does the 8' lengths of vinyl railing you use not need the supports? I think I already know the answer and it's yes. Normally two are used for 8' lengths and I left them out knowing I'll have to install them. I went with the cheaper rail and white in particular, first because we liked the look of the white over the brown or another color and color would have been about $3500 more. I liked how the trex mounted to the posts better, but the real decision was we liked the white.
LOL, I didn't learn how to put screws in the posts to align the sleeve's over the post, until the very last post was sleeved. I cut and shimmed I think 13 and did number 14 very easily using screws to set where the sleeve was.
Here's a question please. I figure on not doing it till next year, knowing they'll sag some without >> and it will be no problem because next year with the supports all will settle out ok.
Should I put the supports in now, because next year will be too late?
Edited by dirtstudent2, 16 November 2014 - 07:39 PM.
Posted 16 November 2014 - 08:02 PM
Posted 16 November 2014 - 08:55 PM
I had about a 25' length of partially exposed 2/12 I had mounted to the house 30 years ago to hang some added on joists on. I originally had two bridges going out from the house, but later filled in the area with more deck and used the 2x12 to hang the additional joists on the house end. I covered the exposed joist with white wood grained thin lengths. That left me with needing a way to both cover the top of the length of 2x12 and also needing a way to get a rain seal to the house. What I came up with is I used white also wood grained vinyl garage door trim. The stuff they put down the side of the door opening to seal when the door comes down. It really worked out great. I had a like cover to go across the top of the 2x12 and the rubber flashing went neatly against the house. By the way I had to cut through all but the outside 4x4 posts supporting the deck to correct for years of sagging. It wasn't all that bad I cut them and then used a racing jack to jack the joists up level. It ended up working out ok. When I built it I used a 4x8 for the center beam and joisted out from it. Sure glad the 4x8 was there it made things easier. I have 20 posts supporting the deck, plus I also installed more support between posts. I also laid sheet roofing across underneath to move rain water away from the house.
I've looked at the pictures of your decks and there great. I do have one suggestion I think would be a good idea, especially in high end decks. It's would also allow you to sell more product per deck, when the deck warrants it. Of all the pictures I looked at with decks that also have stairs, which I'm sure is mostly a must in the Pittsburgh area, not one had any sort of roof protecting the steps from, sun, rain and snow.
There must be some cool good looking way to roof stairs. I'd see a beautiful deck and then exposed to the weather stairs going down to a level below. If there going to use the stairs, especially when the roofed deck has a barbecue area below, I would think it would be a must to roof the stairs for safety and to not get wet. I think if you have a covered deck with access from below, especially if the area below will be used when the upper part is used, the stairs must be covered. Even if some upper deck area was lost and cut away for stairs, I'd cover the stairs.
And you'd get to sell more product per installation, if you were also known for cool ways to put covered stairs in. Seems odd to have two levels or access from above or below, where you have to go out in the rain to change levels.
just a suggestion and I did sleep in a Holiday Inn last weekend.
Edited by dirtstudent2, 16 November 2014 - 09:04 PM.
Posted 16 November 2014 - 09:18 PM
The deck looks nice but the Santa looks a little too liberal!!
That's a candy cane Santa's holding, not the sickle part of a hammer and sickle.
And beside that all Santa's with red noses lean a little. They lean a little this way and then a little that way. I like you proly also, don't buy anything from Red Star Macy's. Why in the world would a department store use a commie red star in their logo. Between limp wrist red nosed Rudolf and red nosed Santa, it's a wonder anyone ever gets anything for Christmas.
Edited by dirtstudent2, 16 November 2014 - 09:19 PM.
Posted 17 November 2014 - 11:46 AM
back to the deck and ideas, because I enjoy trying to figure stuff out.
How about heated steps? Especially in this area it would be great, just flick a switch, eliminating snow and ice. Maybe all it would take is running plumbing heat tape under the rungs? I already figure any large amount of steps you install, have a non skid surface.
My deck had just one step and I figured out a way to make it very solid and not even appear to be on the ground. For side support I drove a 4x4 3+ feet into the ground where it would not be seen. And then I took an extra piece of flooring and drove it into the ground to support the step 4+feet for support. Neither one can be seen unless you make effort to see them and it looks like the step is just there projecting out without any support below it.
Except for the work involved, I'd sure like to try another deck. But next year I already promised my wife a big bay window looking out over the deck and an automatic awning extending out from the house.
it's either that or getting a late model, CT 525 and going racing. I think it will be the window that wins out
Edited by dirtstudent2, 17 November 2014 - 12:10 PM.
Posted 17 November 2014 - 02:46 PM
Posted 17 November 2014 - 03:45 PM
what is your reasoning for not covering the posts and under beams with vinyl or aluminium? Or is it just customer preference.I'm not sure if your busting my balls or your trying to be serious . Deck building is my life , when I sleep I'm coming up with new designs. I ONLY impliment ideas that can be executed at a price to
Allows both a high margin and customer satisfaction. Many of the great ideas I have are just too elaborate to be able to charge enough to make my typical rate. Those ideas however do not include any of the shade tree mechanic absurdity your are throwing out there ... Everything single thing you described to me to get the guy who did it fired if he worked for me. I understand you don't do this for a living but it's incredibly insulting that you don't take that into account before attempting to tell
Me how to do my job . Out of respect for
My elders I will let it go at that.
Posted 17 November 2014 - 03:53 PM
Posted 17 November 2014 - 03:57 PM
Posted 17 November 2014 - 04:55 PM
I'm not sure if your busting my balls or your trying to be serious . Deck building is my life , when I sleep I'm coming up with new designs. I ONLY impliment ideas that can be executed at a price to
Allows both a high margin and customer satisfaction. Many of the great ideas I have are just too elaborate to be able to charge enough to make my typical rate. Those ideas however do not include any of the shade tree mechanic absurdity your are throwing out there ... Everything single thing you described to me to get the guy who did it fired if he worked for me. I understand you don't do this for a living but it's incredibly insulting that you don't take that into account before attempting to tell
Me how to do my job . Out of respect for
My elders I will let it go at that.
"I'm not sure if your busting my balls or your trying to be serious ."
-------------------
Not at all trying to bust anything, and not trying to tell you how to do your job.
It never occurred to me a high end deck on a personal house would have a budget. My deck was not high end by any means, but it had no budget other then what I wanted to do. I figured those more affluent, would want more and also not have a budget. It never never occurred to me, you worked for customers who could not afford their wishes. I considered your services as if someone had to ask about cost, other then just wanting to know, they can't afford it. I'm not busting anything, I liked the pictures of your work and figured budget or cost was not an issue to your customers. I was wrong and I'm sorry if I offended you, it was not intended.
Frankly I've noticed and appreciated the courtesy you have for an period of time now, extended to me on this site, and I try to be careful to offer you the same.
Edited by dirtstudent2, 17 November 2014 - 04:55 PM.
Posted 18 November 2014 - 01:05 AM
OK ---enuff with the porch talk
the topic was CT525
what are the thoughts on ct525 competeing within the region
Posted 18 November 2014 - 07:05 AM
Posted 18 November 2014 - 09:36 AM
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