Our Home > Renovations > The Deck

Well, it has been a long time coming, given this photo from 2004 shows the gravel area that we reserved for our deck when we had the backyard landscaped. Five years later, it is finally time to finish the backyard and build the deck!

Sunday May 24th, 2009

Before we can even think about the deck, we need some small retaining walls to keep our backyard in place where it belongs...

Sunday June 14th

With the plans for the deck now finalized, Glenn gets on with preparing for the support posts...

Saturday June 20th

After some evenings working on it, and the weather threatening to change,
we've got most of the post holes and forms ready for concrete...

So, it's time to pump concrete!!!

Sunday July 28th

Glenn's hard at work, hacking back the lawn (where it had grown out onto the gravel)...

... checking the main beams are right...

... and prepping for the last couple of posts.

Wednesday July 1st, Canada Day

Working on the step between the two deck levels...

Sunday July 5th

After working on it all day Friday and Saturday, by Sunday the main framing is all finished, and the rest of the joists are starting to fill in quickly...

In fact, by 9 o'clock that night we had the first half dozen boards laid - enough for a small table and two chairs to enjoy a well deserved dinner of pizza and beer!! But by that stage, we were too exhausted to take a photo of our first meal out on the new deck!!

Monday July 6th

The weather has turned, but the drizzle is a nice change from the blazing sun. We're on a roll now, and with a BBQ planned for Friday night, we keep working evenings on the deck to get it finished...

   

Meanwhile, Theresa has been working hard strategically stashing the overabundance of rocks that had been dug up and left behind from previous construction projects...

Wednesday July 8th

Time for trimming up the edges...

Yes, Theresa does still have 10 toes!!!

Friday July 10th

Give or take a few minor details (like fascia trim), the deck is done in time for tonight's BBQ! This turned out to be a short, demanding (due to the deadline), but very rewarding project!!!

Sunday August 16th

And here is the completely finished deck, complete with all the side trims, planter, and tree! In fact, by this stage, the deck has already hosted three big BBQ's!!