Deck: Part I / All Thumbs on Deck

I think a year went by that we had no access to the yard via the back door, having torn off the rotting deck during the back bedroom project. Nick and I sat at the kitchen table and brainstormed different design ideas. I drew little sketches to help us imagine the deck and once an option was selected, Nick worked out all the dimensions and an exhaustive supply list.

Possibilities. Maybe a covering over the door?	Idea: a door leading to storage under deck.

Although you don’t see me in the photos, I promise you I did more than my fair share of digging for the anchors. We dug each hole to a depth of 36” and buried cardboard tubes that we then shoveled concrete into. While the concrete was still wet, we pressed a metal post strap into the center. This hardware securely holds the deck supports above the ground so that won’t sit in water and rot. We probably have more supports than necessary, but it was important to us to have a safe, sturdy structure that would last.

Boys helping dig while I take photo.	Anchors installed. Landscape cloth and gravel laid.

The design called for skirting, which we made using lattice carefully cut to size and attached to framing. Nick pried a lattice section apart in the basement while I worked on the deck outside.

Creating the structure.	Joists.

“Hallie. I need your help,” he called. There was something in his tone that gave me a chill. I dropped what I was doing and bounded down the basement stairs two at a time. His right hand was wrapped tightly around his left thumb and he explained that he had cut himself badly. I directed him into the bathroom where we huddled around the sink as he loosened his grip. There was too much blood to determine anything except that stitches would be necessary. I gave him a rag and ran upstairs. “Don’t panic!” he shouted at me. “I’m not panicking,” I defended. “I’m HURRYING!” From the car I called the nearby urgent care and described his wound. Since we weren’t sure if he hit the tendon, they instructed us to go to the ER. It was a several hour visit, but there was no tendon damage. The doctor stitched up Nick’s thumb and we were left along without any further instruction. After 30 minutes of waiting, we wandered into the hall and discovered that a shift change had occurred and we were free to go. We were unimpressed.