Phase One Complete

Finally finished phase 1 of my deck. I must say it was a great feeling as I stood back and looked at what I had done. Sure I make things all the time and put things in cars that are definitely cooler than a deck but this is more (for a lack of better term) manly work. Not that what I do in cars is easy by any means. I guess its more that I am not a construction guy at all. For one I don't like to work that hard. I give huge props to construction workers after doing this section of my deck. All the digging, hanging boards, mixing concrete, and screwing boards down is definitely harder work than I am used to. Maybe that is the reason for the great sense of pride I felt when I looked at what I had created.

I do have to give out a few thank yous. First of all I am so proud of my (girly) wife Jen who stepped it up the last couple days I was working. And helped quite a bit with screwing the deck boards down. Did pretty well if I might say. My dad did an awesome job of cutting some angled boards for me. Then Jen's brother Randy he tried to help more but we got rained out last Sat. Still he busted his butt on Sun. and saved me a lot of time.

Ok so you are probably wondering what phase one means or how there are phases on a deck. So here is the low down on what I an trying to do. The overall deck is going to be 12'x22'. Its going in the back yard (you never know). We have an attached garage so in our back yard the house is like an L shape. The deck goes out 12' feet to the end of the house and then 22' wide along the garage. If you walk out the back garage door you walk right on the the deck. The first phase of the deck was a 12'x12' section that is about 8" off the ground pretty much even with the door. That is the part that I finished. "phase one" I will have to try to figure out to get some pic's on here but that will have to be another time. Phase 2 is going to be 12'x10' section that is going to be about 15" higher. It will meet right up with the lower section and have a step up to it. This section is going to have a lot more work to it though. It is going to have a privacy wall and some railing around it to make it a little private getaway. Phase 3 will be a peeked roof over the higher section. Hoping to have that complete this summer but not sure if the time will be there. I guess we will see what happens. Ok well this has been a long one so its time to go. Stay tuned for pic's of the deck and progress reports.