Patio Project Nears Completion
This is a follow on from the August 3rd posting. I filled in the declevity shown in that post with about 5 inches of 7/8ths inch round rock and then laid the brick and paving stone shown. Then I filled in the gaps with pea gravel. Between the new raised beds and the brick patio I am currently digging out a section that will become a pea gravel bed. Both the gravel bed and brick patio will have drainage ditches that flow over the edge of the hill. The whole goal here is to keep this upper yard from turning into a mud pit in the winter. I plan to continue moving and leveling the dirt so I can add gravel and pation stone all around the back of the house.
Deck Envy
The following are shots I took of my Aunt and Uncle Undem's new deck.
Fab Cedar - horizontally cut boards with a nice facia cap
See How the Peak Breaks Both Ways?
When I bolted 4x4 supports in place for my railings I aways had symmetry problems if I put it on one side or the other of the corner. I think the solution is probably proper use of the jig saw.
4x4 with 1/4 cut-in
Good Support
I like how they built the 2x6 supports out from the 4x6s
4x6s look nice and give rock solid support
Nice Joinery
All the joins on this deck are simple and very sturdy. The 2x2s that make up the railing slats are screwed onto horizontal 2x2s at top and bottom. Then the vertical 2x2s next to the 4x4s are screwed into them instead of the horizontal 2x4. This makes it all very sturdy but doesn't marr the surface of the 2x4 or have you screwing down vertically into the 2x2s. I also liked the sanded and rounded cedar - much nicer than regular deckwood.
Lessons Learned, Regarding Decks
When I get back from vacation, I will be posting pics I took of the underside of my aunt and uncles new deck. Most people would probably be more inclinded to photo the excellent view of the water from their West Seattle hills home, but hey, who cares.
Lesson One: Pay the extra dough for cedar instead of regular deck wood. The grain looks and feels great and it won't be as prone to warping.
Lesson Two: If possible, buy the timber six months in advance and store it stacked - again to try preventing the warping.
Lesson Three; Railings: The 2x4 and 2x2 railing design they used is much sturdier that what I've done so far and looks good. (Pics soon). I have been considering ripping out what I've done so far and starting over.
Lesson Four: Use a hole saw bit to recess the bolts into the 4x4 railing supports. Substitute chromed, dome headed bolts for the hex headed lag bolts I used. They look alot better and you don't need the hex head leverage as the bolt is going to snug against the wood anyway. I bet the chrome will probably be less likely to rust that the galvanized bolts I used. Again, after starting at the overly long bolts with multiple washers and spacers used to keep the bolt up on the threaded part of the bolt, every time I go up my steps, I'm ready to replace them.
Lesson Five: For decks that turn a corner (the next one I replace at CC will), horizontally laid decking planks look really good and allow you to more sturdily anchor across the two rectangular support boxes that will meet at the corner.
Work Center Supervisor
Tommy on Sunday 08/08/04
(Yep, thats a ladle all right....)
30 Minutes in the Corner
We should have the painting done and the molding back up before we go to New Jersey next week. The goal is to have the room back to liveable conditions by the end of September. 
Right Corner Detail
We have found tiling to be relatively easy, inexpensive, and a good return on invested time and effort. By the time we're done, we will hopefully be all hard wood and tile with no carpet what so ever.
Contemplate Your Sins on the Tree of Woe
Saturday, I spent the entire day stripping and sanding the floor in our current project room - not fun but productive...
 Last weekend, I finally got around to starting the mosaic in the empty space I left myself on the front of the tub in our bathroom. I must be reading too much James Nelson recently!
View from above: What used to be a raised bed of sorts, surrounded by a cement laid stone pathway gets shoveled out to fill in a shallow decline at the Northwestern edge of the upper yard. Tommy in his command center. Mom headed to her chair for some quilting. Tomato plant growing out of control but no fruit yet.
Just Before the Crash
Hammock Sitters: Thomas and I take her for a test drive. Most of the day was spent building a retaining wall at the edge of the upper yard and then shoveling dirt around to level the yard and make way for a brick patio in the center.
Biscuit Face
Tommy is now five and a half months old. This photo was taken on the deck on the 31st of July - a day that his Pop Pop visited and we spent the day outside.
 Fric the Cat uses the clone stamp tool in Photoshop to erase Frac the Cat
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