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ICC
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# Posted: 14 Sep 2024 12:52am - Edited by: ICC
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I used to have a gazebo at the cabin. 10x10. Screened, with a chiminea fireplace. It burned down a few years ago when the wildfire screamed thru. Then Sri died in the car vs elk accident and I never saw any point in rebuilding the gazebo.
Fast forward...... I have had some incentive, some encouragement recently to construct a small deck. The cabin only has a small porch at the entrance door, so no room to sit there. (I sometimes wish I had built a large porch but back then we had built the gazebo before the cabin.) The land around the cabin has been left mostly in its natural lumpy, sloped state so placing a chair anywhere usually results in a wobble. Hence the deck idea.
Not sure about some details. I may want some shade screening on the south side. Perhaps a partial roof for shade? It was decided to build a modest 8x8 deck. Near ground level. So I started with four corner posts to be set in the ground. Four 4x4 PT x 12 foot dropped into 42" deep holes. (The max depth of my manual post hole auger).
I dug three holes yesterday and the fourth this morning. Rammed all the soil back in each hole with my digging/tamping bar. No concrete.
Two PT 4x6 beams connect pairs of posts. Joists will be laid across the beams and then 5/4 x 6 PT deck boards.
Manual post hole auger, 42"
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3 posts in, 4th ready to backfill
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Bessey clamps are the best
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Beams level and secured with HeadLOK lags
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ICC
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# Posted: 14 Sep 2024 12:59am - Edited by: ICC
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What incentive? What encouragement?
I reconnected with a friend from grade and middle school. We lost track of each other after I went away to NMMI and joined the army. Last year we reconnected and have been hanging out together. She suggested a deck and chairs would be nice. Voila!
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ICC
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# Posted: 14 Sep 2024 02:58am - Edited by: ICC
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More. I went back to town and picked up more lumber and some used 8x16 patio pavers I was offered for free. Then back at the cabin I laid out the joist centers. I often use H1Z hurricane ties for locating and mounting deck joists. Yes, those are 2x4 PT joists. It is not a big party deck. The AWC calc indicates 12"OC is okay for the span distance I have. (84"). 5/4 x 6 PT southern pine deck boards will be used. 6 mil black plastic to help keep weeds at bay. Tomorrow = deck boards.
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darz5150
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# Posted: 14 Sep 2024 03:44am
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Quoting: ICC What incentive? W
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paulz
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# Posted: 14 Sep 2024 11:37am - Edited by: paulz
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Yep, nothing like a lady to provide incentive. 
More flat ground. Being on a hillside, as I am, flat ground is at a premium. I’ve spent as many hours building decks, parking spots and walkways around the cabin as working on the inside. Really, in small cabins, time spent living outside is as valuable as inside.
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Nobadays
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# Posted: 14 Sep 2024 01:42pm
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Looking good! Glad to hear you are enjoying company and have the incentive/desire to do new projects!
Quoting: paulz Really, in small cabins, time spent living outside is as valuable as inside.
Truth! We have nearly as many sqft of covered decks as we have sqft in the cabin. We entertain once or twice a year (brisket and ribs next Saturday if you are near!) and there is no way we can have 15-20 people over without the decks!
BTW- Izzy, we were in your area briefly a couple of weeks ago. Road the Cumbres and Toltec RR from Chama back to Antinito. A good time!
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ICC
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# Posted: 14 Sep 2024 08:34pm - Edited by: ICC
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Quoting: Nobadays Cumbres and Toltec RR...
Hwy 17.
Fun trip. Nice to leave the driving to someone else and enjoy the scenery. Were the leaves changing colors yet?
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ICC
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# Posted: 14 Sep 2024 08:42pm
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Decked! Handrails may be temporary while we think out what comes next
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Nobadays
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# Posted: 14 Sep 2024 09:03pm
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Quoting: ICC Were the leaves changing colors yet?
Not then... but they sure are changing quickly this week! I'm guessing only a week or two until peak.
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ICC
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# Posted: 14 Sep 2024 11:33pm - Edited by: ICC
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We shall soon see. Tues AM we should be in the RV pointed towards Steamboat Springs. Secondary highways or backroads where possible, no rush. After that plans are fuzzy.
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 15 Sep 2024 01:55am
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Good job Izzy!
Our first deck at the current cabin was a plank topped large shipping skid I scarfed up. While Joyce napped on her b-day I 'installed it' and put her fav deck chair and side stand out.
Points were made 
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paulz
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# Posted: 15 Sep 2024 03:16pm
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Looks great!
I see a hibachi, night light, bug zapper coming..
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 15 Sep 2024 07:05pm
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And with a portable dvd player an 'outdoor theater'
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socceronly
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# Posted: 9 Oct 2024 10:00pm
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Nice! Looks great.
I definitely need a new source of lumber, that wood looks amazing!
What happens with the burnt trees? Are they a hazard? Do they get cut down?
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ICC
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# Posted: 10 Oct 2024 12:53am
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Quoting: socceronly What happens with the burnt trees? Are they a hazard? Do they get cut down?
Are they a hazard? Leaving standing dead is the next fire waiting to happen. Standing dead trees are mostly all going to fall over or be blown over by high winds within the ten years after a wildfire. Our mountains are not wet enough for the fallen trees rot very quickly. They remain wildfire fuel for a long time.
We had a logger cut all the dead burnt trees. Every last one plus trees that we know from experience were toasted past the point where they will survive. It may take 2 years for some to die after being toasted, but we can usually tell.
Most of the suitable logs were hauled off to the Pueblo sawmill and turned into rough sawn timbers. Some of the smaller diameter straight trees were used for vigas (debarked, left round for use as ceiling timbers in adobe or faux adobe homes). Some were run through their wood pellet machine. Some of the dead trees were felled and laid across slopes as an anti-erosion aid. They drove the big rubber tired skidder over those to break them a bit and press them into the ground some.
That’s us. However, the surrounding national forest land has been left standing. Two 80 and 100 acre adjacent privately owned plots have also been left standing dead. I’ve already had to make a few fence repairs after winds blew down dead trees. That was after repairing thousands of feet of 3 and 4 strand wire fencing after the fire damaged the fencing. Those guys are obstinate and won’t even agree to letting me knock down trees within falling distance of the fence line. The NF land is free range. The two private sections are not lived on, no cabins, not used for anything but a hunt if they get around to that. So the cattle roam freely from forest land, to their land and the cattle always want to get to the other side if they see a fence. I would like to keep the cattle off my property. They muck up stream banks they close crop the meadow grasses and they shit wherever they want. I hate that near the cabin or on trails I use. So I try to keep the fences in good repair. Anyhow, enough of that rant.
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ICC
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# Posted: 10 Oct 2024 01:20am
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Quoting: socceronly Nice! Looks great. I definitely need a new source of lumber, that wood looks amazing!
Thank you. We're not quite done; I may have some new pictures in a few days.
The wood is all from either a Lowe's or a Home Depot about 80 to 90 miles from here. There is a building boom happening and both those locations have extremely nice lumber in stock. It doesn't sit on the racks very long. The PT is so fresh it is very wet and very heavy. As long as it is nailed, screwed or bolted in place quickly it remains looking good. Otherwise if left sitting and drying out, many pieces warp, twist or cup a lot.
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ICC
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# Posted: 10 Oct 2024 10:53pm - Edited by: ICC
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Did some more work on the deck. There is often more of a breeze up the south side slope than I like. And naturally the south is where the sun is. And the view to the south is mostly standing dead burnt trees on the national forest land, while to the north we have green trees, a green ridge line... a much better view.
So a wood wall was built. The old gazebo had some wall and some windows to cut the breeze. On the west side there is now a short wall and provision to hang a shade, a Coolaroo perhaps, if desired.
I need one more 5/4x6 red board at the top of the south side. (One was repurposed for something unplanned) New chairs.
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