Salvaging parts of old deck

http://restfultrailsfoodforestgarden.blogspot.com/2011/06/farther-on-deck-some-other-shots-around.html

here is a link to where I'm at in replacing our old deck with new deck, the steps, rails and trap door part of the old deck is being salvaged

Wow, nice deck! 

thanks Ludi it is far from done yet...going to work on the railings today on the finished end.

Nice work.  To me, decks are a very under-utilized means of increasing living space.  A great area for summer BBQs, and just winding down from a hot afternoon in the garden.  What better place for that morning cup of 'Joe' (weather permitting)?.  In many states, it is not added on to your property taxes (especially if it is not 'attached' to the structure).  I was looking at a  1700 sqft house that had 2000 sqft of mostly screened in porch/deck.  The taxes were based on the 1700 sqft house ONLY, but think of how much space the place really had in the hot/humid summer months.  Being screened in, it also created a semi-dead air space on the north & east sides, which improved the "R value" for heating/cooling.

we have deck and porch on front and back, mostlly enclosed, this is on the east and will be totally open.

we HAD a smaller but not level deck on the east near the front of the house but we never used it as it was mostly access to the laundry room and not much room for a chair or table..without blocking pathways.

this one will be mostly 12' deep by 32' wide that has the open area for utilties (and flowers) and built around the greenhouse back, but already we have sat out on it when it wasn't too hot during the day and in the shade of the house in the evenings..gets shady around 4:pm

also we have our bbq grill nearby which is nice..and have two doors to access house Kitchen and laundry without climbing up or down steps, which is difficult for me

(hip replacement 2003)

the rest of my lumber should arrive tomorrow morning and we are getting a cool down for a few days so I hope to have it finished soon, doing it mostly all by myself with some small tractor help from my son and an occasional few screws driven by my husband..so it is hard going and a lot of heavy work for a nearly 60 year old woman

Keep up the good work.  East side decks are wonderful.  Dual purpose:  Morning coffee with the sun's first rays, and afternoon/evening "coolers".  I'm sure that you will spend many pleasurable moments there.

got a lot done last night, cooled down so hope to get it finished or nearly there today, or at least this week..i love sitting out there in the evening..will enjoy it in the morning too when we get the rails all up for privacy..

we have 3 dwarf pears along the east side so they even cast some morning shade which will be nice on those stifling summer mornings.

got the salvaged railings back together from the old decks and put them up, so the deck is pretty much finished. Ran short 2' on the rails but they'll do till we can afford more

http://restfultrailsfoodforestgarden.blogspot.com/

also took the pieces of the old deck and made a platform by the pond for a wooden swing to sit on and step up to it..and also made a rough bridge across the channel of our pond to the island for access..so all the parts of the decking were used up but the rotten posts and a few boards

this past weekend I took some of the 5/4 lumber and made 7 bluebird houses out of several of the deck boards..and am thinking of burying the rotting posts around some of my garden beds as some "temporary" edging until they completely rot away..to keep weeds out and give me a mow strip.

good to have that mess taken care of now and have so much come from it


salvaged an arbor that was on a small deck also and that is in the photos on the link, the gingerbread that was on it still needs to be cleaned, repaired and put back up on the arbor as well..but that will come in time