Redwood Deck

Here’s a really nice deck I did for a good friend. 

The above pic is close to final but there is still a bit of work left. Cable rails, stain on the steps, etc. 

I failed to take any pictures until we were well along. So here is a pic of the stout undercarriage of this deck. I had recently completed a pole barn so this is basically stout enough to hold up a large barn. Or a truck. Or a tank. It has 6x6 pressure treated posts on 8’ centers with double 2x12 girders through bolted. Plus the railings and posts are planted 3’ deep. 

See?  Stout. The first thing I put in is the temporary frame surrounding the deck to show the final dimensions.  After customer OK, I then build the support structure inside it. I spend a lot of time on the alignment of what is essentially a mock up, making sure it is aligned and looks good from every angle. 

You can see it turned out pretty strait. And it lines up perfectly with the existing concrete stairs. 

At this point I spent a bit of time mocking up the built in seats. I thoroughly tested the seat angles for comfort by having every customer and contractor that happened by try out the mockup. Comfortable for tall and short alike, without cushions. 

Here it is, basically done. The seats on the side make it feel very comfortable and protected. I’ve already spent many a summer’s eve playing music and gazing at the stars. And the open end now has cable rails on it that don’t block the view. 

The stairs down to the large back yard. The yard falls away from the house so that the far edge of the deck is a good 4 feet off the ground, so even though the end is open, it feels very protected. The deck does a great job of adding significant living space to a somewhat small house.