Building a Backyard Deck

Costs so far:

4/25/04

Yesterday,  Mike W. (Kelsi's Bro.) and I finally got around to laying the concrete footings for our deck. Mike's still in college at UNC, so I picked him up from his fraternity house around noon....I know that one needs to sleep until noon on a Sunday while in college ;-)

On Saturday, I had rented an electric concrete mixer and had gotten my 26 bags of concrete. I also picked up some gravel for the bottom of the holes, some scrap lumber, and some 20' 2x4's for upcoming work.

25 bags of 80# concrete works out to about 2000lbs. This didn't even phase the Pinzgauer. It drove just like I had no load in the back.

Back to Sunday. I had prepped the site before mike got there. I had cut my form tubes so that they barely stuck out of the ground. I also wrapped them in 5 mil plastic sheeting to prevent any possibility of frost jacking....even though that's unlikely in Loveland.

When mike arrived we began by getting the tubes firmly centered along the string line I'd laid out. We did this by staking them in and screwing some boards to the stakes and tubes. Once that was done for all 6 tubes it was time for a beer break.....ah the pleasure of Natty Light.

Next, we began mixing concrete!! Finally something of substance is happening with my deck! Since the rental guy said the mixer would only hold 1.5 bags of concrete, we only started with one bag. After our 3rd bag with this slow process we started adding 2 bags to the mixer, and things progressed much faster. I had overestimated my concrete needs it seems. Most tubes only needed 3 to 3.5 bags of concrete....oh well, more concrete for the backfill.

After we'd finished the first 3 piers, it was time for another well deserved beer break. After a our rest, I grabbed the 6x6 metal post bases and proceeded to place them in the still-wet concrete. I eyeballed the centerline, and luckily it came out perfect the first time. We even checked it with the 20' 2x4.

We then began mixing the rest of the concrete for the second row of footings. About halfway through, Kelsi returned from a trip to visit her mom in Denver. She even helped shovel some concrete in the tubes! This was really becoming a family affair :-) Once we finished that row up, I again set the post bases in the concrete and eyeballed them against the string line. perfect once again....damn I'm good.

That concluded work on the deck for Sunday. We did some cleanup...mainly the wheelbarrow and shovels (always gotta do this, lest your tools weigh 500lbs) . We tokk Mike (P-dub) back to G.town and bought him some dinner at Roma's. We sat in the non-smoking section...that was a 1st for me, as Greeley is now all non-smoking in it's restaurants.....I'm not a fan of this policy. Maybe the people of Greeley will get their act together and vote down this stupid policy in the fall elections. This policy was put into place during the 2003 election where only 8000 people in the city voted. I mean come on, go vote and make your voice heard....even if it is an off year for elections. I've never missed voting in an election.....don't forget that George W.

Here are some photos:

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Fiberglass Post hole digger (flea market)	$8.00
24" wood Stakes	$7.49
String	$2.59
Clear tubing (water level)	$3.00
more String (due to dog chewing)	$2.37
10" concrete tube  (6)	$35.88
8" concrete tube	$4.45
6x6 metal post bases (6)	$53.88
flashing (3)	$12.84
20'   2x4's  (2)	$19.88
50# bags of gravel (2)	$7.94
scrap lumber	$2.55
25 bags concrete 80#	$67.25
Concrete Mixer Rental	$42.13
P.T. 16' 2x10 (ledger)	$32.64
Subtotal as of : of 4/26/04	$302.89