Fun with concrete and plastic

Time to replace the rotting wooden deck and the de-laminating Louisiana-Pacific siding! Here we are before:

In April and May 2004 we sorted the siding with help from the family using Hardie Plank (hoping this newfangled stuff holds up better than the old newfangled stuff) on the sunroom addition. We had plenty of prep work to do tearing down the old deck, salvaging wood, replacing and rebuilding spots that the original "builders" of the addition never bothered putting siding over (under the deck where we couldn't see it), and replacing poorly installed window framing. Brother Ed already had experience (and the proper tools for) installing the siding. Brother Paul and nephew-in-law Chris joined in the fun to get the siding up in a jiffy. Robin and I finished up with caulking and painting.

High ho, high ho, it's off to the dump we go...








Paul demonstrates his firefighter skills on the scaffolding while Robin actually works and Chris supervises.














After a few months of play and travel time we were back on the job rebuilding the deck in September and October. We had decided on Trex which is a combination of recycling plastic and wood fibres (no more wood sealing!). Robin and I spent a lot of time working out the framing reusing as much of the salvaged wood as possible. We enlarged the deck and added a ramp for easy in and out with the bikes. Framing the ramp took a lot of calculating and Robin's head was ready to explode as he was also learning new design software at work and getting up to speed on his new job.

Once we had the frame built we called in the troops for a day of decking. Mom & Dad, brother Ed, sisters Mary & Teresa, niece Megan and her husband Chris, and our neighbor John all joined in. The crew covered painting balusters, preparing lunch and snacks, installing the decking, and building stairs. What a great family! Later we built all the railing sections and brother Ed helped me attach aluminum pieces to the bottom rails for support because we didn't like the look of using support blocks between the bottom rail and the deck. What a difference, we love our new deck and thank everyone that helped out including Sonia who helped with demolition, and Tom who lent his truck for hauling.

No splinters here! Check out that ramp and that stylish deck!