Lower Decking - Day 3

Everyone seems to have a different opinion on when is the best time to apply the finish, ranging from as soon as the boards are laid up to 6mths afterwards. After already having a sample outside for the last 4mths and it not leaching tannins, not wanting it to "grey off" and wanting to protect the timber I decide to apply the finish now.

Use the same product as with the posts "Floods - Spa N Deck" in Natural

Blue Sky

Lower Decking - Day 2

The rest of the boards are laid, the room now has a floor

Door

Decide at this point to start the door jamb and do a temporary hang of the door




Tassie Oak Door Jamb Set



Small issue of the aircon being in the way and poor ól Deck Dude managed to get a concussion from walking into it...ouchy

Spotted Gum Lower Decking - Day 1

Finally the day has arrived to start laying the boards, the first board is the fascia for the step

and then onto the floor...

End of Day 1 - half way

Smart-Bit & Decking screws

Now to find the right screws for the lower deck - stainless steel 10g x 50mm Type 17 with square drive heads and going to need approx 600 of the suckers!!

600 screws means 600 holes - found the perfect drill bit for the job. It's a "Smart-Bit" it pre-drills and countersinks at the same time. Refer to the link for more info

http://www.starbornindustries.com/smart-bit/learn_more/system_demo.html

Back on deck

It's been decided that the lower deck will now be laid first so make a quick decision this time and go with Spotted Gum 86 x 19mm Standard Grade in random lengths - need 13sqm's and surprise surprise it's in stock



Spotted Gum


Sample A

The boards arrive

There is one more job before the fun can begin - trimming the tops of the brackets



The beginnings of the Structure

Installing the posts that form part of the structure are next on the hit list as the decking boards will need to fit around them.

Footings are poured for the 2 posts that are in the garden beds

The posts are secured in the stirrups

Then the overhead beams are added, as the sleepers are all a standard 2.4m long the joins are strengthened with the metal plates that were custom made for a perfect fit.

The remaining beams are to be fixed later

The life and times of a Railway Sleeper

Stage 1 - Starting life as an Ironbark Tree

Stage 2 - Then as a railway sleeper in NSW

Stage 3 - Pulled up and transported to a landscape supplier in Vic

Stage 4 - A new home in my courtyard, soon to become "The Structure"

Stage 5 - Time to split... with a little help from a chainsaw

And get cleaned up with an angle grinder, after experimenting with various wire brush attachments the best solution was a rust removing disc

5 down... 5 to go

1st coat of "Floods" Spa N Deck in Redwood - goes on whilst the timber is soaking wet so as it dries it gets pulled well into the timber. It's the best stuff going around! Here's a link for more info

http://www.floodaustralia.net/products/wood_care/spa_n_deck.php

2nd coat goes on once it's dried, about 2 hrs

 3rd coat after another 2 hrs, all prepped now ready for installation