II - Project Third Deck

 

Song:  Nocturne in Paris

Artist:  Tony Anderson

Even though I had wanted to finish up my third deck project this morning...

two things stopped me in my tracks:

1)  The stapler gun is too awkward to use on the board ends...

as I have to reach through the bars to use it.

I ordered a heavy duty staple driving hammer.

It should arrive early next week.

2) Light rain clouds moved in and it began to sprinkle.

I did, however, complete the trimming of the carpet.

It is now all laid out.

Around each post...

I am going to add an under layer of carpet to slightly crown the edges in contact with each post.

I will then staple them in place and caulk on top of them.

This will ensure no water will collect and stand near any wood surface.

After the caulking dries...

I will then add some rubber footing boards 

(the 3" - 4" high flared bottom rubber ribbon 

which seals the bathroom flooring to the walls or tub)...

which I will then caulk into place around the bottom of each post.

Not only will this ensure water tightness at the posts...

but they will cover the caulking at the bottom of each post.

Probably this summer...

I will also heavily coat the railings and posts of the third deck with water repellant.

I later smoothed out the wrinkles some.

I then positioned the second layer of carpet 

so I would only have to trim it as little as possible...

and would have as much overlap as possible with the first carpet.

I will later put a metal and glass bistro coffee table set near the far end of the deck.

It is the perfect place to view the sunrise...

and in Autumn and Winter...

the sunset may be seen by looking in the opposite direction from there.

I smoothed out the carpet as best as I could.

I then made myself some breakfast and rested some before resuming.

It was a mistake.

I should have worked straight through.

In the meantime...

some light rain clouds had moved in.

However...

I had finished with the trimming and fitting of the carpet

before I felt a light momentary sprinkle.

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After waiting for an hour...

I was able to resume.

I've just finished caulking.

This was the first time I had put down carpet.

It was a lot more difficult than I would have thought.

I had made a few mistakes...

but water tightness was the main goal.

Although it is plainly apparent that an amateur had installed the outdoor carpet...

I covered all the areas that needed covering.

I'll just have to put a couple of planters on the deck

(to cover up some of my mistakes :)

We are expecting intermittent light summer rains over the next four days.

I had to get this finished to where it would weather potentially windy and rainy conditions.

---------------

A job finished...

is a job worth celebrating.

Taco night!

I am going to take a nice hot shower...

and then head into Cripple Creek to Baja Billy's for a triple taco combo!

I - Project Third Deck

 

Peaceful Folk Music for the Summer Solstice

YouTube Channel:  Harmonies of the Wheel

Today's project involved getting the third deck covered.

I had staged the two rolls of 6 x 30 foot carpets...

and all the tools I would need...

the night before.

The third deck is the smallest of the three decks.

When I first went out to the deck...

I had seen a full sized deer walking up the road just across the street.

Bandi looked at it...

and it looked back at her.

Even though Bandi hadn't barked...

the deer then trotted off into the forest on the far side of the road.

I unrolled the first carpet and maneuvered it into place 

and ensured I would have enough overlap on all sides.

I looked down at a portion of the second deck.

I will also do the same for all the decks...

including the stairs.

This outdoor carpet is specifically made to keep everything underneath...

perfectly dry through rain and snow...

as it has a solid rubber backing.

The carpet fibers are short...

but will protect the rubber from strong UV rays...

and the light beige color will be cool on the feet.

Over the rest of the summer...

and maybe into the following summer...

I will be laying down the carpet on all three decks.

All along the walls...

around each post...

and all along each stair...

I will be sealing the edges with silicone caulking...

and using heavy duty staples to secure the carpet to the end and edge boards.

It will involve a lot of work...

and I will be ordering new batches of carpets each month until it is all done.

I will cover the areas most affected by rain and snow first...

especially where the snow piles up.

Not only will this protect the wood underneath

from UV and water damage...

it will be almost completely maintenance free...

year after year.

Of course...

I will, every few to five years...

have to repaint the posts and railings...

but I will also be looking for post caps to prevent water intrusion

into the most vulnerable part of the wood...

the end grains.

I will later cut around any portions which stick out...

and then caulk to seal.

As you can see...

there is ample width to allow the following carpet to be overlapped by this one.

All I needed for the trimming were these two tools.

The heavy duty cutter worked so well.

Plus, to help against water intrusion on the wall side...

is the guttered overhang.

It runs the length of the deck.

Even in heavy snow...

anything under the overhang usually stays snow free.

I had placed folded cardboard underneath the carpet before I made any cuts.

I left enough overhang to staple down the carpet to the board ends...

which will ensure any runoff will not touch the wood.

Some light rain clouds were moving in from the West

(The prevailing winds blow from out of the West).

As I had heard distant thunder

(even though it will most likely be just a light sprinkle, if any...

I don't intend to be a lightning rod)...

I quickly lay down the carpets...

one on top of the other for full coverage to protect the deck from possible rain...

and I will finish up this project on the morrow.

In the meantime...

I have another quick project to finish in my bedroom.

Tomorrow...

after having completed the third deck project...

I will publish the second article of this series.

I love making improvements around the home.

I will be doing something to either...

protect and preserve...

or to beautify or otherwise improve...

in as a maintenance free manner as possible.

Even though I do love my projects...

I like to...

if possible...

do them in a manner as to have them last the longest

by doing it correctly from the beginning.

After all...

although I love my home...

there is also a world to explore...

and so...

my goal is to use my home as a base of operations from which to explore...

to find the best places to see...

the best and most delicious food to eat...

as well as to love being home whenever I am not out exploring.

But, before I finish up my bedroom project...

I will pick up my mail...

thereby giving Bandi a nice country drive

(no rain yet).

New Wildflowers - New Projects

 

Guitar Music

YouTube Channel:  Oufa Acoustic

Today...

as I took Bandi out to her forest bathroom...

I decided to take more photos of the flowers which are blooming all around my home.

I have an internet friend who thinks these might be wild strawberries.

I don't know...

but I know if they are...

they won't last long.

The other day...

I saw a rabbit near them.

I am also seeing and hearing many more birds.

This was my first spring and will be my first summer here...

so I am in for new experiences with, both...

the flora, and the fauna.

I really like these flowers...

although I have no idea what they are.

I received my 6 x 30 foot outdoor UV protectant and waterproof carpets

(waterproof rubber backing).

I will use them to cover my wooden outdoor decks.

These two will cover the third floor deck...

but I will have to arrange them for full coverage by overlapping them...

cutting them to match the post footings...

ensure there is adequate overhang and stapling them to the deck board ends

(we sometimes have bursts of relatively high winds)...

and silicone caulking anywhere water may leak around the post footings...

and on the overlaps.

But...

as I needed some tools to complete the installation...

I decided to head into the nearest town (Cripple Creek)...

to go to the ACE Hardware store.

I first decided to get myself a burger to eat.

I am trying different restaurants in town to see what they have.

I decided to try one on the far side of town...

inside of a minor casino.

I tried their half pound cheese burger.

I will usually order a cheese burger or tacos whenever I try a new restaurant...

to test the seasoning and the quality of the food in general.

This was a good old all American cheese burger.

Not only was it inexpensive...

but it was a very good burger...

as were the fries.

------------------

After perusing the local hardware store...

although they had the basics...

I wanted particular items I couldn't find there.

So...

once I got home...

I ordered what I desired from HomeDepot in Colorado Springs.

They will deliver the items to my front deck by the end of next week

(It is from where I had ordered the outdoor carpets).

And so...

this particular project, as well as another one I wanted to do...

has to be put on hold for now.

But...

tonight...

I will be hooking up the electronics for my home recording studio.

And tomorrow...

I have one more tree to cut down...

the one I had earlier decided to not cut down

to protect a Japanese Maple I had wanted to plant in its shade...

but, I had later found out the particular strain of Japanese Maple I wish to plant...

does best in full sun...

and so...

I will be cutting it down and sectioning it...

and I will be hauling up and stacking all the wood by the road.

This will be it for the tree cutting for this season...

as the wood chipper is coming next weekend.

------------

I was also thinking of triking up to the mountain top for the sunset this evening...

but today is cloudless.

It is just one big blue sky overhead.

And so...

I will just start on completing my home recording studio early instead.

----------

I keep finding myself going to sleep later and later.

I am thinking of installing blackout blinds in my bedroom

(I will be able to see outside just by opening them up).

I am nocturnal by nature...

I always have been.

I love the night.

It is cooler and more surreal...

and I have more energy and I am much more creative in the dead of night.

Where I used to live...

I used to go to bed just after sunrise...

and wake up a little before sunset.

That is the cycle I feel best operating in.

But...

it may be another few months before I complete that project.