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).