The deck has lasted 12 years, we bought our home in 1998. I have always wanted a larger deck. Now that I am taking this one apart I have changed my mind. WOW! I should have paid to have it done. Rotted 28 2x10 joists, very heavy long pieces of composition decking, and over 2000 screws to remove makes my hands and arm really tired. I realize that biking is great for legs and heart but does very little for hands and arms.
I had to chisel the wood out of the pillars, the builder did not skimp on the nails and screws. Lots of wood rot and carpenter ants (large black dudes). My neighbor has some great labor saving tools. He helped on Saturday afternoon, the stairs caused us some delay, too rainy to do anything on Sunday, so I am back to being by myself.
Since I started the deck project Sadie has been outside with me the whole time. Sometimes she is this close other times she is looking for rabbits or just laying near by. She goes to the front yard every time I go up. About the only time she is not on my heels is when I walk across the deck and it is not totally covered so that she can't see to the ground. This has really interfered with her nap time--usually most of the afternoon.
Paul was a day early with the orange for the Bronco Sunday. He was a big help on Saturday while mom and the mom to be made a maternity and baby clothes shopping run. His processing skills were very helpful, not to mention that he carried and cut several 2x10's while I pretended to be busy.
