This summer, Mom asked us to redo the back deck... so while she was in Alaska we decided to surprise her and start phase 1 of the project... the new pergola top... it just so happened that we picked the hottest week of the summer to do this work.
I had to post some pictures since Josh didn't think Julie and I had the skills to do this project.
The tear down process begins... we needed to get rid of the old sagging 2x4's and lattice that dad had installed so long ago. I didn't get to be as destructive as I wanted because we were going to need to keep the 4x4 posts since they were cemented into the foundation. Julie's mom and dad showed up to supervise our first night's efforts.
Looking a little bare now... we managed to get all the old boards down without any major damage to the house or any trips to the emergency room... and who says miracles don't still happen.
The first new board goes up... I don't even want to guess how long that took us to manage.
We're cooking now... After installing all 6 of the new 2x6 support pieces we started installing the cross members. Each had to be marked to make sure the cuts would line up. Jay's table saw and dado blade set was a lifesaver. After every board dropped into place Julie and I would look at each other and say "I can't believe that worked again."
The second series of 2x6 boards is now in place... time for the top layer.
Here's where it got really tight. Julie had to do most of the final assembly on the top layer as I couldn't squeeze my shoulders through the interlocking 2x6's we had just installed.
Once we got all the 2x2's screwed onto the top layer we put the final touch one by cutting each of the end caps.
The pergola is finally complete... now we just have to deal with the decaying railing... we decided to wait for Mom to get home to start that phase.
Phase 2 starts with the removal of the old railing.
New railing posts are installed around the edge of the deck.
The new support beams go up around the sides.
I hate math... what does that have to do with a deck you ask?... I kept screwing up the calculations to get the ballisters installed with proper spacing. Good thing screwdrivers have reverse.
The deck is now complete and I have announced that I am going on strike and not going to start the other pergola over the patio until spring.
Grandma Clair had to stop over when we were all done to give her final seal of approval.
