This started out as a "two-week project" that ended up taking 2 1/2 months. Since it was "short term" I went at it aggressively and as it still didn't get finished, kept working harder and longer. I became very single-minded about it and didn't get much of anything else done -- not even grilling. This is the pictorial story.
Since this is built into my house, I wanted it to look as if it had always been there. To ensure I met building codes, I even got a permit and inspections. The only complaint there was the $300 cost -- 10% of the building costs of $3000. (That total included some contracted landscape and driveway work to ensure the porch fit in.) All work -- design with Sketchup, demolition, footings, building, roofing, electrical, and painting -- was done by me. (I got help to raise the large posts to vertical.)
First let me show where I started. This is the original deck with walkway to the front. The leftmost bay under the upper deck was my 8'x8' covered grilling area. I did the supports for the corrugated plastic cover a couple of years ago.
My first task was to dig and set the footers and set the 12' and 16' posts. This is when the drive work was done and I got the help raising posts. Then I thought I needed to install the upper level flashing (should have waited) while I had decking. Took out all the old walkway preserving still good pressure treated lumber for later projects on my property. This part justified the Sawsall I had requested last Christmas.
The old walkway flashing had to be replaced, so off came the ledger, new flashing added and proper lag screws to meet code. Then the new deck banding was done and the old posts cut out. I cut off one original deck rail post and then recessed the stump below the band level to insert a new 8' post as the final support for the new roof girder. One of the good things about doing a project like this on your own is that new tools can be justified. No way could I have recessed that stump without reciprocating saw. Nothing I did with drills and existing tool I had would get the job done. (Mallet and chisel maybe, but on the endgrain of 20-year-old PT posts -- no thanks!)
Folks, when you KNOW you should wear gloves for things like installing flashing -- just do it!. I was doing fine until I raised a hammer to secure the flashing and slashed myself on that edge. The nail is still growing out and the scar will always be there.
So with the basic supports in place, adding the joists and decking wasn't a big issue. I don't like using joist hangers, so the deck joists and roof rafters were put up on a 2x2 ledger instead. Much quieter and nicer looking. With a new deck to stand on, I could work at cutting off the posts to the right height. (My favorite job that is -- standing on a ladder with a circular saw cutting through 6x6 posts.) I fitted and re-used the rails from the walkway which saved a lot of time not having to make a jig and fit pickets. Then the stair posts went on and the temporary stairs added. (I had a bear of a time trying to fit pre-cut stringers. Finally just cut my own and was done in an hour.) Then back up on the ladder to notch those posts for the 4x8" girders. With space to work, I could assemble the 20 foot roof girder from 8 and 16 foot 2x8s. You can see that sitting on the deck before clinching them together.
Getting that 20 foot girder up on those notched 8' posts was possibly the most difficult single task. Fortunately I realized just before it was too late that lifting it over the posts (the notch was outside) was going to push the end of the girder off it's support (here -- CATCH!). All it took was temporarily extending that support. (Whew!)
Next was framing the roof and doing the roofing. That's when I discovered that putting the flashing on AFTER the roof would be a good idea. (Oh well.) And I had to remove the flashing I had installed in the privacy fence of the upper deck (that deck is off our master bedroom) as it was put in wrong. (Deciding I was unsure that single piece was right, I did some research on flashing. Good thing -- to put shingle roofing into a wall like that you need to use step flashing. If you put a roof on like that, look it up.) So an hour undoing 5 hours putting that flashing in and I could start shingling. No big deal that, but since we needed new shingles and our house roof was 20 years old, I started looking for a roofing contractor. (If you're in the Raleigh and surrounding area and need a roof, pm me -- I found a great guy!)
Well, the rest was easy, right? Put in pre-stained plywood ceiling panels (I had to cut into 4x4' panels to handle it), cut and install fitted cedar boards for trim all round, do the electrical (get inspected), stain and paint, complete end rails and stairs and install the lights and fans. I used conduit to extend existing circuits and painted them to match the house. So here it is all done.
All the furnishings except the grill and the cabinet on this deck, I picked up over the last few months at the Habitat for Humanity Re-store for less than $100 total -- have to save where you can if you're on a retirement budget.
Now the driving motive for doing all this was so I could have a better and larger grilling space, so I thought I'd close out with a few pics showing my new space starting with where the old space used to be (on the right side wall is the cabinet I built earlier to house my grill tools and supplies). In the second pic, you can see the "grill lights" I put above the grill with a switch on the post to the left. Notice my chair is now where my grill used to be. The the third pic is from next to the chair back out.
So now what. I've decided to build a floor cabinet also in black walnut under the wall cabinet to hold the grates I now have hanging on the grill and on the rails. I have a 12x28" slab of marble that I'll use for the top. I'm also going to remove the 8' rail section just to the right of the grill and extend that deck out 4 feet to establish a seating area out from under the roof. I'll use stainless steel cables instead of pickets for the three sides -- unobstructed view. Finally, I'd like to get a set of cabinet and side table extenders that are available for my grill for more storage and workspace. (I grill or smoke at least 4 or 5 days a week year round, rain or shine, and now do most of the cooking for us.) Since the grill is right across from our kitchen door, this whole arrangement is very convenient.
Rich
Since this is built into my house, I wanted it to look as if it had always been there. To ensure I met building codes, I even got a permit and inspections. The only complaint there was the $300 cost -- 10% of the building costs of $3000. (That total included some contracted landscape and driveway work to ensure the porch fit in.) All work -- design with Sketchup, demolition, footings, building, roofing, electrical, and painting -- was done by me. (I got help to raise the large posts to vertical.)
First let me show where I started. This is the original deck with walkway to the front. The leftmost bay under the upper deck was my 8'x8' covered grilling area. I did the supports for the corrugated plastic cover a couple of years ago.
My first task was to dig and set the footers and set the 12' and 16' posts. This is when the drive work was done and I got the help raising posts. Then I thought I needed to install the upper level flashing (should have waited) while I had decking. Took out all the old walkway preserving still good pressure treated lumber for later projects on my property. This part justified the Sawsall I had requested last Christmas.
The old walkway flashing had to be replaced, so off came the ledger, new flashing added and proper lag screws to meet code. Then the new deck banding was done and the old posts cut out. I cut off one original deck rail post and then recessed the stump below the band level to insert a new 8' post as the final support for the new roof girder. One of the good things about doing a project like this on your own is that new tools can be justified. No way could I have recessed that stump without reciprocating saw. Nothing I did with drills and existing tool I had would get the job done. (Mallet and chisel maybe, but on the endgrain of 20-year-old PT posts -- no thanks!)
Folks, when you KNOW you should wear gloves for things like installing flashing -- just do it!. I was doing fine until I raised a hammer to secure the flashing and slashed myself on that edge. The nail is still growing out and the scar will always be there.
So with the basic supports in place, adding the joists and decking wasn't a big issue. I don't like using joist hangers, so the deck joists and roof rafters were put up on a 2x2 ledger instead. Much quieter and nicer looking. With a new deck to stand on, I could work at cutting off the posts to the right height. (My favorite job that is -- standing on a ladder with a circular saw cutting through 6x6 posts.) I fitted and re-used the rails from the walkway which saved a lot of time not having to make a jig and fit pickets. Then the stair posts went on and the temporary stairs added. (I had a bear of a time trying to fit pre-cut stringers. Finally just cut my own and was done in an hour.) Then back up on the ladder to notch those posts for the 4x8" girders. With space to work, I could assemble the 20 foot roof girder from 8 and 16 foot 2x8s. You can see that sitting on the deck before clinching them together.
Getting that 20 foot girder up on those notched 8' posts was possibly the most difficult single task. Fortunately I realized just before it was too late that lifting it over the posts (the notch was outside) was going to push the end of the girder off it's support (here -- CATCH!). All it took was temporarily extending that support. (Whew!)
Next was framing the roof and doing the roofing. That's when I discovered that putting the flashing on AFTER the roof would be a good idea. (Oh well.) And I had to remove the flashing I had installed in the privacy fence of the upper deck (that deck is off our master bedroom) as it was put in wrong. (Deciding I was unsure that single piece was right, I did some research on flashing. Good thing -- to put shingle roofing into a wall like that you need to use step flashing. If you put a roof on like that, look it up.) So an hour undoing 5 hours putting that flashing in and I could start shingling. No big deal that, but since we needed new shingles and our house roof was 20 years old, I started looking for a roofing contractor. (If you're in the Raleigh and surrounding area and need a roof, pm me -- I found a great guy!)
Well, the rest was easy, right? Put in pre-stained plywood ceiling panels (I had to cut into 4x4' panels to handle it), cut and install fitted cedar boards for trim all round, do the electrical (get inspected), stain and paint, complete end rails and stairs and install the lights and fans. I used conduit to extend existing circuits and painted them to match the house. So here it is all done.
All the furnishings except the grill and the cabinet on this deck, I picked up over the last few months at the Habitat for Humanity Re-store for less than $100 total -- have to save where you can if you're on a retirement budget.
Now the driving motive for doing all this was so I could have a better and larger grilling space, so I thought I'd close out with a few pics showing my new space starting with where the old space used to be (on the right side wall is the cabinet I built earlier to house my grill tools and supplies). In the second pic, you can see the "grill lights" I put above the grill with a switch on the post to the left. Notice my chair is now where my grill used to be. The the third pic is from next to the chair back out.
So now what. I've decided to build a floor cabinet also in black walnut under the wall cabinet to hold the grates I now have hanging on the grill and on the rails. I have a 12x28" slab of marble that I'll use for the top. I'm also going to remove the 8' rail section just to the right of the grill and extend that deck out 4 feet to establish a seating area out from under the roof. I'll use stainless steel cables instead of pickets for the three sides -- unobstructed view. Finally, I'd like to get a set of cabinet and side table extenders that are available for my grill for more storage and workspace. (I grill or smoke at least 4 or 5 days a week year round, rain or shine, and now do most of the cooking for us.) Since the grill is right across from our kitchen door, this whole arrangement is very convenient.
Rich