June 04, 2014

On the rails again

Our second job, the restoration of this house, has stepped up again as we turn our attention to the back section of 227 North Street. Our house painter returns at the end of June and we are trying to be ready. So much trim to add, and create, and redo, and I do not want to discuss the redo part!

 @#drassen&*%frassen*^contractor%#*cheap-ass lumber&#....!

One of the few remaining, well one of like 20, big missing pieces has been the railings for our deck. In the past, without a railing, if someone fell off (about ten feet down) we would have to bash them over the head with a shovel and bury them in the basement. With the basement getting so full we figured it was time to buck up and add the railings. We have been collecting the pieces for some time to lessen the financial burden, and with a final burst of money, and a little begging we began.

First... box in all of the pressure treated 6 x 6 posts with pre-primed cedar

Not a very exciting picture, but it does show the box floating above the finish level of the post

The boxes were slid over the posts and held up in the air by wood blocks. We built two thirds of the railing above the finish height so that we could connect the railings inside the boxes. Then slide the whole thing down so that there are no screws showing in the railings at all.

Next... figure out how to assemble a section of railing...

Stacks of parts everywhere

It is always best to start at the beginning

As it would turn out, every section had a slightly different spacing

almost ready for nailing

The bottom of the balusters is sandwiched between two pieces of cedar so that water will drain right through

One ring-shank, hot-dipped galvanized nail per baluster

upside down and ready to mount to the clear cedar top rail

The first section took an entire day to figure out. We nailed it off and then walked away for the evening. Sunday morning the real fun began!...

Section by section

Piece by piece

By Sunday evening we were to the far corner

In the one Sunday we built and mounted one eight foot section and three twelve foot sections. Monday, Memorial Day, we turned the corner and had the task of figuring out the final three sections... two twelve foot sections, and the last section that is only eighteen inches.

This new side has the three posts that hold up the upper deck. The boxes are larger and had to be installed in two pieces. First we furred out the posts so that there was secure attach points for the boxes, then we moved boldly forward pretending we had a plan for installing the railings...

Furred out and ready

The sixth section ready for installation

The second half of the box ready for fitting

The section installed! right before this picture was taken, we pulled the blocks and lowered all the other sections

The last large section ready to be put into place

After this one, only the tiny one to go

Phillip holding the tiny section of railing before we installed it



The small bit, with its baseboards and caps

Quickly (two days of quickly) we added the baseboards and the caps...






The opening is where the twelve foot wide staircase down to the yard will be


The last pieces, the columns, and trim molding under the caps are still forth coming, but we are closer!  Of course the down side is that we still have two staircases and the entire upper deck to do. SIGH!  I have to be like a horse with blinders on!


The columns are now here and in a couple of days we will install them!


This is wine country. What do you do in wine country? You hurry your ass up, get those railings finished, and host a sit down wine tasting for fifty. Palmeri is the label, we are club members of this very small winery, and the winemaker requested we do this. Anything for a grand night!








Now we know... our deck can facilitate table space for fifty to fifty four. So if you need space for a large dinner party, the deck is available to rent... hey, we gotta support this monster somehow!

#bobvila