Building a Small Deck.

[pop pop]

My wife and I have put together a new deck 6' X 8' at my mud room door. We only had 5 steps to enter and really have not used the at all. She has asked me to build her one or hire someone too. I started last Monday and just finished the floor today. All we like now is the guard rail and handrails beside the steps to get on the deck. It is about 36" tall and an additional 6" step to enter the mud room. 

Guys, I found out I am not as young as I once was, and it has been slower and hared for me to accomplish since my heart attack last April. Hope to finish the first of next week if the weather doesn't get in the way.

Also had a 15' X 65' concrete patio/deck poured across the back of our house a few months back.  

Went to Lowes and made a deal to have 2 new Larson full view Security Storm Doors installed, one in the garage door entrance and the other at the Mud Room entrance. They are expensive and I am having them installed which is costly also. That will have good safety doors on all 5 of my house entrance doors. Both these door has double pain glass with the 3M shatter proof plastic in-between. They are guaranteed that no one can penetrate them with extraordinary effort. I seen a door where a guy run a forklift into the glass and it shattered but the sharp fork did not penetrate the plastic nor did the cracked glass come out. Convinced me they were tough. They will use extra-long screws that will go into the door casing studs so no one can yank or pry them open but will make them extremely hard to get past. They also have extra heavy metal frames also with 3 point locking lugs on them that extend through the metal frame and into the door frame surrounding the door. I have had 3 other Larson security door on my house for 10 years. I feel comfortable leaving the wood doors open all day long to allow much more light into the rooms. IMO, they are well worth the money. The doors are heavy, however there are tradeoffs when you beef up entry doors. It takes 2 closures on each door to operate them and keep them from slamming into one who enters or leaves.    

Edited to add; My goal is If someone try's to breech the doors, they will make enough noise that it will give us time to prepare ourselves before the make entry. That is all one can really ask for.  

Edited November 24 by pop pop

[jpx2rk]

Hope the weather holds for you so you can complete the tasks. We had a Larson brand storm door installed by Lowe's about 15 yrs ago on the front door, it's held up well, still works smoothly, etc. but is not the "security" version as I don't know if they offered that way back then.

I can relate to the not as young as I once was statement, I recently built a 4'x8' wood shed with a metal roof, slat flooring and sides for air movement.  The video I used as a guide stated it would take about 10 hrs, with 2 guys.  It took me about 40 hrs going solo, but I worked slow, and didn't make too many mistakes.  I would work about 6 hrs/day, taking rest breaks as desired/needed, and think or plan my next move(s) to avoid the big mistakes/mulligan's that really hurt your pride.  

[pop pop]

My deck is a little out of square (1") but I hid it well. Did not make too many mulligans either. I built it heavy because I did not want it to be unsteady. I installed a stringer inside the post and also outside. It is solid as a rock. Small decks can be a tad wobbly/shaky. 

[peejman]

Deck building is fun stuff. Digging holes for the posts is the worst part. Sounds like a good idea at your place. A little extra clean space before entering the house. 

[BigK]

I should be ashamed, but every time the subject comes up...

[Defender]

9 hours ago, BigK said:

I should be ashamed, but every time the subject comes up...

That’s what I thought too!  

[gregintenn]

^^^Beat me to it!^^^

[pop pop]

Come on guys, deck jokes, "Really"?

Be glad to get mine finished, and then my Sweetie can set on my little Deck. 

Edited November 25 by pop pop

[gregintenn]

3 hours ago, pop pop said:

Come on guys, deck jokes, "Really"?

Be glad to get mine finished, and then my Sweetie can set on my little Deck. 

There are things you can do to make your deck appear larger. Maybe trim the shrubbery?

[pop pop]

My wife has decided she wants decorative railings installed between the deck post. We went and she decided what she wanted, so I need to go back to Lowes, in the morning, and pick it up. That women can spend money! 

[peejman]

2 hours ago, pop pop said:

My wife has decided she wants decorative railings installed between the deck post. We went and she decided what she wanted, so I need to go back to Lowes, in the morning, and pick it up. That women can spend money! 

I built benches most of the way around my last deck to function as railings. 

Code only requires railings if the deck is 36" or higher.  

[pop pop]

My deck is 37" high. 

[Jeb48]

We put a low railing that could be used as benches around one of our decks and find as we got older they make a great place to unload groceries and other things so one can unload and the other carry into the house to minimize how many trips up the steps we make.  Work good as benches too

[gregintenn]

Everybody want to post pictures of their "deck"?

[BigK]

5 hours ago, gregintenn said:

Everybody want to post pictures of their "deck"?

Never thought I'd see anybody asking for deck pics on this site, but I'm sure somebody's willing: