In the final episode of DIY's Build a Deck workshop, we take a tour of five unique, innovative and extreme decks with host Jeff Wilson and guest Hamilton Brock, of Graham Vannoy Construction Company in Rising Fawn, Georgia.
Extreme Deck #2 - Yes, it's round! "In order to get this structure, you basically have to get a mental picture ... taking a stop sign and cutting it in half" (figure A), Brock says. "You have the three sides, but it does give you a semi-circular pattern. That's how we laid out our flooring system."
- The joists were laid out and the decking boards ran wild (over the edge) past the point where the workers knew the outside of the deck needed to be. In order to do this a flexible material was needed, in this case masonite siding. The construction crew simply took a pencil and traced all around the siding to make the perfect circle for the round deck, and then used a circular saw to cut out the deck. In summary, run the boards wild, trace the pattern and cut off of that pattern.
- The railing (figure B) mimics the curve, and this was accomplished by taking a 2 x 12 board made of the same decking material and placed it down on top of the deck. Doing that the workers then took a pencil, traced the outside edge of the decking, lifted the deck board back over, cut it and then pulled a line 5" off that curve and did the same thing so you'd get the 5" rail cap.
- One nice touch to this deck is that the landscaping (figure C) comes right against the bottom of the deck in order to hide the structure underneath.
- Mature rhododendron branches (figure D) were used as a unique decorative touch to the railings. The branches were harvested off-site, brought in where each individual branch was cut to fit and drilled to the railing with stainless steel screws.
- More "natural" elements that this particular extreme deck showcases are several trees that grow right up through the decking (figure E). "One of the ideas the homeowner wanted to preserve was to keep these beautiful old trees instead of cutting them down for a deck," Brock says, "not to mention the fact that they have a lot of shape ... and it's nice to sit out during the heat of the day and not have to worry about getting too hot." To accommodate the trees, the workers had to box-out a frame around the trees of the same material as the joists, then they had to run the joists into the box instead of the trees. Once they did that, they simply had to lay the decking material up to the tree, and then took a circular piece of wood and traced it, cut it with a jigsaw and backed it off about 3" from the base of the tree to allow for further growth.
- Another great feature of this extreme deck is that no screws or fasteners show from the top of the surface. This was accomplished by using an invisible fastening system, of which there are several to choose from at home centers. In this particular case biscuit joints (used in furniture making) were used every 16" along the decking center where the joists are positioned. They made the cut halfway down the boards where the workers would slide the biscuit in and connect with screws from one board to the next. The outcome is a beautifully smooth looking surface for the deck.
RESOURCES :
The Home Depot Information
To locate the Home Depot store nearest you, click here.
The Home Depot U.S.A. Inc.
Website: www.homedepot.com
The Complete Guide to Building Decks (Black & Decker Home Improvement Library)
ISBN: 0865734275
Author: Editors of Creative Publishing International
Order this title from Amazon.com.
Creative Publishing International, Inc.
Website: www.creativepub.com
Building a Deck: Expert Advice From Start to Finish (Taunton's Build Like a Pro)
ISBN: 1561584797
Author: Scott Schuttner
Order this title from Amazon.com.
The Taunton Press Inc.
Website: www.taunton.com
GUESTS :
Hamilton Brock
975 Highway 157
Lookout Mountain, GA 30750
Phone: 706-398-0616
Graham Vannoy Builders
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