The deck

When we bought our home seven years ago, we spent most of our remodel money on infrastructure and creating a home for my father-in-law.  You may recall the re-plumbing and upgraded electrical work we did, or the wall we moved, or the basement we tore apart and somehow put back together just in the nick of time to have Grandpa Herman move in.

What we didn't get around to doing at that time was replacing the very worn -- and honestly kind of wobbly -- deck that faces west and runs the entire width of the house.  Over these past seven years we have dutifully painted and stained and repaired and shored up the behemoth. This summer, we decided it was the time to tackle this project, so we did our research (we even went to the Seattle Home Show . . . just that once) and worked and reworked our budget, found a contractor, and got going in June.

Summer being the season in the Pacific Northwest in which EVERYONE replaces and/or builds a deck, were were delayed in getting the railing system in a timely way.  So we had new decking in June and then just this week, the railing arrived and was installed.

We couldn't be happier with the new look and the low-maintenance materials we used.  The other great thing about this project was that Byron did not burn two weeks of vacation to do it.  We hired it done.  For DIY-ers, it wasn't easy, but I have no regrets.  In fact, I could get used to this!




Before:

We had extended the life of the cedar decking and rails by treating with an opaque stain, replacing random boards as they failed, and reinforcing the railings.

Looking north:

Looking south:

Below: Demo and installation of the new decking (the joists and posts didn't need to be replaced).  We chose a synthetic wood product (I know, I know!) called Azec. We really liked the zero maintenance, how it looks, and feel underfoot.  Our product: Azec, vintage collection in mahogany, with exposed fasteners.

Since our deck is about 14 feet off the ground, I wanted a railing system that both cut the breeze a bit and also maintained a safe space for small children.  While we love the look of the cabled railing systems that are so popular now, in the end we went with a fascia-mounted aluminum railing with glass panels.  The goal was to be as visually inconspicuous as possible, safe, and simple.

After:

After the railing was on, Byron rebuilt "the table" on the deck and we added our new yellow chairs as well as a couple comfy new deck chairs -- and of course some plants.

 

We are enjoying eating as many meals as possible on our new deck, enjoying the summer sunsets, and soaking up these warm-ish summer evenings in the Northwest, even if it means being wrapped in blankets.