I built a Deck...

[steve smoot]

Becca, aka Cajun Lady, aka Becky

We are talking Blue eyes, blonde hair, gorgeous smile, and she builds stuff Say, you got a tool belt? I like women in tool belts...

[CAJUN LADY]

Becca, aka Cajun Lady, aka Becky

We are talking Blue eyes, blonde hair, gorgeous smile, and she builds stuff Say, you got a tool belt? I like women in tool belts...

Yes, I have a tool belt and know how to use it. (I'm just not very good at building things yet but I try hard)

[CAJUN LADY]

Put the first deck waterproof stain on it. Already looks pretty good.

[Miriam C.]

way to go girl! Now solar lights come in lots of styles and sizes. Look around for something you can remove or that sits around. I have a motion light for the outside of the Td. It lights up if we open the door or someone visits...

http://www.solarlightstore.com/solar-sp ... lt=results

[mezmo]

Hi Becca,

'Got a couple suggestions for you to consider - Really
nice little porch by the way !

[Sorry for being so wordy but I'm trying to not be
confusing in the descriptions.]

How about making four little 'feet', one for each corner.
These would elevate it a little off the ground, protecting the
1x6 edges from possible water/dirt/scraping etc. , provide
diagonal bracing and could help in leveling it at times too
if the surface below is uneven.

All you'd need to do is cut four triangular pieces out of some
scrap 1x6. Make them like a right triangle - one 90 and two 45
degree inside angles. The strongest way would have the wood grain
parallel to the hypotenuse [longest side] of the triangle.

Envision this as a piece of 1x6 laid flat : I\/\/\/\/I.
The "I"s are the ends. The long sides aren't shown but understood
to be there. The bottom points of the "V"s have the 90 degree
angles inside them and the top points of the "V"s have 45 degree
angles against he top edge of the board. This representation; I\/\/\I
saves wood and gives you the 4 feet also but you need to flip every
other angle so that every inside angle of the zigzag is 90 degrees
where it touches either long side. This gives the same results as
the first description: Four right triangle shaped feet.

Then just screw them on flat to each bottom corner matching the
90 degree angle in the foot to the 90 degree angle made by the
front 1x6 and the side 1x6 butt joint. Just be sure to have the
foot edges flush with the outside edges of each 1x6. This'll only increase
the height @3/4 of an inch but would give you a little diagonal
brace on each corner to help keep it from racking when you move it
and give some protection to most of the bottom. [You could also add
one of the right triangle feet to your center support like this : /I\
if you wanted by putting the long side of the foot flush under the front
1x6 and bisecting it's 90 degree angle with the center support. [Do
both ends of the center support.]]

As to mounting your solar edge lights here are a couple possibilities:

Depending on how much side overhang you have on the porch floor;
You could drill a hole large enough for the diameter of the solar light
in the middle of a floor board toward the end of the floor board -
but not closer to the outside end of the board than @ 3/4 of an inch
at the closest to the end to try and avoid splitting the end of the board -
just inside or outside of either side of the side 1x6 supporting it
below. If you do the feet you could drill a corresponding half depthhole
directly below it. The shaft of the solar light would thus have support
and location at two spots keeping it vertical. BE SURE to use either a
brad tipped drill or a Forstner bit drill for your holes if you want very
smooth holes. Regular drill bits will work but will generally give you
rougher edges on the holes.

Alternately: There are galvanized "winged U brackets" used for
supporting electrical wire/cable and/or metal electrical conduit. They are
shaped like a "U" with an inch or 3/4 inch long wing on each side of the
top of the "U". There are various sizes, one for a 3/4 inch diameter is
most common. Just mount one each close to the top and bottom edges of
the side support board. Mounting them directly in line will give the vertical
location and support needed. Note: Depending on the diameter of the
solar light shaft: If it is a smaller diameter there are also similar
"winged U brackets" in the gate hardware section used to locate sliding
bolts for gates. They or some other style sliding bolt hardware may also
work for this.

Alternately you can combine these methods by drilling a hole in the
porch board if there is sufficient space on the overhang for the top
location and support and use a "winged U bracket" for the bottom.
Or:
You could also drill a half thickness deep hole on the foot triangle
under the board hole if you decide to mount the light shaft inside
the side 1x6 support or extend the foot an inch or so beyond the 1x6
support board on the out side and drill the half depth hole lining
up under the top hole.
Or:
You could add a square piece of 1x6 to your side 1x6 support
board, where wanted, and attach the "winged U brackets" to that
if it'd clear the end of the floor boards. This method would avoid
drilling holes.

'Hope this isn't too confusing !


P.S. What did you decide for a Name for the Scotty ?

Norm/mezmo

[mechmagcn]

Let's see, blonde hair, blue eyes, owns a tool belt, builds things, Uhhh.... Becca you wanna get married????? You sound like my kind of lady!

[CAJUN LADY]

Thanks M! I have a couple of extra that I bought from Home Depot, the ones you stick in the ground. They work well as long as you have a double A battery for backup.

Norm, thank you for that enjoyable reading. I plan on putting small feet on the 4 corners supported by a /_\ (a triangle) screwed under each corner, countersunk a little bit. I don't want to raise the deck/porch more than 1.5" more than it is.

I should have cut away some of the board at the bottom except the 4 corners and that could have been the feet and the only part sitting on the ground. But I wasn't thinking - I was building. NOW I'm thinking! Jeez.

[CAJUN LADY]

Let's see, blonde hair, blue eyes, owns a tool belt, builds things, Uhhh.... Becca you wanna get married????? You sound like my kind of lady!

Why Jeff... I hadn't had a marriage proposal in 33 years . . . ~thank you - you made my day~

[CAJUN LADY]

Finished the deck off by putting some solar landscape lights on it. I bought a couple of pieces of coupling and 2 brackets. I attached one on each corner and slipped the lights in. Works great! Tomorrow I will unscrew them and spray paint them the same color as the light poles.









And this says it all . . .


And of course Jasmine deemed it "purrrrfect"!


I will change out the welcome mat to an indoor/outdoor rug a little bigger than that. I left it outside until dark so I could see how well the lights worked and they are doing a good job. Not too bright but enough to make sure no one trips over the deck or hits the edges.

I decided I'm going to put a rubberized texture under the wood instead of feet. I don't want it any higher off the ground than it is and since it will be sitting on a rug water will be my biggest problem. It has a deck waterproof on it but I think the rubberized texture will help.

Here are a few others things I got accomplished:

A motion light by the door entry.


The bathroom has a great light in it but I wanted something that wasn't so bright so I put this little florescent one in.



Installed this shelf and put a florescent light under it.


Installed 2 drip rails over the back trunk and window. Didn't have a problem but just being cautious.


And last but not least, I took out the old faucet and installed a new one. I hope I never have to do that again! Not fun!!!

[CAJUN LADY]

And for Cliff and Bob Henry, here's my $2 garage sale find -

[zapj]

very, very nice, I especially like the motion sensor entry light. Gee in my younger days I can remember how hard it was finding the light switch after a looooong night of studying.

[CAJUN LADY]

very, very nice, I especially like the motion sensor entry light. Gee in my younger days I can remember how hard it was finding the light switch after a looooong night of studying.

Studying??

Thanks for the compliments! In my other Scotty there was an electric outlet by the door and I had a motion light with a blue bulb plugged in an it gave off enough light for you to see where you were going but wouldn't disturb anyone who was sleeping with a bright light coming on. I use blue or amber colored bulbs in the majority of my nightlights in my home.

Oh, good to see your face Mr. Zap!

[Steve_Cox]

Becca,

Really nice to see you enjoying your camper.

[zapj]

you noticed the avatar? I learn and built my camper in less time (4 yrs) than it took to figure out that darn picture thing.

[CAJUN LADY]

Steve, I'm totally enjoying it! Can't wait for you to meet 'her'. How was the festival? Wish I could have made it but we had the party obligation. Post some pics.