Author Topic: What I've been doing this time around.... (Read 5972 times)

mascot · « **on:** September 22, 2009, 10:52:51 AM »

Projects never end, and they never seem to do themselves, so I started to get busy on the patio cover. I'm about half way done (the hard part) and will post finished pictures soon, but here are a few. Doing this by myself has been a challenge (especially since I'm short) but it's coming together nicely.

I had originally designed the patio with this rock border where I could put the posts...but digging into the hard-pack clay and rocks was challenging.

mascot · « **Reply #1 on:** September 22, 2009, 10:54:39 AM »

Then getting the ledger board put up. Ran into a little snag. Finding the beams to bolt into wasn't as hard as I thought...but then there was a huge low spot in the stucco so I had to use spacers and then fill it in behind.

mascot · « **Reply #2 on:** September 22, 2009, 10:57:55 AM »

Then I started putting the posts up and that was a challenge too. So I sort of made my own design, and will add some diagonals to help support the weight and keep it sturdy. Next the rafters go up...they're all 2" x 6" x 16' boards, so that's a lot of long lumber!

Overall, the patio cover is about 25' wide, 9' high and about 13' from the house to the yard.

Jerry · « **Reply #3 on:** September 22, 2009, 11:12:32 AM »

It looks professional! Nice work.

Will we see you Saturday?

Esther · « **Reply #4 on:** September 22, 2009, 11:20:01 AM »

Wow what an undertaking to do alone!! It looks real promising. Hope it continues to go well. Am waiting to see the end results.

mascot · « **Reply #5 on:** September 22, 2009, 11:26:25 AM »

Thanks, yeah, and nobody ever thought that being so anal was going to get me anywhere! I think if I weren't so meticulous it would look a lot worse, but I like how it's coming together so far. It was very comforting to run a line level across the posts and find them very level and not several inches off at one end.

So far, Jerry, still planning on going. I might leave a little early to catch the band playing out in Trabucco Canyon, have to see how I feel. Email me and let me know if you want me to bring anything, I'll stop along the way to get it, otherwise I can pitch in for the food once there.

It's not very hot down this way so far...

Jerry · « **Reply #6 on:** September 22, 2009, 01:42:06 PM »

It is by now!!
Just bring you we are having it catered .Ill pm you directions.

miguynmkoi · « **Reply #7 on:** September 22, 2009, 05:12:55 PM »

Looks to me you are doing a very professional job for your patio cover. You're brave doing it yourself with the rock like clay ground! I can see it has been well planned and built.

Stay COOL! Hope to see you Saturday.

jw · « **Reply #8 on:** September 22, 2009, 05:46:19 PM »

Going to be very cool when it's all done and you're sitting out there sipping your Tequila Sunsets

. You do very nice work

.

Kittyzee · « **Reply #9 on:** September 22, 2009, 06:00:52 PM »

Wow, what an undertaking! I thought of that first pic--that is by far the neatest dug hole I've ever seen!

I'm always envious of people who can build things. That is going to be a great covered patio!

mascot · « **Reply #10 on:** September 22, 2009, 08:40:00 PM »

Thank you! Yes, it has been very well planned out, drawn to scale on the computer, mapped out, redrawn, measured, remeasured, procrastinated a couple times and now finally work in progress!

Just putting up the ledger board was an all day undertaking. Consider measuring the places to drill into the studs on the side of the house, marking the the holes, drilling the wood, marking the house, and then climbing a ten foot ladder with a 13' piece of lumber and bolting it to the side of the house by myself! I had to get creative, but I managed! I had to carry it up the ladder and back down about 6 times, then paint it, then bolt it in place for the final time. I started at about 9 am and finished at about 6 pm, but I wanted to be sure I drilled all the holes in the right places the first time out. For some of the studs I found that I could remove a light switch on the inside and find the stud, then measure from the door or window and make my mark on the outside...no guessing!

I still have a lot of lumber to buy, and lots of painting to do, but I'm close to getting that done. I'll do the diagonal supports this week (if I have time) and then next week start on the top. I plan to run the electricity from the house (the exterior light boxes) and install an outdoor ceiling fan at each end and separate lights for the barbecue grill since I seem to grill in the dark quite often.

Once it's done....par~tay time!

Julles · « **Reply #11 on:** September 23, 2009, 06:31:28 AM »

That's going to be super, Blind! I'm really impressed by the professional quality of the work. I've always said that most homeowners can do as well as or better than the "pros," simply becaue the homeowner cares more and takes the time to do things correctly.

You have more lumber to buy? I would hate to know what those 2"x6"x16' boards cost!!

mascot · « **Reply #12 on:** September 23, 2009, 06:52:34 AM »

Thanks, Julles! You're right about one thing...many contractors don't take much pride in what they do.

This is a first for me, other than the small arbor I built out front, so I was a little nervous about drilling holes into the side of the house! But I took my time and was careful, fortunately I had pictures of the house before they sprayed the stucco so I knew what was behind the concrete and where to drill.

The lumber isn't too bad, only about $5-6 for the 16' 2x6, but I have to buy 22 of them, so it adds up. Believe it or not, the biggest expense was the hardware and the paint. With all the brackets and supports the tab for hardware was about $130, and about 4 gallons of paint was over $120!

This picture helped out a lot!

emm · « **Reply #13 on:** September 23, 2009, 06:09:52 PM »

That is looking great.

You are a very handy man. Looking forward to more pictures as you progress through this project.

emm

miguynmkoi · « **Reply #14 on:** September 23, 2009, 07:20:14 PM »

Hey I like the pre built photo of your house! I bought my current house when it was still an orange grove :'( But I got to see it built in stages and even planted some treasures before the concrete foundation was poured.

It is convenient to have pictures of the framing when an improvement project is planned. Ahh....memories when the house was still new.....

mascot · « **Reply #15 on:** September 24, 2009, 07:17:04 AM »

thanks, emm, I will post pics of the completed project.

Annette - yes, those pics that I took while the house was going up have come in handy many times, both interior and exterior. Had I thought ahead I would have taken more interior shots for wiring and plumbing location. But what I did get has been very helpful!

I bought this house when it was a dirt field...they didn't even have the models built, just a few drawings on the wall and a guess at prices so it was a crap shoot when I put down the deposit. But it worked out in the end.

tinkster · « **Reply #16 on:** September 24, 2009, 09:16:06 PM »

very nice work! I had something very similiar done when I moved into myhouse and I screened it in but it never occured to me at the time that I was taking away the only patio door that had any sunlight. Now the family room is almost like a dark cave. I wish I could undo mine as much as I enjoy the screened porch.

tink

mascot · « **Reply #17 on:** September 30, 2009, 05:50:04 PM »

Thanks, Tink!

Here are some follow up pictures of the diagonal supports that I made. I decided to countersink the bolts, so that took a little while to do, plus the cutting and drilling to get them in the right place.

mascot · « **Reply #18 on:** September 30, 2009, 05:52:58 PM »

Then it came time to install the painted diagonals and get the supports/header board completely bolted up. You'll see a piece of tape on them, and thats where I numbered them so that after I removed them for painting I could put them in the same spot they came from so all the holes would line up properly.

mascot · « **Reply #19 on:** September 30, 2009, 05:55:40 PM »

And putting up the 16 foot long rafters. They're only three times my height!! I hope this looks like the center....you can't rely on triangulating my measurements because the wood is not straight, nor is the house!!

jw · « **Reply #20 on:** October 01, 2009, 10:40:45 AM »

Coming right along and you are a superb builder if I do say so myself..........even tho I couldn't build a dog house, well I guess I could but ..........the poor dog, and you are meticulous on how you are doing it and I can't wait to see it all finished and all purdy

. You can come build one at my house anytime

.

mascot · « **Reply #21 on:** October 01, 2009, 11:15:05 AM »

Thanks...yeah, I'm a bit of a perfectionist at times, but I figure why not take my time and make it nice. After I put in the diagonal braces, it got sturdy in a hurry!

It's taking a while, I poured the concrete in March! but I have had a lot of other things going on so I know the owner won't be too impatient with me

Esther · « **Reply #22 on:** October 01, 2009, 03:21:19 PM »

Very good job. When you do it right the first time, you don't have to do it a second so taking your time may save you from do overs.

By the way, who was the lady in the pond party pix?

mascot · « **Reply #23 on:** October 01, 2009, 03:44:30 PM »

Quote from: Esther on October 01, 2009, 03:21:19 PM

Very good job. When you do it right the first time, you don't have to do it a second so taking your time may save you from do overs.

By the way, who was the lady in the pond party pix?

Oh believe me, I've had my share of "do-overs" on this already! But, taking my time meant I had time to correct the minor mistakes I made, thankfully.

She was just a friend.

miguynmkoi · « **Reply #24 on:** October 02, 2009, 10:35:22 AM »

Looking well made for sure! Wishing you can come build another patio cover for me!

mascot · « **Reply #25 on:** October 02, 2009, 11:43:53 AM »

Quote from: miguynmkoi on October 02, 2009, 10:35:22 AM

Looking well made for sure! Wishing you can come build another patio cover for me!

Thanks! At the rate I'm going I'd never afford the gas going back and forth!

I'm going to try to get the rafters finished this weekend....then the lattice which will be a boatload of 2x3x8'.

Kittyzee · « **Reply #26 on:** October 02, 2009, 11:50:00 AM »

Can't wait to see more pics. Will this have an actual "roof" that rain can't penetrate, or will it be more of a "screen" from the harsh elements? I'd love to have something like that to grill under. It's always so windy here, and sometimes blows out my grill!

mascot · « **Reply #27 on:** October 02, 2009, 12:38:03 PM »

Since we get so little rain out here I'm just going to put up lattice, kind of like the one pictured. I only get morning sun on the patio, so after about 3pm it's completely in the shade, and of course rain is only during a couple months a year out here. I like the covered idea, but not within my budget at this time, but I've seen some nice ones!

Kittyzee · « **Reply #28 on:** October 02, 2009, 01:08:29 PM »

That's really nice, very crisp and clean. Maybe if I lived in town that would work....but on the farm here I'd have all kinds of critters up there. There are some disadvantages to country life sometimes....but not enough to make me want to move.

And last week we had about 8 inches of total rain--it rained 2 or 3 inches every couple of days; kind of unusual this time of year which is usually dry. But it brought in the cool weather, and I'm not complaining. It won't be long, we'll be running beans! Woo Hoo!! I'm tired of being boxed in by corn and beans, and ready for open fields so I can walk thru them instead of on the road.

I know you have been painting as you go along, what is the name of the color you have chosen?

mascot · « **Reply #29 on:** October 02, 2009, 01:43:25 PM »

I painted this one to match the one I have in front of the house, which is based on the trim colors the house was painted. Not that anyone will see both at the same time, but that was the reasoning behind the colors. The gray is called Ash Gray for the rafters, the white is called Shore. I hope it turns out nice. Here's the front cover I built last year and what it matches.