Ahhh, the smell of cedar and working with it

Driving alone gives one time to think and building something can easily have that same effect. Taking this walkabout has given me time to stop the busy, fast paced world I have been accustomed too for so long. For most, our fast changing world continues to evolve in rapid and different ways that even two years ago seemed unfathomable. “Normal” jobs are not getting shorter on attendance; rather longer hours continue to climb for most people. Our minds and body suffer from overwork, you do more and suddenly you are asked to do more until the stress takes over lives of hardworking people. Remember the adage "Everything in moderation, including moderation"? That said; let me talk about a place between the two extremes of our lifestyle choices and a tool to find balance. Deck building can give you balance in that you have time to think, work hard, and balance a sore back with the beauty of what you are building.

Lifestyle choices are a fine balancing act between many things pulling you in so many directions and then making the choices of what directions you wish to go. All across the world there is the thought of "mindfulness". Science is confirming that our health is dependent on doing "nothing" as well as exercise, proper nutrition and sleep. Our natural rhythm are also asking each of us to slow and sit, to observe, reflect, and breathe as much as we produce in a given day. The Ying to the busy active Yang is deep sleep. However, there is an important middle ground of transitioning between active and a relaxed state. For me sleep is a fleeting thing usually with about four to five on any given night. For my body and mental state that works well for me but most people need more to fully rejuvenate each day.

In Oregon I have been relaxing building a deck. By relaxing I mean lots of physical work, some creative thinking and time to enjoy working with my hands again slowly seeing what is coming together as the project progresses. It started out a simple task; take an existing deck (12 foot x 16 foot) and replace the decking materials. After discussions with my friends Jan and Nate it was decided there would be some changes to be made. The overall size would become 28 feet x 16 feet and the existing structural framing would be lowered four and a half inches to match the level of the patio door. This required that the existing framing would have to be completely taken apart so the band joist attached to the house could be taken off and lowered.

Rebuilding the existing structural frame went smoothly and as the layout for the new deck frame was coming along nicely it was time to go order lumber. We chose Lowe’s for the veterans discount given appreciating that acknowledgement of service. We picked out the framing lumber and wanted it delivered. First problem, they had no working truck, no problem we rented a U-Haul for a couple hours and picked out the framing materials and hauled it back to the house ourselves. I was able to work on framing the new deck space and we ordered the top decking boards so they could deliver those in a couple days. No problem, but this store did not have enough of the materials so they were going to get another store in the area to deliver. Everything was scheduled for Tuesday morning between nine and eleven o’clock that morning but shortly we received a call saying it would be between one and three in the afternoon. 3 pm came and went so we called and was told it would be another hour or so. It gave time to make a dump run to get rid of all the debris from the old decking materials and other items that needed to be hauled off. The Lowe’s truck arrived just as we returned so the driver unloaded several pallets of stone for a wall, a pallet of edge pavers for the driveway and flower beds and finally about one hundred pieces of lumber ranging in length from twelve to sixteen feet. We had to carry them to the back yard where they would be installed. The driver was quick to leave and head back to his store. The decking material was stacked and work continued on framing the new structure of the new deck.

Several changes to the deck were made including adding electrical outlets for the end of the structure, a pergola added over the hot tub with a switched outlet for lighting above the tub. Low voltage wiring for speakers ran inside conduit for electrical and low voltage wiring and I ran a gas line from the meter to the middle of the deck close to the patio door for changing the propane grill to natural gas. Oh, did I mention adding a fire pit to one corner of the new deck space along with steps leading into the yard. The last additions are bench seating and a handrail along part of one end. It is not required due to height but will make a nice edge to one side. Jan plans to put curtains up for privacy and to hold heat in if it is windy when the tub is used.

Friday was the day that the new deck top was to be installed. Pulling out the first pieces I could see that boards had white stains that looked at first to be bird poop but quickly discovered that it was dry rotted with many of the boards warped or twisted beyond usefulness. I tried for several hours to install the first four boards but it was to no avail as the wood was not able to take the imperfections out making them smooth and flat once again. I sorted through all of the remaining boards in the 12 foot and 16 foot length piles and discovered ninety five percent were unusable. Thirty out of thirty four 16 foot boards were bad and twenty eight out of thirty four 12 foot boards were unusable.

I texted Jan who was in a meeting to call me when she was finished to discuss the problem with the Lowe’s lumber. She returned home just after lunch and was shocked to see what had been sent for us to use. After Nate and she discussed it the lumber would be returned and we would get new lumber from a local lumber yard about a mile away from the house. We stopped in there to find some beautiful clear cedar decking materials. We placed the order and found it to be cheaper that the Lowe’s materials. Go figure but I could not believe how they would even send out such poor finish materials as it was not fit for a burn pile.

By late Friday afternoon had installed about four or five rows, enough for the dogs to use their access door leading to the deck and back yard. Over the weekend I was able to finish the install of the gas line, rough-in of the electrical and low voltage wiring and clear some low hanging tree limbs that blocked much of the view in the back yard. It was a tired but productive week.

It has been a long process to bring wood to life and functionality in my own craft making. I am traditionally a pipe and fitting worker. Wood was difficult for me to work with, even years ago in high school wood shop class. I could not make things straight and blemish free like other, more determined students. Wood requires patience and knowledge that some are born with. I had to learn its language later in life and am still developing a relationship with wood. I have enjoyed over the years doing wood projects from making wooden cars for Toys for Tots to crafts and furniture. For me, this process has been centered on movement in forests. I went through the forests to find a take-off point to fly hang gliders. I saw trees but didn't understand the language of trees. Now I am getting a better appreciation of cedar, pine and working it into something functional and beautiful.

Here are photos of the work progress.