So somewhere along this point, it's about a month from my office closure. We decided we'd try NOT to move if we could avoid it. However that leaves me kicking myself wondering why I'm elbows deep remodeling the back yard when I should be hunting for a job. Well, I am hunting for a job all along here, but it's not a sole focus.
Eventually I decide that if all I do is sit in front of a screen and write cover letters I'll go mad and that physical exertion and making something with my hands is good for my head and heart so it's not such a bad move. Besides, there's still the outside possibility that a new job will require a move and having a finished backyard would be a good call if it came to that. Same logic for my Land Cruiser. It's OK to keep working on that, because if I HAD to sell it the investment would pay returns.
Anyways, that mini mountain of dirt above. That's about half of what I pulled out of my backyard. The other half was already in the lowboy dumpster I rented.
Pro tip on dumpsters. I didn't realize how expensive these were. It's a touch north of $700 for a "mixed load." However if you're only removing "clean fill dirt" the trash company can sell or re-use it so that dropped my cost to $325. I tried to post free dirt on craigslist and and got zero bites in a week so I pulled the trigger on the rental. By the way, there are a LOT of folks posting free dirt on craigslist so if you need some, go there first.
Two evenings and about 6 hours later (ground was already broken up so I was just moving a pile)
Best guess I moved 7 yards of dirt. Something like 60 wheelbarrow loads (I could do one about every 6 minutes). I was just happy that I could go shovel for hours and not die. Apparently I'm still in OK shape.
What might not be obvious from structure pic above is all the weird angles I'm using in this deck. The area in question is a triangular so the deck needs to bend about 45 and then flare wider as it approach my patio slab. I also had to get creative with the flange hangers since they're only made to work at 90 degree angles. Two layers of wood (overlapping) wasn't a good option since I had to dig down whatever thickness of structure I was using.
Here's what I came up with.
1) You start by bending the acute angle on the flange hanger to land flush with whatever joist you're playing with.
2) Start the toe screws so this side is flush as intended (stainless is best for pressure treated lumber, hot dip galvanized is OK, basic Zinc screws will die quickly)
3) The opposite site you have to twist and pull so at least the tip is flush.
4) From there it's not too bad to hammer form the hanger to better meet the obtuse angle and install relatively normally.
I also bough a Kreig mini pocket hole drill fixture. I'm in love with this thing.
Made short work of some little kickers for lateral support. Here's one that twisted as it was drying so I fought it back to square during install and figured the stress would relax as it dried further.
So what's all the fuss about?
The joists run RADIALLY as the deck flares.
Should give it a cool looking screw pattern when I'm done.
-Joel
