Last time we chatted about this, we had just demoed the old, leaky sunroom like a bunch of badasses. Now it was time to patch the 12'x14' hole where the deck boards were missing. This part of the project had a lot of little annoyances (the weather, some of the boards being warped, one of our drills not having a lot of juice for a "real" job like this one) that added up to a lot of irritation. I got crabby about finishing this part. It was not my favorite thing.
But I don't want to think about how long it took us or how many times we accidentally stripped a screw when it was almost in there. We built a deck! We. Built. A. Deck. Who would've thought we'd ever do that? I might not have enjoyed the process of this as much, but now that it's done, I'm really pumped that we stuck it out. I feel like we can do anything now! (New countertops?! Should we tile the bathroom?!)
Here's a reminder of where we started:
Man, the yard was so much cleaner in the summer. We can't stay on top of these leaves at all. I swept the deck off before I took all of these pictures, and then a big gust of wind blew a bunch more all over the place.
Anyway, now we need a bigger table:
I put it over in the corner for now, like an overlarge bistro set. Obviously we still need to wash and seal the deck, and the general area needs a bit of a facelift now that we'll actually be using it. I threw together some ideas in Photoshop to visualize what we're thinking:
We'll move the grill out of the garage, get a larger table (this one is IKEA, shocker), paint the doors the same color as the one in the front, find a better light fixture, and maybe add some color with plants. We're still undecided on an outdoor rug. Do you guys use one?
I'd like to say we'll have most of the pretties done in the next couple of weeks (the painting, anyway) but I've learned the hard way not to predict finish times with this project. I'm sure there will be some other weird curveball, but now that the worst is over I'm feeling ready. Bring it, deck.
One more picture. Aaaah!
Have you been busting out any big projects lately? Or trying to squeeze some stuff in before winter hits? Have you had a Project of Nightmares of your own? Does anybody want our teensy-by-comparison table and chairs?
(Also, Happy Halloween!)
i think i've learned that any house project undertaking is pretty much like that. and you're lucky if you haven't killed each other by the end if you're working significant other.
ReplyDeleteYou know, we actually worked pretty well together. All of our frustration was directed at the deck itself, haha.
DeleteIt looks great! Our deck is so tiny, so I am officially jealous. I think home improvement projects always end up taking longer than anticipated. So worth it in the end though! Awesome work kids!
ReplyDeleteThat BBQ! I am a bit jealous......
ReplyDeleteGreat job you guys! Congrats on getting it done by yourselves!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure I don't need to tell you that we're working like crazy to get my new studio boxed in before winter. It rained the last two days, so we took a little break, but we're back at it today :)
Ha, whenever I feel like a project is too much, I should just think about the fact that you're essentially building another house. I think you guys deserve a DIY trophy.
DeleteWe're taking a time out on house projects for winter, but we'll be back at it again in the spring! I love how big your deck is, jealous! :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great turn around! I was a bit apprehensive when you said you tore out the sunroom-- mostly because I would have loved to have found a house with a space like that even if I had to figure out how to make it stop leaking. However, leaks suck AND the final project looks great! It makes is so clear how much more usable space you guys will now have whereas before with the sunroom the linear L space of the deck didn't seem to leave you with much to work with. Looks like some awesome bbqs and parties are in your future! ;)
ReplyDeleteFor a while we thought we could fix the leak, but then the floor started sinking, too, and we just said to heck with it. But yes, the new deck space is MUCH more useable. It's actually 20' x 24' so we'll have oodles of room out there. :-)
DeleteWow, that looks intense, you guys should definitely be proud!
ReplyDeleteI love this open space!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely place to entertain!
Happy Halloween!
Yeah I've found that I don't actually enjoy a lot of diy house projects either. I love designing...executing not so much. And I would also do crafting diys happily all day long. But house diys are infinitely more stressful, usually involve loud tools and heavy lifting, or being hunched over on the floor all day. Just not fun. But I know you guys are thrilled to finally be finished...well, mostly finished. We're still plotting along on mostly small projects at the moment.
ReplyDeleteI've noticed that I'm great at things like painting, but if anything heavy is involved... Meh. :-)
DeleteJob well done. You'll really enjoy that deck next summer.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on finishing your project! It looks like quite an undertaking and it's impressive you managed it yourselves.
ReplyDeletewow! Congratulations! I can imagine how excited you must be to have finished!
ReplyDeleteI don't have a rug on my deck, but I do like how they look.
Congrats! I'm in awe. You're going to enjoy the deck so much during the warmer months.
ReplyDelete