Removing Old Deck...

 Here is our wooden deck that is upstairs and right off the kitchen and great room.  We use this deck all the time.  Unfortunately the extreme weather elements are very harsh on this wood and time has taken its toll.  With furniture, bbq, tea cart, family and friends this deck sometimes feels too small.  Right now this deck feels huge!  We have maintained this deck with wood sealers and re-stained it with the best products available but it is time to replace the old redwood.

 This post is photo heavy and I shall try not to bore you with mindless exhausting details of the work involved.  Lets just let the photos show  the story.

 This is a result of time and weather.  Bright sun to frozen snow that have given this deck a well deserved burial.

 Removing anything someone else built is always a challenge.  Screws of all the wrong type...toe-nailed with medium and huge nails...spacing wonky...etcetera.  Some of the nails were big enough a person could pole dance on them.  I told that to the custom order desk at the local building store and the guys just roared!

 Mr. C who works endlessly and ever so diligently.  Once he starts he doesn't stop until the job is done.

 Because the railing was obviously installed after the floorboards there is no way to get to the screws.  So plan B cut the boards and then remove the short pieces from the ladder on the outside of the deck.

 Mr. C running out of working space.  I must say these boards are very long and very heavy.  Rusty nails and screws and nasty dirty splinters.  Mr. C still has a very large nasty splinter under his middle fingernail.  OUCH!!!

Constant clean up from all the falling debris and bits of wood.  Even poor "Harry" the dustpan got smashed by a falling board.  Good old duct tape and it is good to go.   I hope duct tape can put me back together after this project.

 Here are two piles of brand new 2 x 6 cedar.  We have a local mill that cut it and delivered it to us.  We already had to turn all the pieces and re-stack them.  We also had to tarp them for a tiny little rain shower we had.

Here is our debris pile of the old lumber.  Some of it is good so we shall see what we will recycle and possibly make.  At this point Mr. C doesn't want to even think about any more wood projects.  He merely wants to finish this deck.  Our helper wasn't able to make it and help so we are doing this with just the two of us.  I can honestly say I am not the best or strongest helper.  I really feel badly for Mr. C.  We have tried to hire helpers.  Funny how no one really wants to work!
Enough of this deck project for now.  I will post when I have something new to show you.  We are hoping to be done in a couple of weeks.  We have had to custom order some large joists and some special wood sealer, filler and preservative so a few delays have slowed us down.  Probably a good thing so we don't collapse in a heap.  We do miss being able to access the deck and backyard directly without going downstairs to go upstairs.
May you have a summer weekend full of your favorite joys...