a deck from 2005 - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

onhitch · 03-13-2006, 10:21 PM

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Glasshousebltr · 03-13-2006, 11:10 PM

Pretty damn nice deck there On....topofoldsmokey.

Bob

RobertCDF · 03-14-2006, 12:06 AM

Looks great what product did you use and how much more of a pain in the a$$ were the rails? I hope to get to build a round deck sometime soon. In fact I think I am going to start sugesting it to everyone I talk to.

onhitch · 03-14-2006, 02:15 PM

this is trex material with tiger claw hidden fasteners, and deckorators balusters. i don't recommend tiger claw brand hidden fasteners, i have used most on the market. radiuses like this can nearly double the framing time. also the trex does not bend as advertised, it was time consuming. i would recommend starting off small with radius jobs.

Bone Saw · 03-14-2006, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by onhitch

this is trex material with tiger claw hidden fasteners, i don't recommend tiger claw brand hidden fasteners

I agree, beautifull work btw

RobertCDF · 03-14-2006, 07:08 PM

I had someone try to sell me tiger claws once... I looked at them and laughed I said there is no way those work. I would rather use deckmaster or eb-ty or correct deck. I know the round will take a bit longer but it always looks good on a website

Steve Unkie · 03-14-2006, 09:43 PM

Beautiful work!

Steve Unkie.

**BuiltByMAC** · 03-15-2006, 01:17 AM

Did you rip your cap rail or heat it? If heat, did you use the TREX way (Sonotube and propane) or boil it? Or some other way... As someone who builds in the round a lot, I'm always interested in how others bend boards to their will!

Mac

onhitch · 03-15-2006, 11:41 AM

Mac
the top rail is ripped into 4 pieces. boiling/heating doesnt work to well as i have found out. do you have a method?

**BuiltByMAC** · 03-16-2006, 12:30 AM

Ripping.

I tried Sonotube/propane heater - burned the end closest to the heater, other end was stone cold: board snapped

Had a trough built from sheet metal ($50) big enough to hold a 14' board, added water, three propane heaters, laid board in, got the water too hot for my fingers, let sit for 20 min., pulled out (with gloves!), bent: board snapped.

Getting kind of pissed at this point!...Started ripping, ahhhhh. finally, a board that bends without snapping.

Bend the rips - lots of clamps, side screw to pull them together, screw from above to lock board to posts.

I'm attaching a pic of a rail on a 10' radius - I was happy 'cause I couldn't really see the ripped edges. (PT post was HO's choice, $4/post vs. $34 saved him some cash on 80 ln. ft of handrail) Handrail sections are supported in the middle by a long baluster screwed to decking - screws hidden by Kreg pocket hole plug.

Here's one pic of a set of steps I'm finishing up - 29" radius. I'm going to charge a lot more for this tight of a radius in the future. Talk about a time consuming process... I'll post pics of the final product tomorrow...

Edited to add: That's a damn fine deck onhitch! I looked back over my posts and realized I hadn't made a comment about the deck itself. You do very nice work. Hell of a location too, that'll make for some nice portfolio shots!

Mac

Bone Saw · 03-16-2006, 09:47 AM

Mac and Onhitch, both of you do fantastic work I'm glad to see you here as I'm sure Rob,Darrell and Terry feel the same, bout the bending, I understand what you described with the tube and propane heater burning the end, I experienced that the first time I tried bending, I ended up making a box out of 3/4" clear cedar facia with an inside measurment of 6"x6"x16', the 5 sides are glued and screwed together and the lid is attached with a piano hinges, with a lip that is inset into the box when closed. I took a 5gal. (round) gas can and made a cap with a 1/2" brass nipple and set it on a turkey fryer to make steam. Took about 15' of rubber nose (automotive heater) and drilled holes in it along its length (1/8") and capped the end with a bolt, goes through the box with a threaded fitting, and attaches to the steam can with 3' of same hose. used 1/4" all thread rod nuts and washers and put them through the box bout every 16" to make a rack for the boards to set on, works pretty good

onhitch · 03-16-2006, 09:49 PM

Mac i tried the same stuff you described and i agree it was frustrating. i personaly will design radiuses with a minimum diameter of 20' or so for future customers. its not worth the headache! the framing is one thing but the finished product has to be good. and the composits are to hard to minipulate. bone saw has a good idea with the steam since steam is hotter than boiling water it makes sense. also to add to my frustration on ths subject i had paid a metal worker i know a few hundred dollars to make me a 8"x8"x20'6" aluminium tub with electric heating elements and i boiled those board yet they always snaped. i blame the manufacturers for that. not just 2"x6" but i snapped 5/4 as well. oh well. i will post some different decks i think input from others in our field is good.

old27 · 03-17-2006, 12:02 AM

Hitch-

This is the fifth time or so i have looked at your deck. I can't hold back anymore: Nice freakin work. Truly impressive.

Mac: Your product looks great as well...great addition to the thread.

Kudos to you both.

-Eric

**BuiltByMAC** · 03-17-2006, 12:40 AM

BoneSaw: Right on McGyver! What's the tightest radius you've been able to pull with that set up?

onhitch: Headache = $$$. Just charge more for tighter radii!

old27: thanks for the kudos, but don't get down on yourself - 27's not that old!

Here's some more finished pics of this porch - yeah, the steps were a HUGE pain in the azz. I didn't charge enough but at least I didn't get completely hosed for the time I put into them. Another learning experience, my life's filled with 'em! I like the deck tiles though. Don't know that I'd want to do 'em side by side though, I like the look of picture framing each one.

I'd set up the sub structure different next time, though. This time I framed the porch all one level with 16" holes where the tiles went, then installed ribs on the sides of the holes slightly higher so the tiles were the same height as the TREX. Next time, I think I'd build the area under each row of tiles higher and just rabbet the ends of the 16" TREX filler pieces.

Mac

Bone Saw · 03-17-2006, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BuiltByMAC

What's the tightest radius you've been able to pull with that set up?

8' radius, posts attached along outer edge of rim, top/bottom rail was 5/4 on edge spanning "inner face" of posts (same as deck radius), 96" radius-1"top rail-1/2" reveal=94.5" radius of inner edge of railcap, marked out that radius on a flat section of lawn with spray paint, used alot of bracing spikes pounded into the ground along my line, had steam box set up on the ground almost tangent to and centered on the top quadrant of the "arc of spikes" flipped piece out of box and with help of assistant and alot of clamps started bending piece around spikes, could only get about the center 30% of the piece to conform, so there was considerable waste, once clamped hosed it all down to cool, just "sectioned" the pieces on post centers glued, biscuts and screwed down though top into post and toprail, only did it once, i think next time I will omit the cap altogether PITA, as the top and bottom rail is as rick would put it "a piece of cake"

**BuiltByMAC** · 03-17-2006, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bone Saw

only did it once, i think next time I will omit the cap altogether PITA, as the top and bottom rail is as rick would put it "a piece of cake"

That's the rub, isn't it! Everything else you can bend circles around, but damn those cap rails!

Mac

Bone Saw · 03-17-2006, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BuiltByMAC

That's the rub, isn't it! Everything else you can bend circles around, but damn those cap rails!

Mac

WORD

onhitch · 03-17-2006, 06:28 PM

hey hows this - a thought i had but havent tried is to rip the top rail and install, then use an hot iron of some sort and heat the composite just enough to smooth it. kind of like a factory finish. make any sense?

Mac that tile inlay is pretty nice. are they floor tiles? or stone deck brand?

RobertCDF · 03-17-2006, 06:57 PM

After all this talk about what a pain the round decks can be. I think I will just not mention it to any customers. I would like to have the pics on the website... But I dont know if its worth it timewise and I dont know if I could find someone willing to drop the money on the extra labor. As it is its hard when people see the labor cost. For some reason they think we should work for $10 an hour.

**BuiltByMAC** · 03-18-2006, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobertCDF

As it is its hard when people see the labor cost. For some reason they think we should work for $10 an hour.

Robert, you must do L&M bids. I haven't done one like that because my wage is my business, not my clients. With my bids, I give a set amount for the job and detail the steps I'll take and the materials I'll use. If the potential client wants to provide his own materials (and delivery!), they still get a single number for my labor cost.

Quote:

Originally Posted by onhitch

hey hows this - a thought i had but havent tried is to rip the top rail and install, then use an hot iron of some sort and heat the composite just enough to smooth it. kind of like a factory finish. make any sense?

Mac that tile inlay is pretty nice. are they floor tiles? or stone deck brand?

Man, I can see it now, "honey, where's the iron? You said you were going to use it today...WHAT'S ALL OVER THE BOTTOM OF IT AND WHAT'S THAT SMELL!!!?
Seriously, that's one thought. Let us know how it goes!

The tiles are an outdoor deck tile put out by McFarland Cascade (here in Oregon). http://www.mcfarlandcascade.com/products.asp?page=STONE

Mac