Deck and Porch Footings

We dug 12 post holes total : 2 for the front porch and 10 for the deck last weekend (12" diameter by 42" deep), had our building inspector sign off on them and prepared them for the concrete footings. We used 48" deep form tubes (sono tubes, sp?) in the holes for containing and forming a cylinder of concrete. We went through 80 bags of Quickcrete ready mix and 70 gallons of hot water (since the temperature was ~25 degrees today). Dad Forbes' electric cement mixer came in really handy. When the concrete started to set, we installed 9" pieces of rebar (other wise known as the "drift pin") vertically into the form with 3-4" sticking out of the concrete. This is what our hand hewn solid white cedar log deck posts will attach into. We covered all of these freshly poured footings with a bunch of straw from bales bought at the Napolean Livestock Auction to protect them from the freezing temperatures and the early winter storm (which started just as we were leaving the property for the day). I will add more pictures later. . . I was only able to take some photo's early on in the process.

Cody inspects subfloor and Don and Steve's work

Mr. Cody likes the view from on top of the subfloor (he is too short to jump up there so we need to lift him up on to it). He can parade around on top and perch himself in one of the corners for "surveying duty". Don adn Steve were down to stack the first corner of logs so that we could mount the electrical box for our permanent service.

Garage Doors

Our garage doors came in mid-November, and I stained (UV protectant) and weather sealed them before they were installed and exposed to the winter weather. Ade and Bill installed them (some of the horizontal track work still needs to be completed as well as all of the trim work around the openings and the decorative black metal handles) on Thanksgiving day. Each "door" is really a trio of panelled sections . They are made out of solid hemlock with an extra plywood backing on the inside.