The
Front Steps
begun September 25, 2004.
Task: replace the old, crumbling, unsafe and unsightly brick and mortar steps (and the rusty, wobbly railings too).
The bottom step needed to be removed - the rest of the steps
will be covered over with wood.
With the railings gone, the Wife took a power hedge trimmer to
the shrubs that had encroached on the steps over the years. The
Husband painted the sides of the stair unit black (lattice work
will be covering the sides).
After a couple sick days and remnants of a hurricane slowed things
down, the basic framing was put in place.
The ladder-type arrangement is the base for each of the composite
wood stairs. It is secured to the risers, and the steps will
be anchored to it every 18 inches across.
... as shown here.
The same process was used on the top landing, where the ladder-type
substructure was secured to the concrete with concrete screws
(which worked rather well) ...
... and the composite decking was applied thereto (using coarse-thread
deck screws).
The railings and balusters were next along with the remaining
treads.
One weekend later ...
... and with only Sunday available, the Husband and the Wife's
father managed to complete the decking for the lower landing
...
... and the other set of railings.
Another week after that and the bottom step was finally added,
making the stairs a fully functional unit. But rain halted any
further work that day.
The next day a bench was successfully constructed ...
... using standard ladder construction beneath, attached to the
posts at each end and covered with
composite lumber pieces.
Oops. Remember the ladder-type structure
that was the base for the stairs? We realized that they form
compartments that are great catch-alls for water. If the water
freezes, the stairs split apart. The only solution (short of
dismantling the stairs and starting over) was to drill drain
holes. Thirty of 'em. Through concrete.
Fortunately, we had a drill and bit suited to the purpose. Another
problem averted.
A small block of wood was added to the front of each step to
serve as an anchor for the latticework to come ...
and a 2x2 spacer was added behind each post to which the latticework
panels for the sides will be attached.
The lattice work was added to the sides, and various trim pieces
were added to surround it.
Trim pieces were added to the bench to complete it and the bottom
step.
Then lattice was added to the front of each of the upper steps,
and plastic trim was added to cover any of the exposed wooden
substructure, completing the month-long project.
Maybe. The plastic trim that surrounds the lattice tends to buckle
slightly when exposed to direct sunlight. We haven't decided
if this is a problem yet. Maybe it just needs more time to settle
in. Maybe it needs more screws holding it down. Maybe we're the
only ones who'd notice :)
And then there's the exposed cement at the front. Should that
be covered with more lattice, or should we just wait for the
shrubbery to grow and cover it?
Completed October 22, 2004. Maybe.
Okay, now completed, November 21, 2004.