Deck!
I recently wrote a blog post that mentioned how my husband had dismantled a treehouse and reused the wood to build a platform deck and y'all asked for pictures. So here you go!
This photo is from 2003, before we built the treehouse or even the brick patio. The kids were nine and six and a treehouse made sense.
Fast forward to 2022 and the kids are now 24 and 27 and the treehouse serves no purpose beyond sheltering random stuff and anchoring one half of my clothesline.
Luckily some of the wood was still in decent shape, especially the treated wood undercarriage pieces. I hoped to have enough of floorboard lengths to create an eight-foot square "platform" style deck. My goal was build one for under $100 since we already had so much wood.
This was magical thinking. We spent a bit over $400.
Here's what had to be bought new:
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Two lengths of treated lumber.
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Seven cedar boards.
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A box of screws, bolts, metal support thingies, landscape fabric, deck tape, multiple sanding pads.
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One urgent care visit for an infected splinter.
The old cedar boards were not initially impressive, but a decent number of them were able to be sanded down for reuse. My husband bought seven new cedar boards and we decided to lean into the board color difference and create a deliberate pattern which is:
New-old-old, new-old-old.
We finished the deck literally the day before Oregon's dark, wet and gloomy season, so we've yet to enjoy its outdoorsy pleasures. That's why my photos are less than stellar.
I guess I can categorize this project under "doing a favor for future Katy." Summer 2023 Katy, who hopefully garbage picks a cute table and enjoys hosting friends for tea under the maple tree.
Tell hubby, "Great job!!" It looks wonderful and I can so see you having tea there this Summer!!
That looks great!! I love the variation in color.
Love the pattern of the wood. It really opens up the yard and makes it look bigger. Well done.
I've never felt like the backyard was "done," but now I do.
What a great project..the backyard looks inviting even in the rainy weather! I know you’ll enjoy it a ton when the spring weather comes back around…
Very inviting space! Perfect for good weather reading, relaxing and frugal entertainment.
I love that you included urgent care in the total build cost. 😀 It looks wonderful and your yard is so nicely turned out now.
Make sure you treat your deck, including a power wash. Don't think you get the snowfall my area gets but even the Trex deck needs a power wash. Truth be told, not that impressed with Trex that isn't covered from the weather (snow or no snow). Keep your eye out for a good sealer, you might snag a good end of season deal. And don't fret if you see shrinkage even with cedar boards, it happens.
My husband sealed it, but thanks for the heads up. He had some leftover from building our little free library.
Katy, your deck looks wonderful! The re-use is ingenious, and will add to your enjoyment. Congratulations!
Loved the look of your deck. We also have some leftover wood from a large fence project that husband would like to get rid of, but I am now wondering if we should keep it for another project. Inspiring!
Only if you think you'll really use it.
Oh my gosh it's beautiful! I especially love the alternating "color" pattern. $400 is a very low price for a new deck - we've built and rebuilt a number of decks in our years. Wishing you and your family many years of outdoor enjoyment on your new deck. I have a hunch you'll find that perfect free table for your deck, and hope you'll post a picture/pictures of it when you do.
Sorry to hear about the infected splinter - ouch!
Thank you. I'm aware that $400 is low for a deck, but I'm always trying to push the boundaries.
Looks so lovely!
Beautiful! Your backyard is a lovely haven.
Great addition to your backyard
The deck is beautiful. Love the colour scheme . Thanks for sharing the photos. On another unrelated post, your daughter has such a gorgeous mane.
Thank you, it's her signature thing.
A sparkling new white fridge & a new repurposed wood deck. Several nice things to enjoy! Well done!
Looks great.
Sorry I'm late to the celebration here--but congratulations to you and your hubs, and the deck looks great! (Also, my commiserations to whoever got the infected splinter. No fun, that.)
It was him. Always him.
What a great outdoor space!!! Also, it is a wonderful use of resources. I love the patina of older wood. When my son renovated his home, we saved all the heart pine beams and built a farm-style table for the dining room.
That's a great reuse!
What a wonderful project that turned out very functional and beautiful. Congrats!
This looks great, Katy! And I think the sanded-down old boards look amazingly good.
It's a wonderful looking deck and I love how wood was reused. When we took down our tree house a few years ago we were able to give away quite a bit of salvageable wood but did not keep any for ourselves.
Katy, you and your husband rock. I hope you get many years of use out of your "new" deck.
Very pretty! I love the wood pattern, and I love the idea of re-using the wood.
I unpicked a corporate logo from a North Face fleece jacket for my partner. It didn't show too much once removed as the fabric was black. Unfortunately, I didn't pay 50 cents for it, it was a lot more expensive, but still a good price for North Face and in excellent condition at the charity shop.
I imagine that the fluffy texture of a North Face jacket would somewhat hide where the stitches had been.