CK20 Rock move and deck project

malk315 · Aug 11, 2007

I was pleasantly surprised when my CK-20 moved a massive rock with ease today that had to be dug out for a deck footing. Here are some pictures although the sandbox in the background makes the rock blend in a bit, but it was huge.

Dropped it next to four others that are lined up as landscaping and rolled it into place in the mulch bed where it will remain.

Dmace · Aug 11, 2007

Good looking rock! I have found that as long as you can fit it in the bucket, that loader won't have any problem lifting it.

Although, I have found quite a few rocks that are much bigger than the bucket and can still lift them.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/photos/46732d1131144209-pics-new-ck20-hst-766014-100_0372-1.jpg

What are you using for decking on your deck? I went with composite decking and love it. I doubt I will ever use PT for decking again.

I used Portico decking and it's great. It was about $24 per 12ft section whereas the PT was about $15. Well worth the money.

malk315 · Aug 12, 2007

Yep -- I remember seeing your collection of photos w/ a monster rock in the bucket. I thought of those pictures when I picked up that rock today. I'm amazed at how easily it just rolled back in and was picked up. When I found out my building contractor used his truck to pull it out of the hole where the sonet tube needed to go, I didn't think the tractor would be able to pick it up and thought I might have difficulty rolling it away -- I was completely wrong. It could be rolled with ease and moved by picking the whole thing up in the bucket no problem.

I'm using Trex for decking. The beams, footings, and joists are pressure treated. The decking and railings are all composite -- I wanted a maintenance free deck since my original mahogany decking looked like petrified wood from the prehistoric era from whethering. The railing isn't Trex because my building contractor has had issues w/ it cracking. He's using another brand that installs more solid and allows the used of a 4x4 post inside the composite railing so the posts around the deck end up nice and solid.

I've got another thread I posted that shows the Greenline post hole digger we used to dig 6 sonet tube holes. That worked great.

The tractor has been very useful on the deck project even though I'm not doing the actual construction. I'm confident I could build it, but it would take me forever, probably wouldn't be quite as straight and true (this guy is very accurate and does a great job) and we want the deck completed for a reunion party coming up.

Dmace · Aug 12, 2007

Well since your using composite decking, what are they using for fasteners? I can't stand the look of screw heads placed two by two every 16 or 24 inches.

While searching for an alternative I found this product called the Tiger Claw.
It takes a little longer to install, but the only pieces that show screw heads are the first and last deck pieces. Once installed, you don't see any screws and it looks awesome.

That deck is going to look great when done, I am jealous of your grass.

Thomas · Aug 12, 2007

Morn malk.
In years to come your back,legs,arms,etc.. will be thank you for such a fine purchase.

Ductape · Aug 12, 2007

When i was a younger man, i learned a great trick for taking care of big rocks(the ones that are too big for your tractor to lift). I used to run the human power shovel on a digging crew that built in-ground pools. Though we used a small dozer, i see no reason this method couldn't be used with a CUT. Dig a large hole near the rock, that will be out of the way.... then push the rock into the hole and bury it. I know it may be very basic...... but the day we found a huge rock right where the pool was supposed to go, i would have been deep in thought for hours.... wondering how we were going to break it up somehow to move it. Guess this is where it is helpful to have a dozer operator with forty years of earth moving experience !

malk315 · Aug 14, 2007

Dmace-

They are fastening decking now and using screws two-by-two. That doesn't bother me as the screws they're using blend right in with the grey colored Trex I'm using and I actually like the look of the fasteners. I will take some hi-res pictures when it's complete so you can see how it looks.

Just got 5 yards of 3/4" stone to put around the perimeter before they install lattice to keep the critters out. The idea is to have the lattice come down to the stone and then about 6" out have an edge (with plastic edging from home center) to buffer it from the grass so I can easily trim around it (and cut around it w/ my MMM).

There's two approaches to mower selection -- ZTR or other tight radius machine that just cuts grass, or get compact tractor that doesn't do the tight radius, but just modify your yard as needed to cut quickly w/ MMM or RFM. That's my approach!