At Home In The Woods

[Obed]

We finally have the railing installed on the back porch/deck! Yay! Now we can start using it.

Obed, Are you nailing the top 2 x 6 CAP RAIL to the top 2 x 4 TOP RAIL with the galvanized nails? What about drilling holes through the TOP RAIL, setting the CAP RAIL on top, then using galvanized screws to insert the screws from the bottom and then attaching. That way the CAP RAIL would not have any nail heads showing and the screws would pull the two boards in real tight.

I screwed the cap rails onto the top rail from underneath the way Stanley suggested. I like the fact that there are no nails or screws showing from the top.



I took some pictures last night after I finished. I'll take more pictures when I have some daylight.

Next I need to install the steps. My wife will stain the railing when the weather and timing work out.

[brin]

Bob,
Our well is "drilled". It is 300 ft deep. I am pleased that we have discovered that we can water the garden or grass all day as long as we limit the sprinklers to one at a time. Apparently our well can keep up with that flow rate. When using 3 sprinklers simultaneously, it only takes about 30 minutes or less to lose water pressure.
Obed

I'm glad you have a drilled well...that's great...Our well is drilled but only 175 ft. deep and we have 25 GPM as measured at the time the well was drilled with the Well Companies pumper truck but with our well pump , it is not capable of pumping 25 gpm even though the water is there so we can't run 3 sprinklers at one time either..we can run 2 but that is it.

[PAGUY]

Obed - Are you going to leave that end 4X4 post sticking up like it is now? I think if you don't have any plans for it (e.g. bird feeder or bird house )then I think it would look better cut flush with banister and capped or sclupted to a point. JMO

[srs]

Obed, Your'e doing a great job, looks sharp! Stanley

[brin]

We finally have the railing installed on the back porch/deck! Yay! Now we can start using it.





I screwed the cap rails onto the top rail from underneath the way Stanley suggested. I like the fact that there are no nails or screws showing from the top.



I took some pictures last night after I finished. I'll take more pictures when I have some daylight.

Next I need to install the steps. My wife will stain the railing when the weather and timing work out.

Obed...in the first picture of your porch and deck , right at the end it looks like there is a long post...If you have no plans for that post ..You might want to consider one of those farm bells that are designed to be bolted to the top of a 4x4 or 6x6 post...we have one and they are neat as yard art but also functional...if you or a member of your family are out in the woods out of sight and are needed at home..they just ring the bell...it is loud and can be heard for a very long way....Your porch , deck...the whole house just looks great....You and your hard working wife and small engine mechanic are to be congratulated along with your little helper, cute daughter.

[Obed]

Obed...in the first picture of your porch and deck , right at the end it looks like there is a long post...If you have no plans for that post ..You might want to consider one of those farm bells that are designed to be bolted to the top of a 4x4 or 6x6 post...we have one and they are neat as yard art but also functional...if you or a member of your family are out in the woods out of sight and are needed at home..they just ring the bell...it is loud and can be heard for a very long way....Your porch , deck...the whole house just looks great....You and your hard working wife and small engine mechanic are to be congratulated along with your little helper, cute daughter.

Bob,
A farm bell is a great idea. In fact, my grandad had a farm bell on our farm when I was growing up. I hope my dad still has it. I'll check with him. I would love to have my grandad's bell on that post! Now you've got my hopes up.
Obed

[Obed]

Here are some porch pictures taken in the daytime. I was able to spend some time sitting on the porch this weekend. I really like it out there. We had a family with 6 kids stay with us over the weekend. The porch added a noticeable new element to the house. Temps are starting to cool off around here. We got the porch done just in time for it to start getting cold outside. There will still be some warm days I will be able to spend on the porch before it gets too cold all the time.

[Otto Syracuse]

Obed,
I've been following your thread for a long time. I just want to compliment you and your wife on the finished product, it turned out great. You will still get plenty of use in the cold weather too....they make excellent walk in refrigerators!
Otto

[Diamondpilot]

Very nice job on that porch. Your level of craftsmanship gets better with each and every project completed.

Chris

[brin]

Bob,
A farm bell is a great idea. In fact, my grandad had a farm bell on our farm when I was growing up. I hope my dad still has it. I'll check with him. I would love to have my grandad's bell on that post! Now you've got my hopes up.
Obed

OBED, we bought our farm bell and one my in laws years ago at a roadside flea market...If your grandad's bell is not available ...Craigs list or local flea markets should have the old originals that mount on the top of the post...if not here is a place...Farm Bell Classic Cast Iron Farm Bell but there are plenty of sources on line and some of farm supply companies on line sell replicas of the original....Let us know ...