Tororider
Veteran Member
That looks amazing Eddie. It is definitely over the top, I'm not sure I am going to want to post any pictures of mine when I get around to it. And you are still killing me with the weather.
Creating my "Over the Top" Deer Blind
- Thread starter EddieWalker
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That looks amazing Eddie. It is definitely over the top, I'm not sure I am going to want to post any pictures of mine when I get around to it. And you are still killing me with the weather.
MarkV
Super Member
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Eddie was it not been about a year ago you used the gel stain with clear coat over Hardi plank oh your gazebo? Wondering how it has held up, which I assume it has if you are doing it again. Noticed any fading or break down of the clear coat?
MarkV
MarkV
jinman
Rest in Peace
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Eddie, that wind vane looks terrific in that last picture. It really adds polish to the whole job. The entire blind is taking on a finished look. Have you decided or described what kind of handrails you'll be putting up on the stairs?
silverdollar6
Silver Member
OP
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
Iron Horse,
Funny, but the deer blind looks better then my house too!!! One of our long term goals is to redo the siding on our house with the Hardi Lap siding and stain it the same. It's gonna be one of those projects that just eat up the money, but it's on my list of things I have to do.
Toro,
Thank you. I hope you'll change your mind and post pics of your deer blind when you build it. This isn't really a deer blind, as I'm sure that everyone can see. It's long term goal is what I'm building to add to the RV Park and kids playground. Doing it this way just makes it more fun for me and hopefully everyone who's been following the thread has enjoyed it too. For just a hunting blind, I'd never put this much time or money into it. Not even close!!!!!!!!!
I semi joke around about not working in the cold. I will if I have to, but charge a premium for it. Here, attic work in summer is premium pay. Most contractors charge allot more for it, but I usually dont as the heat doesn't bother me too much. There is a point where it gets to be too much, but it only happened on day last year. If I don't have to deal with the cold, I just don't. LOL
Mark,
Yes, I did the same thing on my gazebo type building for my hot tub. I had experimented with dozens of stains and finishes on sample pieces of Hardi before finding the Gel Stain from Minwax. I even tried other brands of Gel Stain, but the Minwax is what I like the best by a very large margin. It's sort of pricey at $14 a quart, but I did the entire deer blind on three quarts, so it's not really all that bad. The Helmsman comes in gallon cans, and I think costs around $20. I'll buy a new 4 inch brush for that too, but it's really not that expensive.
There is absolutely no sign of wear or fading on the gazebo. I've been inspecting it since applying it to see how it holds up. I can't find any sign of failure. It's only been a year and a half, so it could still fail on me, but I thought it was worth the risk to do it again.
The Gel Stain does take longer to dry and clear coat then regular stains on wood. I might be able to put it on today, but I'm going to wait until a free day this week, or next weekend to do it just to make sure the stain is completely dry.
Jim,
Thank you. I was hesitant on the weather vane when I saw what it cost, but couldn't find anything that had the same impact. Of course, this was in the early stages of the build, so I was also worried that the picture I had in my brain would live up to the finished build. Another worry was going with a 12:12 pitch on the cupola. I was concerned that it would look too much like a steeple of a church and not carry through with the lines of the roof. I think I got it right. It doesn't jump out at me like there was an afterthought or lack of plan. In fact, I'm very pleased with the roof. From the soffits and fascia to the weather vane, I think it all works together and adds to the overal impact of the structure.
I'm going to put the railing on today. I wanted to have the trim painted first because of the posts that will go right next to the trim. Since the stairs will be cut and changed around quite a bit when I build the rest of the fort, I'm not putting anything into the railing. It will be three posts on both sides of the stairs and a single PT 2x4 at the top. I'm going to stain it dark brown, to almost black. I'm hoping it will blend in with the deer blind without looking too cheap. It's got more then enough strength, so that's not a concern, but I don't see any reason to do add spindles to the railing at this point of the overall build.
Silverdollar6,
Stairs going up, and then there will be multiple slides coming down when the rest of the fort gets built. When that is, I have no idea, but I have been pricing out different types of slides.
Eddie
Funny, but the deer blind looks better then my house too!!! One of our long term goals is to redo the siding on our house with the Hardi Lap siding and stain it the same. It's gonna be one of those projects that just eat up the money, but it's on my list of things I have to do.
Toro,
Thank you. I hope you'll change your mind and post pics of your deer blind when you build it. This isn't really a deer blind, as I'm sure that everyone can see. It's long term goal is what I'm building to add to the RV Park and kids playground. Doing it this way just makes it more fun for me and hopefully everyone who's been following the thread has enjoyed it too. For just a hunting blind, I'd never put this much time or money into it. Not even close!!!!!!!!!
I semi joke around about not working in the cold. I will if I have to, but charge a premium for it. Here, attic work in summer is premium pay. Most contractors charge allot more for it, but I usually dont as the heat doesn't bother me too much. There is a point where it gets to be too much, but it only happened on day last year. If I don't have to deal with the cold, I just don't. LOL
Mark,
Yes, I did the same thing on my gazebo type building for my hot tub. I had experimented with dozens of stains and finishes on sample pieces of Hardi before finding the Gel Stain from Minwax. I even tried other brands of Gel Stain, but the Minwax is what I like the best by a very large margin. It's sort of pricey at $14 a quart, but I did the entire deer blind on three quarts, so it's not really all that bad. The Helmsman comes in gallon cans, and I think costs around $20. I'll buy a new 4 inch brush for that too, but it's really not that expensive.
There is absolutely no sign of wear or fading on the gazebo. I've been inspecting it since applying it to see how it holds up. I can't find any sign of failure. It's only been a year and a half, so it could still fail on me, but I thought it was worth the risk to do it again.
The Gel Stain does take longer to dry and clear coat then regular stains on wood. I might be able to put it on today, but I'm going to wait until a free day this week, or next weekend to do it just to make sure the stain is completely dry.
Jim,
Thank you. I was hesitant on the weather vane when I saw what it cost, but couldn't find anything that had the same impact. Of course, this was in the early stages of the build, so I was also worried that the picture I had in my brain would live up to the finished build. Another worry was going with a 12:12 pitch on the cupola. I was concerned that it would look too much like a steeple of a church and not carry through with the lines of the roof. I think I got it right. It doesn't jump out at me like there was an afterthought or lack of plan. In fact, I'm very pleased with the roof. From the soffits and fascia to the weather vane, I think it all works together and adds to the overal impact of the structure.
I'm going to put the railing on today. I wanted to have the trim painted first because of the posts that will go right next to the trim. Since the stairs will be cut and changed around quite a bit when I build the rest of the fort, I'm not putting anything into the railing. It will be three posts on both sides of the stairs and a single PT 2x4 at the top. I'm going to stain it dark brown, to almost black. I'm hoping it will blend in with the deer blind without looking too cheap. It's got more then enough strength, so that's not a concern, but I don't see any reason to do add spindles to the railing at this point of the overall build.
Silverdollar6,
Stairs going up, and then there will be multiple slides coming down when the rest of the fort gets built. When that is, I have no idea, but I have been pricing out different types of slides.
Eddie
OP
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
The railing is on!!! The posts and railing went on real quick and easy. It's a simple PT 2x4 the length of the stairs with three posts per side. It won't pass code anywhere without the spindles, but it gives you something to hold onto and a sence of saftey.
To blend the Preasure Treated wood in with the trim and stained Hardi siding, I wanted to stain the wood as dark as possible. I had an old gallon can of Danish Walnut that was ten years old. It was less then a quarter full. I also had a gallon can of Antique Oak that was less then a quarter full. A half quart of Dark Walnut and a quart of Red Oak that was close to half full. I mixed them all together and got lucky. I had exactly enough to get it done!!!!!!!!!!
Doing the under parts of the stairs wasn't what I'd can fun. In fact, of all the words that came to mind while doing it, none are approriate for sharing on a family website. LOL
Steph took the pictures. I apologize for the one of my rear side, but included it because it shows Lake Maribou in the background pretty good. The view of the pond from the deer blind is pretty good.
Steph finished painting the interior today, which is what I was waiting on before staining the steps.
It's starting to look like something.
Eddie
To blend the Preasure Treated wood in with the trim and stained Hardi siding, I wanted to stain the wood as dark as possible. I had an old gallon can of Danish Walnut that was ten years old. It was less then a quarter full. I also had a gallon can of Antique Oak that was less then a quarter full. A half quart of Dark Walnut and a quart of Red Oak that was close to half full. I mixed them all together and got lucky. I had exactly enough to get it done!!!!!!!!!!
Doing the under parts of the stairs wasn't what I'd can fun. In fact, of all the words that came to mind while doing it, none are approriate for sharing on a family website. LOL
Steph took the pictures. I apologize for the one of my rear side, but included it because it shows Lake Maribou in the background pretty good. The view of the pond from the deer blind is pretty good.
Steph finished painting the interior today, which is what I was waiting on before staining the steps.
It's starting to look like something.
Eddie
Attachments
silverdollar6
Silver Member
How will you make those slides childproof? (safe).
Tororider
Veteran Member
Unless they are tube slides, and not even then, slides are only as safe as the users make them. That is why parents should only let children on them that are old enough to know that. I guess it brings up a question of liability. But how do cities and townships deal with it since all parks seem to have slides and nobody signs waivers. I guess in my mind it isn't an issue, but then they won't be on my property.
txdon
Super Star Member
Eddie, I really like the weathered look on the hardie wood siding. It looks a bit grayer than the hot tub color, or is the lighting different? Could you give the color recipe again or a link to it?
Good Job!
Good Job!
Eagleview
Veteran Member
It needs a deck on it now Eddie , somewhere you can sit and look out over the lake .
The blind would be a "cool" place for the kids to have sleep overs when they get older as well .
And a place to have some strong drinks and loud music with thier friends when they get older still , without the "oldies" cramping thier style
.
The blind would be a "cool" place for the kids to have sleep overs when they get older as well .
And a place to have some strong drinks and loud music with thier friends when they get older still , without the "oldies" cramping thier style
.