Spring Deck Project

For about three years now, I've been humming on a project for the deck. We have a southerly view, which is beautiful, but every afternoon between the hours of about 3-6 pm, the sun shines in our eyes. The umbrella just works for the overhead sun.

Soooo, after much discussion, planning and fussing, H and I decided to build a deck arbor. We didn't want anything that would interfere with the view or encroach upon the space on the deck, so it was to be 8 feet tall and only 18 inches wide with a faux bamboo roller shade which could be lowered when necessary. We started with a blank slate....

H measured and cut the 4x4s for the uprights, then we attached the 2x6s (after a bit of er, "discussion" about decorative edges on the ends of the 2x6s.

Then, Giddy got to play with the tools! Oh, the heady sense of power while screwing the 4x4s to the brackets attached to the deck. Since I'm short and closer to the ground, H gladly let me do this part of the project.

H attached the top rails .....

and I stained everything to match the deck.

The final product turned out pretty nice.

The big deal of the day was the faux bamboo shade that we found on sale at Lowe's. Original price was $29.99, but we snatched it up for the incredible price of $4.49! Even if it only lasts for one season, it was a bargain.


So, after a long, hard workday, we settled down on the deck with a glass of wine to celebrate our success.

However, you can bet your bottom dollar that H and I are paying today with aching arms, legs and back!

Life is Good

Hugs, Giddy