Sometimes after work it just has to be time for sushi, so what better way to inaugurate the new front deck than with Sushi!

I must be getting slightly better at working on ladders and scaffolding, as today I framed the top triangular opening at the top of the gable end.
The eastern wall is now ready to be closed, using OSB boards, which I got today from Mc Coy’s, which is the local building supply store in San Marcos.
Another truckload of timber; the guy at Mc Coy’s estimated it was about 1500 pounds in total, but this time it was flat and well distributed, so driving it felt fine.
As climbing a ladder with a 12 ft triangle in my hands did not seem a great idea, I hoisted up the triangle using a ring eye screw and a rope.
That way it was safe from falling down whilst I had my hands free to climb the ladder and adjust the frame.
The picture was taken at dusk, so it’s not completely sharp, but you can see the stick frame now covering the entire eastern wall.

Size does matter when it comes to decks, and is this one is in Texas, it has to be bigger. So today the joists on which the floor boards will rest were put into place.
It’s now 24 x 12 feet, or in metric about 8 x 4 meters, almost 4x bigger than my balcony in the Netherlands.

Gable Ends are the triangular open thingies you end up where the 45 degrees angled roofs meet. As it kind of windy when left open, they need to be filled,
or as it is called Framed. Exactly like the back extension I have done earlier, this requires 2×4 inchers to be placed at 16″ intervals, so that later on,
OSB and siding can be put up against it. Below is what it looks like with the lower section framed. It’s a bit of work, as the rafters that hold the roof up,
are actual trees, so not straight and with knots. The framing does have to be fairly close to the edge of the rafters, so that meant shaving (or rather using a chisel and a reciprocal saw) to make the 2×4″ go close to the edges. The second picture shows the view from the outside. I took it easy today, being a Sunday, and also paid a visit to the
real ale brewery, in Blanco, about 30 minutes from my home. They brew a beer named after the area where the log home is built; the devil’s back bone.
Very tasty and fitting to my location so I’m having one after work is done. Too bad I had to drive back; I would have loved to taste all 12 beers they brew.

It wasn’t painful, it was just a matter of putting in the remaining 20 2×6 boards that make up the second floor. Last April, I had started it, but ran out of time to finish it.

Now 3/4 of the floor is covered. The remaining 1/4 will stay open and allow a stairway. Now access is ladder only.

This pano also shows the work I will start on tomorrow;
stick framing the gable ends (where you see trees).
Much easier to do with a floor. My tent (you can see the blue top) will have to be moved, so I can place the scaffolding on the inside, to reach the right end of the gable end, although I might try set it up on the western deck, as after stick framing, OSB boards will need to go up and then siding boards.
I will start with the eastern gable end; the floor goes across the entire width there.

I am many things, but very strong is not one of them. Luckily Dave is; he lifted a 24 ft tree above his head whilst all I had to do is hold the other end in place, that was already at the right level. According to building codes we probably would have needed 8 people officially.
But he made it and it is up there, ready to receive the 13 joists of 12′ long 10″ x 2″
The picture below shows the result. You can also see the eastern deck now ready. (The backdrop is the sunset in the west)

That’s what my mug says and I thoroughly agree. So here’s me enjoying my morning coffee at 8:00 am in the sun. 

The posts I’m referring to are the 4×4″ posts for the east and west decks, and the four cedar trees making the main deck posts.
All were put into place today, and I managed to put the boards on the western deck.

The first picture shows the front of the house, with the four trees up like totem poles.
Below that is the finished western deck. As you can imagine, it’s going to be much easier to set windows,
and chink and stain the logs now it is only a story and a half up.
In case you’re wondering; the wood is so called treated pine, which has an ugly green hue,
but it will be stained in a color similar to the logs.

After all the work I enjoyed my first beer on the deck, watching the sun set and the stars appear.
It’s been a while since I saw that many stars; it’s clear and wonderful weather.