With the April weather playing tricks on us we couldn’t start the deck building and painting process until last week. I was so relieved when the materials finally arrived.
Blurry shot but it’s just to describe how I’ve planned the deck and the flower bed in front of the steps to the basement. It’s like one huge construction. Gone are the flowy shapes and instead the lines are straight.
The deck is suspended in three sides frmo the walls of the house and a couple of concrete supports holds it up at the corners. Each intersection is also supported by slabs laid on a weed blocking membrane. Underneath is all is sand.
I chose Siberian larch wood for the whole construction. It’s a light wood that goes grey with age. Larch is water resistant and it’s rot proof too so there‘s no need to treat it. And from someone who’s lived with a big treated timber decking before it’s a big plus.
And before leaving in the evening after a twelve hour day my contractors whipped up these new steps too. Closed and a little wider than before so Mini and Bonus can easily pass through a slightly opened door.
And here it is. Long awaited. Much loved.
And here’s a before from a little less than a year ago for good measure.
62 Comments
Verkligen snyggt! Det går ju riktigt inte ens att jämföra, så fint har det blivit med er uppfräschade fasad och så den där altanen. Njut, njut i stora lass! Verkligen inspirerande.
OMG! I had forgot it looked like that! I couldn’t have believed it could turn out that beautiful and clean and fresh. It’s amazing.
Wow that looks beautiful. Hope you have many sweet days on your new deck!
Congratulations, Benita! The difference is so amazing. I’m all for tidy, neat looking decks too 🙂
It never ceases to amaze me how simple and clean and beautiful you make everything look!
Wow Benita, what a transformation!
Dana
wow! You have done an amazing work with your house and garden. Deck looks great. Its like a new house now.
Vad fint det blir, och vilken skillnad!!
Kram
Susanne
Amazing – what great contractors you have!
What an amazing difference between before and after: well done!!! x
It’s lovely! Can’t wait to see how it weathers.
Så. Himla. Underbart. Förstår att ni är glada! Ser fram emot varma sommarkvällar och ett glas rosé.
Sarah
Oh. My. Goodness! What a world of difference you have created! I’m sure that you’re not the only one in the neighborhood who appreciates the improvements! I love those steps. Kudos to your lovely contractors!
What a huge transformation from a year ago. Looks beautiful. Enjoy:)
Jättefint! Det ser väldigt svenskt ut och helt riktigt att välga lärk. Det har min pappa (som är snickare) alltid rekommenderat. Dessutom är det skönt att gå barfota på.
What a wonderful deck and the larch wood is beautiful. We use cedar here for our decks and it also weathers nicely. Is the long piece of wood going to edge the flower bed? I can see in the photo with Bonus that you have pansies growing in a container there. Very pretty!
Looking great – I´ve just finished my new patio as well and am SO happy about it! 🙂
Swedes joy over patios must be the truest sign of how sun needy we are after our long winter..! 😀
What a huge differene between the before and after!!!! Congrats, great result, loved it!!! 😀
Cheers, Angie
I am smiling with you. What a great job. You are going to have a great summer: sipping wine, reading, eating dinners on your beautiful new deck.
Love, love, love it!!
It looks sooo nice! Our deck and fencing is made of larch wood and we love it.
NOW it’s time for summer!
“…a little wider than before so Mini and Bonus can easily pass through a slightly opened door.” Couldn’t be better for them.
This is such a big change for the better! Love it! You can really be proud of yourself and what you achieved with this house! You are hard working too!
Love love the deck! So happy for you! I have a blog to pass along, reminded me of you and your love of white. http://alliesdream.tumblr.com/
Yes, it is!
WOW! It looks great!
Wowie – it looks amazing! What a great addition to your beautiful home!
That looks perfect and so perfectly you!! What a great place for dinner on a warm night!
Beautiful!
Here’s one more WOW…that’s all I have to say!!!
Before and after are jaw dropping! Your neighbors must be so pleased you chose their neighborhood to move into!!
Amazing–especially that you have done so much in just a year! Enjoy!
Oh it’s SO nice. I like the way weathered, grey wood looks too but I LOVE it when it’s brand new like this. I just want to walk all over it with no shoes on…bet you haven’t had that idea at all, huh 😉
AH! Snyggt!! Vi har lärk till 14 kvadrats däck liggande i trädgården nu (inte så där fint inpackad, nehej). Johan ska ta hammaren själv i alla fall. Modigt, eller hur! En ofräst stubbe har vi också ju, den hade vi tänkt gräva upp själva (vi har redan grävt en tidigare men den var betydligt mindre), men jag kanske ringer dina stubbfräsare i stället, nu när all energi lär gå till däcket … kram! Och tack för all inspiration!
Jisses vilken skillnad!!! Ljust och fräscht med en mjukhet och värme som lärken ger, I love!!!
Vill bara tipsa dig om att det finns vita(och andra färger)vattenslangar och munstycken att köpa nu. Personigen är jag gruvligt less på gröna vanliga dito..
Hittas tex här http://lovehometown.se/shop/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=106
(Vill klargöra att jag inte har ngt att göra med ovanstående shop, vill bara visa bild och ungefärlig kostnad)
WOW, Benita this looks so amazing. So ‘you’ ha ha. Will be showing this to my husband and demanding he build me one 😉
Amazing Benita! Looks like the perfect spot to linger with a good book and glass of wine.
I love it! your furniture is going to look great on it and I think the closed stairs are much prettier. Great job!
Haha, gissa vem som redan köpt två vita set?! 🙂 De ligger på vänt i hallen. Den ena till framsidan kommer upp när jag målat om fasaden där och den på baksidan som ersätter den gröna kommer dit när jag fått upp lite gräs och inte bara jord som det är nu. Vill ju inte smutsa ner den på en gång 🙂
Duktigt! Tipsa Johan om skruvdragare dock 🙂
Jag kan verkligen rekommendera stubbfräsarnen. 1325.- för tutti och det var två stubbar.
🙂
Can’t wait to see it grey against your white paint job. Good choice and lovely workmanship.
What a huge change! It looks gorgeous now.
Beautiful! Congratulations & Cheers to many happy times spent relaxing!
It looks fantastic! I really do envy how quickly and resolutely you complete these projects, and how consistently well they turn out. Procrastination and perfectionism are the twin devils on my shoulders.
gorgeous, gorgeous, hurrah! i’m so pleased you showed us the construction, i love seeing how things are made. just in time to really enjoy being outside in the warmer months. x
looks great. How did you work with the transition from deck to basement stairs? It seems like there would be quite the step down or up…
Actually it’s easier now because the floor boards rest on the top of the first concrete step whereas there used to be a tall concrete edge to step over before. I’ll try and show you in an upcoming post!
Looks wonderful! You now have a usable outdoor room.
It looks really good!
Love it! So neat, clean and tidy it makes it all look. That whole side of your house has had such a make-over, it’s unbelievable. Well done and hats of to you. Tjingleing!
Anette 🙂
It looks great. Yea! Another project crossed off your list!
Just curious, how does Siberian larch compare price-wise to pressure treated or cedar lumber?
I’ve been so looking forward to the deck finally getting installed, but it’s been well worth the wait. The before/after photos are amazing, the whole house looks beautiful, fresh and well loved. The deck is the cherry on top.
I have no idea about the price of cedar as is’s not very (at all?) common over here but larch is about four times as expensive as pressure treated lumber. Luckily my deck’s not huge…
It’s interesting because larch isn’t common as lumber in North America and cedar which is also rot resistant, is about the same price difference as pressure treated.
Oh, Benita, you and your contractors have made it so beautiful! I really wish I had your vision. Our driveway and back porch really need some help but I have no idea where to begin. If you are ever in the Dallas TX neighborhood, you can come visit me. I will take you to see all the beautiful houses you want and you can help me plan something for the backyard? Deal? 😀
Deal!
Benita, it looks fantastic! Love it all and it’s soooo you!!!
It’s so beautiful! Well done!
Beautiful! I know you’ll enjoy that once the weather warms up a bit more. Can’t believe you’re still having snow and freezing temperatures at night– I live in Georgia (US) and we’ve already had multiple days in the 90s Fahrenheit.
Looks fantastic and a great timber deck.