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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1975-03-20, Page 28• PAOB Il?, , --,.. Witb ort& 'J1e wood decks �, • ,' x e outdoor Today, , maricar is a Ma. bile society. No longer do Americaa>as • stubb.ornlY cling 'to. the old home- stead. In many Cases, "Home,. Sweet 'lame" has been sold. More often than hot, young . -and old alike move about freely. They rent apartments, trailers, campers and houses — rather than buy and settle down. • • Traditionally, those who rent resist renovating and fixing up with the cor'n- ment: "Why fix up some- one else's property? You can't take it with you!" But, if you could create extra living space=—a flex- ible, movable, portable wood deck' — then you could enjoy outdoor living now and take it with you if you moved. One advantage to build- , ing a wood deck is the flexibility and portability. You can phange it, expand it, move it around — and yes, even move it out. Recently, one• lady do- it-yourselfer faced the problem of how to create an attractive outside patio and disguise two •eyesores : a permanently -installed air cleaner -circulator (owned by a dry cleaner also occupying the build- ing) and concrete stairs leading dawn to the base- ment, chopping into at least six feet of the patio area. She solved the problem, dramatically, by creating a wood, portable deck with a large seating bench and an oversized buffet coup ter -server. The patio was designed using kiln -dried, pressure= treated Douglas fir from Western WoodProducts Association. The Douglas fir was selected instead of traditional redwood or western cedar because of price, and also because she wanted a dark brown patio and would be able to stain • the Douglas fir . to -her liking. . 'The overall dimensions of the patio made it prac- tical to plan on three-foot square modules of decking — easier fo move around, and certainly easier for a woman to lift while build- ing. After the patio area was leveled, using gravel to fill out a sloping area that led to the drain, shim was. used to firm up the frame in • order to keep decking from rocking. The wood used in fram- ing was treated with Cu- prinol # 10, a wood pre- servative. The deck mod- ules consisted of 12 three- foot -square modules: each square with nine strips of Douglas fir pre-cut into three-foot lengths, nailed with 31/2 -inch galvanized nails. To cover the cellarway, she designed an ingenious hatchway that serves as a • comfortable; oversized seating,'- bench, W h es closed, it seats five or six people comfortably. The individual strips, five_ or six each, were 'hinge-: # permit thein tic individually, allowing ac- cess to the basement. The clever cover-up for the air cleaner and circu- lator consisted of two-by- fours cut to form four -foot panels.' The Douglas fir wood was fastened from the inside yet designed large enough to form a complete cover for the ma- chinery, and wiring neces- sary to operate it. The smooth top that fits over the wood actually holds the frame together and BEFORE: This unappealing view is what faced one budding do-it-yourselfer when she planned to build a portable wood deck in the backyard of her rented apartment. The big- gest problem --2-* how to disguise the two veryobvious eye- sores: cellar stairs and a large air circulator -cleaner perms, nently installed by a dry cleaner occupying premises in the • :mine huilding AFTER: Ingenious design provided a dra- matic solution. The cellar stairs are now disguised with an oversized seating bench, shown above, and the cleaner -circu- lator now appears as a large counter buffet. The entire deck is portable and can be moved around... or even out, if nec- essary. Photo courtesy :' Western Wood Products Association. BEFORE: -The-two-major eyesores facing the lady renovator show up clearly. The bulky -looking machine sit the left is an air circulator -cleaner, permanently installed on the prop- erty by a dry cleaner who occupies space in the same buiid- .ing. The cellar stairs shown above in the corner cut quite a chunk out of the available space for the patio. AFTER: 'The new dramatic portable woodwdecib snot only disguises eye- sores,' but offers extra outdoor living space. The seating provides counter and buf- fet top for use when en- tertaining out of doors. The dramatic do -over was accomplished in about three weekends by the tal- ented do-it-yourself lady. Approximate cost, not, in - bench that covers cellar stairs was constructed in suck a way that one could lift up one or two -of- the -small -sections - to permit access to the basement. The counter buffet unit was built wide and high enough to encompass pipes, ma- chinery and wiring necessary to operate the machine. The top holds it all together, but when removed, it is a simple matter to reach any portion of the machine for,necessary repairs. Photo courtesy: Western Wood Products Association. eluding the 'band-aids, srlve for aching muscles, coffee for backyard super- visors and occasional help- ers, was approximately - $750. A modest investment to provide a charming 10x15 outside living, eat- ing and entertaining room. Remedy growing pains by enclosingthe porch You may have the basic. structure for that extra room you need without even realizing it. If you own an older • h6me that has a porch, enclosing it could give you year-round, extra living space. Some basic essentials such as a roof, floor, sup- ports and one wall already exist. A porch eriaosure, therefore, should be a more economical home improvement than an add -a -room project in terms of material, time and labor. All -year porch To make a porch en- closure liveable year- round, insulation will have to be added to the floor, walls and ceiling, a meth- od devised to heat the room — such as baseboard heating — and windows installed. Ample use " of windows can retain the advanta- geous qualities of broad views, fresh air and sun- shine that a porch offers. These benefits are best achieved by installing good ventilating windows such as wood casements or slider units. Both styles in ponderosa pine,, with in- sulating glass — two panes of glass with an insulating air broace between — can be purchased in a variety of sizes at local home cen- ters or building supply dealers. Other benefits Wood windows have ad- ditional benefits. The in- sulating glass in combina- tion with factory -applied weatherstripping and the natural insulation pro- vided by the wood sash and frame guard against excessive heat loss and assure snug closure. Win- dows of ponderosa pine with insulating glass also put an end to the spring and fall job of taking down and putting up storm sash. And these units are easier to clean because there are only two surfaces to wash instead of four. .FIRST,. MORTGAGE. RATES NOW. LOWER Let us help with buying, building or repairing your home... CaII J. M. McKenney at 524- 7381 for mortgage arrangements. r� TORL4 and GREY VG :