Saturday, December 14, 2019

Porch Building, Weeks 4, 5, 6

There hasn't been an update for a while because there have been some delays with the mason, who is building the foundation. The contractor finally decided work could proceed and the mason could finish up what he needed at a later date.

And then boom! There has been an amazing amount of work done this past week through cold rain, ice, and snow. And during it all, the workmen have had a positive attitude (at least when we were around) and the quality of the work has remained high, or redone. It's all pretty remarkable to see. From six holes in the ground, we now have a porch that is almost framed.

Here are a few pictures of the progress.

The floor joists


The day before the workman worked in a cold rain all day. This morning they started with snow. You can see the blocking between the joists to help retain rigidity between them. The plywood is temporary as a work platform.


Each masonry pier has an 8" x 8" wooden post above it to help support the roof of the porch.


You can see how the posts intersect the floor and piers here.


The roof trusses were prefabricated...


...except for the last few that are tying into the existing roof. This is the one clear day the workers got. It was cold but dry. They were happy.


On top of the trusses goes a layer of sheathing. They are using ZIP brand that has a plastic coating that is waterproof. It's not necessary, but is an extra layer of protection under the roofing materials.


And while some were working on the roof, others were working on the side steps.


Meanwhile, the mason showed up and started bricking the piers. While the old brick and new don't match exactly in this picture, they should match much better when they are dry.

Notice between the brick and the wood is a sheet of copper that is a deterrent to termites. Supposedly, termites don't like pressure treated wood, but the copper is extra insurance against them.


The mason put plastic around the piers he had bricked to protect the mortar from the rain. Yes, rain and more rain (and maybe sleet or or snow) is coming. 

Until next time...