Dave's Balcony

[ProDave]

9 minutes ago, Radian said:

Looking good! Are the little diagonal braces at the top of the posts really necessary with the deck bolted to the wall? (sorry if this has been asked before)

Probably not, but it just looked like something was missing without them.

[ProDave]

The steel wire balustrade kit I ordered from Amazon never arrived.  Amazon refunded the money.  There was a clue this might have been vapour ware, as nobody had reviewed the product, suggesting nobody else received it either.

 

So I am about to order this one instead https://www.amazon.co.uk/TooTaci-Stainless-Railing-Decking-Hardware/dp/B089R8CJJN/ref=pd_rhf_d_dp_s_pd_crcd_sccl_2_1/258-9523872-5047151?pd_rd_w=jBmWw&content-id=amzn1.sym.48cd8206-854f-4d53-baa5-acd3460f23ee&pf_rd_p=48cd8206-854f-4d53-baa5-acd3460f23ee&pf_rd_r=024CGYTAKF0D6XXCT7PP&pd_rd_wg=jocms&pd_rd_r=4d65b2ec-8e7f-4864-9e4a-404a735f864c&pd_rd_i=B089R8CJJN&th=1

 

At least that appears to have some generally good reviews so someone must have actually received it and used it.  I also like the tensioning method, opposing left and right handed screw threads just screwing into the wooden posts.

 

Thinking more about flooring.  I am looking at solid floor options.  the 2 candidates seem to be aluminium chequer plate, or Phenolic board.  The Phenolic boars seems to get variable reviews some saying it is fine for outside use (e.g. trailer flooring) others saying not.  I suspect the issue will be it will need to be cut to size so the exposed cut edge will be the weakness.  Does anyone have any experience of using this?

[saveasteading]

4 minutes ago, ProDave said:

Phenolic board

Very durable. It is used for multi use concrete shuttering. The cut edges seem to be entirely resistant to damp but perhaps paint over them...or just check occasionally.

 

I took a punt on making concrete shutters from the material, despite the cost, for a standard plinth we used, typically 20 per project, with screwed connections.  I think they were used about 6 times (i wrote on them each job). Which justified the cost and sustainabity (timber use, skips, then deduct storage and transport). Until a groundworker sent a new gang to strip them and they smashed them up.

I think they would have lasted another 6.

 

At last use there was a lot of denting and corners chipped, to be expected,  but there was no water damage.  So i think it is fine for you. Check slipperiness. It cut very neatly too.

[ProDave]

Thanks @saveasteading  do you happen to know who is the best (cheapest) supplier in the Inverness area?  I will only need four 2.4 by 1.2M sheets (though I see a lot comes in imperial sizes)

[saveasteading]

53 minutes ago, ProDave said:

(cheapest) supplier in the Inverness area

No idea. Most won't stock it so I would use the web for guidance and offer that price to your local BM. They have a sure sale and no stock costs.

 

A further thought..I have a vague memory that it is super hard and smooth on one side, but rippled on the back....which wouldn't be slippy but might get mucky.

So looked on line and some is sold specifically as non-slip....BUT £260/sheet!!!!

And they sell edge sealer.

I think best contact the manufacturer.

 

BTW I see your local castle is on tele for 'Traitors'. No mention of the Duke of Sutherland's nasty doings which paid for it.

[ProDave]

24 minutes ago, saveasteading said:

BTW I see your local castle is on tele for 'Traitors'. No mention of the Duke of Sutherland's nasty doings which paid for it.

Would that be Ardross Castle?  I wondered what they were filming there this summer.  The program you mentioned is not my cup of tea when it comes to tv viewing but I might take a look now just to see some interior shots of the castle.

 

The local B&B's (including our old house) did very well out of that this summer.

 

We can just see one of the turrets of the castle sticking up above the trees, from our kitchen window, and there is a nice walk along the river in front of the Castle we have done several times.

[dpmiller]

 @ProDave so trailer/ horsebox/ commercial coachbuilders should have it or point you the right way. AKA Buffaloboard

[Onoff]

Buffalo board. We get it from here. They do 10'x5' sheets from memory. Cut edges will eventually let water in so need sealing. There is a branch in Lanarkshire.

 

https://www.lathamtimber.co.uk/products/advanced-technical-panels/atp

[saveasteading]

1 hour ago, ProDave said:

Ardross Castle

Yes. Not remotely a castle, but a very posh palace with crinkly bits.

The intro will make you laugh as they appear to have taken the long route there and didn't realise there was a handy city and airport.

 

I'm enjoying it. It is psychology/ herd mentality / people watching. And concerning that these people get to vote.

Claudia gets her 2 new outfits per show as usual, but tweedy rather than sparkling. Prob not staying in the B and B either.

 

Give it  a try. It is knockout format so can start at any episode. You know where the off button is.

[ProDave]

So I put the balcony project to bed for the winter, while I pondered what to do about deck material, handrail, banister etc.

 

I had pondered what to do about the floor (deck) material and in the end decided on standard decking planks.  They have been ordered from Jewsons, delivery in a week.  Since our local branch closed last year, we have to order from the Inverness branch, and tomorrows wagon trip up this way was full so next Friday was the soonest they could deliver.  I could go and collect but I don't want to.  No rush.

 

Since the failure of the decking pant experiment, these will be left plain wood colour, contrasting with the frame, and will get painted with a coat or 2 of "clear decking sealant" (lets see if that works)

 

Now I would like the area under the deck to be reasonably water tight.  Not water tight like a roof of a building, but to minimise rainwater getting onto the deck frame, and we would like to use the space under the balcony for winter storage of garden furniture, to keep the worst of the rain off it.  That is why I was pondering alternative solid boards to use.  The current idea is standard deck planks, but run a bead of clear waterproof sealant along the joining edge to seal the gap between adjacent planks.  It will never be totally watertight, but can anyone suggest why not?

 

I discussed before we will be using "yacht rigging wire" as the banister.  I bought the one I previously linked to from Amazon.  It looks okay, and is easy to crimp the ends on with a hydraulic crimping tool so should make a neat job.

 

You can tell the nicer weather is enticing me to get "back to work on the house"

[saveasteading]

5 minutes ago, ProDave said:

The current idea is standard deck planks

For some reason I get lots of ads for a membrane underlay for decking. It is hung loose between joists so that it acts as a channel and spouts the water out at the front, or side. Any fabric would do, but having Proctor visible all over it might be an issue.

 

I guess if you hang it looser at the outlet end it will have a slope.

[ProDave]

7 minutes ago, saveasteading said:

For some reason I get lots of ads for a membrane underlay for decking. It is hung loose between joists so that it acts as a channel and spouts the water out at the front, or side. Any fabric would do, but having Proctor visible all over it might be an issue.

 

I guess if you hang it looser at the outlet end it will have a slope.

If you look back the the photos of the deck frame, all sides have a solid edge, so a drooping membrane would just serve as a bucket to collect stagnant smelly water with no means of escape.

[saveasteading]

1 minute ago, ProDave said:

with no means of escape

Best not do that then. But it would stop dripping onto the garden chairs, if you could tolerate a cascade at the perimeter.

 

The ads didn't mention cleaning or the potential buildup of wildlife, tho I expect you could hose occasionally.

[ProDave]

So what if anything is wrong with my idea of a bead of clear sealant in each deck board joint?  It would stop most water getting through and still allow a bit of movement.  Unless someone tells me why not, that is my plan.

[saveasteading]

11 minutes ago, ProDave said:

Unless someone tells me why not,

Won't the water just sit there, sometimes freeze and the wood rot?

[ProDave]

No different to water sitting in any of the other grooves in a deck board.

 

The whole frame is set with a slight fall away from the house to try and prevent that.