Home Remodeling 101 Page 4
The Deck
The old deck had an entrance facing East with shorter posts that looked bad. We used a little imagination and came up with this counter space that is also a storage area for potting soil, plant food and gardening tools. Jim sanded the surface of the boards with an orbital sander to get a smooth finish from the fence planks that make up the panels. It holds the stain well and looks great after a coating of Old English. We apply it weekly to the counter and the hot tub.
This mis-matched "do it yourself" siding isn't the greatest, but as we add more plants, the color variation will seemingly disappear. The chiminea is a fun addition and will be great for cooler weather. Argent the cat seems to think it's her personal kitty condo and we'll let her think that for now. Mel's father brought it to her from Mexico and warns us all to put a three to six inch layer of sand in the bottom first before burning anything to keep the heat from cracking the bottom. Also, building a small fire, slowly, will keep the chiminea from overheating and cracking. Start with paper, then small twigs and work up to small logs. It takes several fires to "season" the chiminea. With our crazy weather in May, we might build a fire sooner than expected.
Raymond the electrician posing in front of his work with his reward, a home-cooked meal and our undying gratitude.
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