New Front Steps

My most recent task has been to refresh our front step.  The postal carrier broke a step last fall, and she is not a big lady. The paint was chipping off and the rails were so rotten, the only thing keeping me from ripping them off with one hand was my wife.  Here's a shot of the old steps:

  One look at these and it's not hard to tell which was the broken step last fall.  Now this was a constant thorn in my side. Everytime I would drive to or from the house I would be reminded that the house and I had unfinished business.  That all came to an end on Wednesday (Thursday and some time this past Wednesday)  after Easter.  I bought the wood at the local harware store (yes I purchased something at a store besides screws, sorry guys) and got ready for my trusty Assistant Angus (my father in law) . 

Angus is a hard working man, who despite his being 62 years young, is very active and reliable for home reno projects. Possibly as important as a keen ability to construct new things, is a reliable assistant.  No complaints, just work.  Great guy to have  around.  Especially when you want to curse yourself out for doing something dumb.  (My sister in law always calls his saying Angusisms, kind of like S%&#$ my dad says stuff, only way funnier) 

Now look at the step, nowback to my blog, now look at the step, you get the idea.  Here's where the fun really started.  I began tearing out the old step the day before Angus arrived so we could get to work right away.  Began!  My, still very new, daughter decided to wake up before I finished and she is too cute to ignore.  The old one came off like I was tearing wet cardboard.

Here is what was left of the old one:

I couldn't believe a man of my size wasn't breaking these steps. (I'm not as svelt as I once was)  The really awesome thing though (and why these paid for steps made the No Budget blog)  is that the base of the original step was actually pressure treated wood.  Too bad the old owners had built to sell and not to last.  the rest of the step was built from crap wood.  I wouldn't have had this project to do I suppose.  Me being the frugal (skin flint) I am, decided to leave the frame alone so I could cash in some savings. That Pepsi case in the background held the joist brackets I scavanged on a trip to my mothers a few weeks early when I needed a drill to install a new storm door. (We don't get to blog about that one. Although...)  The brackets were left overs from a deck dad and I built years ago I think. 

SO we shored up what was left and started adding some risers.  Now I'm no contractor, (or this blog wouldn't be cool) but I sure do pretend I'm one when people ask me about my ability. :) Angus and I got everything together lickety split. Right after a well timed rain delay. (Even mother nature was watching us work our magic.) 

We were able to get the steps on and reinforced with little problem. Well other than the second trip to the harward store. I will explain later.  The next ordeal was the decking.  I had bought 5/4 x 6. This is not the traditional stuff I was use to, but it looked so dam good in the flyer.  I never thought of how I would get the board around the 4x4 posts to look finished.  I am going to make mistakes.  I guess you get what you pay for. 

The steps work vey well. You can climb them and you don't have to worry about falling anymore.  (I'm sure I will get a present from the postal lady at Christmas now. ) The rails took me a few more days.  I didn't have the 2x4's I needed.  That brings me to my self bashing part of my story.  When I went to the lumber yard, I ordered my 5/4x6 and my 4x4's along with other necessary items.  I thought what I was getting also included my 2x2 for the railing.  I didn't look at the wood until I took it out of the truck at home.  I had priced the 2x2's at a competitor.  At this comptitor, the 2x2's came in one size.  Well, at the lumber yard I bought the 2x2's at, they came in 8 ft lengths.  SO I had ordered 30 8 ft 2x2's.  Now for those of you doing math on a 32 inch railing.  30 8 ft 2x2's would do the railing for my step, my deck and my nieghbours steps on both sides.  Oh well, that's why they take returns.  "Always budget more wood than you think you'll need," Dad use to say.

Here is the finished product:

Yeah it's done.  I think I prefer making things out of scrap wood. Less stress about making a mistake.  If you have to scrap a scrap project, what are you out?  I hope you enjoyed this entry.  This is the one that cost some dough, but I saved as much as I could by reusing a ton of stuff from the original and those brackets from Mom's. Happy Mother's day by the way Mom!

Until next time, Payless is more than just a shoe store; it's how some jobs get done.