Started 14th August 2002 - Finished 15th October 2002
BEFORE!
AFTER!
QUICK STATUS
It took on and off 9 weeks to finish. Am I happy with the results? Yes am! If I had known though, how much work was involved I’m not sure if I would have attempted it – good job I didn’t, but then again that’s the case most of the time – isn’t it?
Lessons Learnt:
1. The old saying - Measure twice cut once!
2. A job always takes twice as long as cost twice as much!
A few pictures of how it looks now the scaffolding has been taken away:
The piece of fencing between the ladder and balcony leg is now back as you can see. The steps are next, may have to wait a bit though!
A nice view over the garden; I can’t wait to sit out here next summer with a cool beer.
Looking over to the first outdoor project done in 1995, the Wendy house (Lekstuga). The Tree house is very well camouflaged above and to the left of the stuga.
An underneath view of the ceiling. “I like wood” an oiling is in store for it next spring.
Costs
Wood: 4200:-
New legs (2): 3000:-
New fencing supports (5): 3750:-
Oil & Paint: 1750:-
Roofing paper: 950:-
Metal plate & guttering 9500:-
New fencing 2750:-
New decking 1200:-
Scaffolding rental 2000:-
GRAND TOTAL 29,100 kronor (£2,000)
We had tried to cover up the bad bits for a number of years, ignoring the flaking paint. Suddenly a quick check with a screwdriver revealed a couple of soft spots (the screwdriver sunk in a few inches). Well the inevitable decision had to be made to replace all the rotten parts. A small repair job turned in to quite a big renovating job.
Why did it rot?
Good question! It was built approx 10 or 11 years ago. Under normal circumstances it should have stood the test of time for much longer i.e. As long as the house stood. One reason was there was no air flow possible between the roof below the balcony and the actual floor of the balcony. This could easily have been fixed by drilling small holes around the cross members holding the roof and floor together.
Another reason was the metal water tight plate that covers the entire floor (under the final wooden floor) didn’t fit tightly with the legs of the balcony so it was easy for water to run down the legs and in to the air gap and then have no easy way to evaporate.
Damage
The only thing keeping the floor from collapsing was the metal plate. All the floor and roof parts crumbled to the touch (pictures 5 & 7). Two of the legs (the ones furthest away from the house also sustained substantial damage, so much so that they may also have to be replaced.
Stage One
First things first and that was to get scaffolding set up (picture 4). It took four hours to do that but worth every minute. The second thing, which I must say didn’t take long at all was ripping down all the rotten bits. That part took just three and a half hours and was quite a bit of fun!
(Picture 1 – metal plate in place)
(Picture 2 – removing metal plate)
(Picture 3 – more removing)
(Picture 4 – Up with the scaffolding)
(Picture 5 – Crumbling wood)
(Picture 6 – rotten roof)
(Picture 7 – More crumbled wood)
(Picture 8 – floor removed, the roof under can be seen)
(picture 9 - even the roof has gone!)
(Picture 10 – Not much left now)
Stage Two
Re-design and preparation. Well if it’s going to be rebuilt then why not think of all the possibilities for improvement. Here is one that I’m aiming to implement.
We’ll keep the original position of the legs even though I replace them. I then extend the floor out approx. 60cm in three directions enlarging it from 4,6 m2 to 9,2 m2, plenty of space for a deck chair and small bar fridge!
A few things have to be thought over because of the guttering being lower than the new posts and railings. I won’t be changing any of the existing roof so there will have to be some tricks done somewhere.
Modifications have to be done!
A lot of wood for 3,200:- (car roof too)
The floor frame first few parts.
Just about all floor parts cut and ready. The outer ones will be painted.
Had to remember how to use a chisel. Put together they should be flush.
One of the posts against the house cut off and groove cut for frame.
The old legs have been replaced by new. I ordered two from a carpentry company. The tin has special impregnating oil in it.
The legs are brilliant! They first had to be soaked and painted in oil. The cross is to support the beams of the balcony floor.
I used a router (överhandsfräs) to route the entire length of all edges of both legs. Then it was time to oil again.
The boards have to be lifted to get the roofing paper under, then it’ll really be water tight!
The new legs with the first coat of white (60kg each).
The back of the house from a distance. The scaffolding has now been moved lower. Looks a real mess doesn’t it!
There are a few things to do before stage 2 is complete. The two existing legs that sit against the house will be removed temporarily and sanded back to wood ready for oiling and painting. Some of the house yellow has to be touched up before they are replaced. The two new legs will be painted a second time with white oil based paint. Then it will be on to stage 3, a lot more fun than preparation!
Stage 3
An exciting time … not easy though when one is doing the job alone. I struggled with the first new leg across from the carport to its final resting place. I just about found out where my tolerance was when it came to heart attacks when I put up the second leg. The pictures below show one of the existing legs sanded and painted and returned to position, it also has the first cross member laying in place. The whole floor of the balcony has to slope slightly so the rainwater can easily run off in to the guttering so that must be taken in to consideration when planning lengths etc. The other pictures are stage-by-stage updates.
Original leg cleaned up and first cross member temporarily in place.
First new leg. The fun stuff really starts!
Cut-outs to house the cross members. Second post can just be seen through the gap. The legs have to be shorted slightly to be flush with the cross members. I had to make adjustments to the length of the legs to allow for enough slope. It is very important that water, snow etc. can slide off the balcony floor and not stay there to rot the wood. I have a slope of 4cm over a distance of just under two meters so I hope it’s enough.
A view from the balcony door. The trucks are only toys – it’s not that high off the ground!
A close look at a “Cross halving joint” with two metal corner brackets.
The ceiling on it’s way. I can now see some light at the end of the tunnel.
The lights are now in place and actually working! The ceiling is ¾ finished and then it’s on to the floor!
I made a slight modification to the plan, now the whole balcony connects with the house. It meant removing more panels from the house and using a metal grinder to remove metal rain plates but a much better solution.
I connected to the existing cable with a new junction box and flexible cable ducting to the two lights (cleaned up and screwed back up)
The floor on the move! It gives me great pleasure laying this. I’m now just over 1/3 finished.
This is the floor finally screwed down (450 Screws) good job I have a “power tool”. Remember to leave the floor loosely fitting. This enables the wood to expand and contract.
One coat of oil just in case. The floor will unfortunately never see the light of day again once the tar paper is put on – pity!
Two of the upper posts temporarily in place. The problem of the overhanging guttering will have to be sorted out. We don’t want to lose any kidz through the gap!
The company that made the main legs made these too. A lovely piece of wood! They cleverly overhang the outer cross members.
Sometimes I see light at the end of the tunnel sometimes not. Still a lot to do.
The posts are glued together, planed and sanded. Notice the rings are reversed on every piece.
First couple of sheets of tar paper. Goodbye sweet wood.
Nailed alternately, religiously every 6cm 3 & 5cm from the edge.
The metal plate and guttering are now in place. This (the metal plate at least) was the job of a professional “metal hitter” Plåtslagare in Swedish. It has caused a few problems with the posts as they now have to be grooved to accommodate the metal plate edge down both sides of the balcony (the water runs down the edges and off the end into the guttering). The process below shows the amount of work that has to go in to the fencing around the balcony. This is where I have to summon up my inner most motivation because at this point I could seriously consider chucking in the towel!
The metal plate just about finished. They did a good job. I’m worried now that it will be so heavy that it will go over just like the famous Swedish warship the “Vasa”. (Click and read about it)
I loath painting! These are just some of the new fencing that have been drilled and oiled. They now have to be painted twice and then mounted on rails.
A lot of oiling, painting twice and finally fixing together has taken a great deal of time. For someone who dislikes painting so much I think I have done pretty well.
The car port showing its usefulness. There’s a great deal of wood hanging around but at least most of it has been finished. Some bits need one more coat.
Just about completed the first fence. Just two more sides, approx. 6m to go.
I’m still pondering what to do about the gap between the house and the post, a bungee jump platform for naughty children, perhaps.
Middle post in position and top rail in place.
The final floor on its way.
When there are so many screws it’s always good to make them look good. It doesn’t take much time to lay a string between the outer most planks and then measure the position of each screw. It’s good to use something to space the planks evenly, in my case I used a large nail.
Time to call it a day. Just a couple more planks. The last one has to be cut to fit the three front posts.
Now I have “painted myself in to a corner” no longer anyway through. The scaffolding comes down tomorrow as it is raining today.
In the process of replacing the balcony I shall also redo the front steps. This is what they look like today:
Not very pleasant are they! I shall make them wider and angle the sides.
Plan view, because of the shape they will be quite a bit wider. I haven’t worked out exactly how much work is involved but no doubt I shall find out shortly!
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