My Deck... and it's ever increasing scope

[techguy]

I have been reading about all of the great ideas for decks but several have asked me about mine. Actually, I guess my deck project this year pulled me back into the BBB fold and made me a true believer this year. So, as opposed to taking over someone else's thread, I am going to make this one here and refer them to this one.

A not-so-brief history of my pool for those who are interested. The thought is it might help a new pool owner (or shopper) decide if a pool is something they want in their life (or yard). I started several years ago with a small 6-10 foot? EasySet placed on my sloping concrete patio.. The slope was the standard slope you add to a concrete deck for drainage during rain. No leveling thought ever came to mind and it was much more of a dump and fill process than actual pool maintenance. I would run the A-cartridge pump and when it got green and slimy... it was time to dump it towards the lawn, stand on the top edge, drain and re-fill. My water is cheap and clean from the garden hose. It also made for a cool pool which was good on 100F days.

I then moved to a 15 foot EasySet on a pad of dirt that I leveled under a tree. I then learned a little more about how to keep it clear but still did a few dumps.

After a season or two of that, it was time for a real pool. I went to local ABG dealer and they had a demo pool that was setup out front of the store and they were looking to sell it. The deal... I had to wait until Labor Day weekend to get it and I needed to set it up on the same day I took it down or the liner would shrink. We bought the pool and had a tractor guy make the level spot. Now the learning really began... and I learned a lot about the strength or a DE filter but with the strength and ability to quickly filter, come the requirement to bump and change DE a couple times in a weekend if you have a big algae bloom. I think I was down to one dump and fill of water each season... to resolve the uncontrolled bloom in later summer and after it become a pond over fall and winter.

Here is last summer with the cloudy green tinged pool I dealt with all year.

We lived with the ladder on pavers for a while be soon learned we ended up with too much mud and not enough pleasure without a deck. We had to make an investment in a deck. We did... over $6000 for contractor to build me a composite surface deck but we put the deck low enough we did not need railings and it didn't feel like I was on display on my deck. It also would overpower my yard.

Here is the deck today.

... more coming, time to work.

 

[techguy]

Looking straight back, 25 feet depth

From the side, I need to move the pergola, the wind moved it.

Some asked what it look like if you are sitting in a chair on the deck. The thought was if you can manage the kids in the pool from the deck without being at the surface of the water. This is the view from a seated position in the green chair seen above.

 

[amanda]

I like!

 

[techguy]

The Jump Deck

I had the first deck added a year or two after the pool. I am in the process of building a "jump deck" in the back corner behind the pool. I thought a "3 foot splash deck" would fit in a 39 inch space. I then figured out the 3 foot deck is 42 inches deep (after building the frames) and I had 39" of room. So... I moved it to the corner where the DW wanted it anyway. It looks good back there.

This is what it looks like from above

from just below the ladder. I still need to lower the ladder handle on the right and finalize the ladder mounting.

This is the "scope creep" temporary decking. Its really just four composite boards laying on dirt. I am going to extend the old deck level to he jump deck when I can get time. This is so you don't get muddy feet on the way to the pool.

This is how the deck looks like from the other side of the yard. I have a play structure with wood chip and my mini-construction site mess. Its 9-13 inches from the ground here and about 19 inches above the concrete decking. I have a large french drain filled with stone under the decking near the concrete.

This is the last shot. It shows how the boards were fit against the side of the pool.

 

[amanda]

Your yard looks very kid friendly!! Thats our goal with our yard we just had our home built and moved into it in may. We chose this spot because it was one of the largest in the sub division!! wanted our girls to have a play palace!! we've lived in apartments since being married in 2004, shew glad thats over!