Deck Update #2: Upper Level Framing Complete

This is really happening!  The process was slow starting, but I am happy to report that progress on our deck is moving along quickly now!  We are finished the framing for the upper level.  The lower level framing should be finished by tomorrow. 

My dad and Greg worked on the deck all day Wednesday (basically 9:00 am to 6:00 pm with a 3 hour break to go to Home Depot and stop at my uncle's to borrow his nail gun).  They got the ledger board attached to the house and the support posts and beam for the upper level of the deck completed.  Apparently the ledger board is the hardest part.  It's attached to the rim of the house (basically the wood just above your foundation), so they had to remove some of the siding and move the electrical outlet about 6".  The beams/support posts are also time-consuming, because they require a lot of measuring, squaring and leveling.  And these things are the most important parts (structurally), so it's wise to make sure you get them right.

On Thursday, my dad, Greg and I all worked from 8:30 am until noon (then it was turkey time!!).  We cut and installed all of the joists for the upper level of the deck.  We used 2x10's (per our township building inspector's request), 12' on center.  Our support posts are 4x4's and our beams are two 2x8's.

Framing for the upper level of the deck almost complete!  Greg and I are admiring our handywork.  :)

Yesterday (Friday) the three of us worked from 9 am until about 3:30.  We attached the end board to the upper level of the deck and began the beams and support posts for the lower level of the deck.  The lower level is free-standing (not attached to the house by a ledger board), so we have two beams instead of one beam and a ledger board. 

Finished upper level framing in the background.  Greg and dad cutting the support posts for the lower level.

I am keeping a tally of all of our expenses so I can share our final cost at the end.  The cost will not include the tools we bought/borrowed though.  There are a few tools that are essentially required and some that just make life a whole lot easier.  I'll do a separate post one of these days about all of the tools we needed/used to build our deck if anyone is interested.