Top deck is delightful

Once they had completed the lower deck, the crew put up scaffolding and began framing the top deck, including the bump-out to expand the living area. With the top deck in place—and running the length of the house—the house now seems better proportioned.

In some light, the decking material is grey; in others the beige undertones are more prominent. In all light, the top deck is beautifully neutral. When viewed from the couch, the lake seems to begin where the deck ends.

The completed deck greeted us on our return from Seattle/Vancouver, and we immediately toured it in moonlight. This was invigorating, given the height of the structure and lack of railings. We were on it again this morning, too, despite the damp weather thanks to a tropical storm and Hurricane Kyle.

The deck design by our (second) architect had some fantasy-land elements. For example, he designed the deck above-and-beyond code requirements. Instead, we went with the typical 6”x6” posts and off-the-shelf brackets. The Todd also specified a cable tie bracing system for the deck that no one—including him—could figure out where to purchase. We’ll be going with typical lumber here, too.

And so in the heavy fog, we cavorted on the deck this morning, feeling happy and lucky to have so much outdoor living space. Turns out we aren’t the only ones who like our new deck, as evidenced by the paw prints left by Waschbär, our neighborhood raccoon.