Cool Deck "Do-Over"

by Keith & Lucy
(Overland Park, Kansas)

Our Deck Overhaul

We rejuvenated our deck using a combination of two-tone deck stain, metal ballusters, ambient candle lights, and surrounded it all with natural stone flower-bed edging. And saved money by doing it all ourselves.

My wife and I bought this home, which was in serious need of a deck overhaul. We were able to preserve the deck infrastructure, but performed a face-lift by doing the following upgrades:

1. Removed old wooden deck posts and traditional wooden ballusters, and installed large 6x6 posts. We then converted 1.5inch-diameter metal electrical conduit tubing into horizontal metal ballusters.
2. Performed a much-needed power wash of the floor decking, sanded off old stain, and re-stained the deck boards with a pecan-colored stain.
3. The stairs were rebuilt and stained to match the floor decking boards.
4. The 6x6 deck posts were stained a dark (almost black) walnut color to provide a unique contrast to the deck floor.
5. Aluminum post-caps were installed, and painted a bronze hammered-metal color. The metal tubing ballusters were painted the same color. This added yet a 3rd contrasting color to the overall look-and-feel.
6. Next, we added some energy-saving ambient lighting by installing metal lanterns to the deck posts which housed large candles for very fun mood lighting at night. The lanterns were also painted bronze to match the deck post caps and ballusters.
7. Finally, we removed the old rotten landscape timbers which surrounded the flower beds along the perimeter of the deck, and replaced them with natural brown stone.

That's it! In total we spent four full weekends on the project. And although it required a lot of sweat and plenty of Advil for our sore muscles, it was worth it knowing it was our unique design and labor that made it come to life.

Keith and Lucy T.
ktateateverestkc.net
lucytateverestkc.net