Basically once you have done one section of joist framework, the rest of the base is just a repetition of this; for our base we needed three similar size sections, plus one smaller sized section extending outwards from the first section, plus a triangular shaped section butting on to this; all this will become clear as the work proceeds and you can see the photographs.
So here, in the photograph below, you can see the work proceeding on the second base section (and the completed first section, with some temporary boarding, for the garden furniture, as mentioned in the last blog).
This second section required lots more posts to be dug into the earth as there was much less of the original concrete base in this area.
Each post hole was dug to about 75 cm (2.5 ft) and then had a half brick placed in the bottom so the posts did not stand directly on the earth; then once the posts were concreted in (see earlier blog) the tops were cut back to the level of the joists and then treated with decking preserver (very important).
Here (above) we see the work progressing on the third section of base; having initially placed the joists in position in order to determine exactly where the posts needed to be dug, the joists were then removed and the posts holes dug.
The third section outside edge (nearest the fence) required a couple of supporting posts, in the corner and along the edge, over the existing concrete base. So holes had to be dug through the concrete ! Even though I was wearing safety specs, over my own specs, I sustained some damage from flying concrete chips, as may be seen in this photograph.
However the work continued and here (below) you will see the third section of base more or less complete.
The posts waiting to be cut off are indeed shorter than before; this is because the posts were originally long enough to be balustrade supports and I was thus able to cut them down and use each one for two posts.
If you look closely at the second section of base (nearest the camera in the shot above) you will see some of the pea shingle; this has been laid over the heavy duty landscape (porous) material which has been laid over sections of exposed earth to prevent weed regrowth. 850kg of pea shingle covers a lot of ground, but I shall need another jumbo bag before we are finished.
So this brings us almost to the end of the build of the three basic frame sections (although I still need to add some extra support in the middle of the joists that are over the original concrete base for which joist "off cuts" will be used).
Come back to this site soon for further exciting progress reports about this project.
