Two
years ago I had the old cement slab patio removed and a flagstone one
installed. It had always been a dream to have flagstone on the patio
area and then on the paths spreading into the garden. I love a wild
garden but with structure. Sounds weird eh, but that's me. I like
conformity but there's a wildness about me. Much like English secret
gardens bordered by brick walls, sheltering perennial beds flopping
hither and thither over their edges.
The
pergola posts remained and their bottom brackets showed, miserably.
It was not what I wanted, at all ! SoI decided to build post bases
to finish their brutal looking bottoms. Boy o boy did i learn about
lumber.
A 2 x 4
is NOT actually 2” by 4”, it is 1.5” by 3.5” (if you're
lucky). I measured using the ole 2 x 4 STANDARD and came up sorely
lacking. Evenings were spent in the basement cutting trim with me
dads saw on a 60 year old mitre box relying on the 2 x 4 STANDARD.
The bases were nailed and glued in place. HA! I thought, this
should be easy to complete. Little did I know I was lied to.
Two
trips to the lumber yard for trim and it still wasn't finished.
Sitting back I wondered what the feck did I do wrong. I work with
numbers all day long so it wasn't like me to make these mistakes.
Talking it out with me buddy at work I discovered STANDARDS had
changed. O really? So there is no such thing as a 2 x 4? Nope was
the response. Feckin' wonderful!
I won't
say how many trips up and down the stairs I trudged, or the extra
journeys to the lumber yard, or the tubes of No Nails, by the way did
you know there is Exterior and Interior? I didn't and used Interior
for an exterior job. I shall see how they survive the winter.
In the
end I was pleased but I'll know more in spring when joints have
breathed or split or cracked. In the meantime I'm pondering a class
action suit against lumber associations for lying about their
standards. After all when they sell you a 2 x 4 you expect a 2 x 4!
I have a feeling I won't get too far with that.
Feck' eh
Really? I admire what you did! I can't measure at all...
ReplyDeleteReally really Michelle. I'm a do it yerself gal, sometimes with a wee bit of help. I can't find the photo so maybe when the white shite, wooo hooo, melts I will :)
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