Friday, July 1, 2011

It's Gazebo Time, Again!

The summer building season has finally started here on the Witch’s Island. Between the rotten old blackflies and the cold wet spring it’s been tough to find time or incentive to get out to the gazebo. If you remember, last year Hubby stopped construction sometime around November with about 25% of the work still to do. Last week it was dry enough to bring the power tools out of the basement so he started installing the floorboards and the cedar looks just as nice as we were hoping.

 Hubby finally dragged his mitre saw out of the basement to start this year’s building season.
Hubby finally dragged his mitre saw out of the basement to start this year’s building season.

 The Grackle nest was finally empty and we could get on with building.
The Grackle nest was finally empty and we could get on with building.

The gazebo held up very well through the winter. It didn’t noticeably shift on its footings which is a good thing. The paint looks good, too. The only issue we had was the loss of one shingle during a wind and rain storm in December that bordered on hurricane speeds. It will be difficult to fix but I have faith that it will look as good as new when he is done.

 We’re doing everything we can to keep the insects out of our gazebo.
We’re doing everything we can to keep the insects out of our gazebo.

The main purpose of the gazebo is to allow us to sit outside without the insects eating us alive so we’re screening not just the windows but the roof vents and the floor as well. Hubby rolled out the screen across the floor joists and stapled it down just prior to laying out the floor boards.

 Here’s another look at the screening for the first segment.
Here’s another look at the screening for the first segment.

 Hubby cut the boards to a rough length at first.
Hubby cut the boards to a rough length at first.

The boards were numbered and angles marked before being removed and trimmed to their final length.
The boards were numbered and angles marked before being removed and trimmed to their final length.

Installing the boards was relatively painless but, like everything with this building, very time consuming. There was one little hiccup. When he put in the first section Hubby was putting screws into every joist he could find and that would have become distracting when seen across the whole floor. Also, he had set the screws way too deep and that looked messy, as well. For the next section he just put in two screws at each end of the boards and that seems to be more than enough to hold them down. It looks a lot neater, too. So, by the time he got the seventh segment installed it was clear that the first one had to go!

 The first boards have been installed and screwed down.
The first boards have been installed and screwed down.

 My gazebo finally has a floor , sorta!
My gazebo finally has a floor , sorta!

Meanwhile, I was in charge of the gardens. Everything is looking lush and healthy. That’s not surprising with all the rain we have had but the veggies would like a little sunshine to go with all that moisture. The only things that seem to be struggling are the cucumbers. We are on our fourth planting now, the previous three having been wind-whipped or frost-damaged. Fourth time’s the charm!

 While Hubby was sawing wood I was tending my babies.
While Hubby was sawing wood I was tending my babies.

 We’re trying to keep track of which varieties do best this year.
We’re trying to keep track of which varieties do best this year.

 The Bleeding Hearts have been going crazy this year.
The Bleeding Hearts have been going crazy this year.

 A close-up of the Bleeding Hearts.
A close-up of the Bleeding Hearts.

 The wild lupines are in blossom now.
The wild lupines are in blossom now.

 The second section is matched to the first but the ends are left long.
The second section is matched to the first but the ends are left long.

 The second section is completed.
The second section is completed.

 That’s starting to look like a floor!
That’s starting to look like a floor!

 One more segment to go!
One more segment to go!

Now that he knew what he was doing, Hubby decided that he didn’t like the job he did putting in the first section.
Now that he knew what he was doing, Hubby decided that he didn’t like the job he did putting in the first section.

 The first segment has been removed. I wonder how that cedar would smell burning in my fire pit.
The first segment has been removed. I wonder how that cedar would smell burning in my fire pit.

We found a home for all the plywood scraps that had been underfoot since last summer. One of my co-workers runs a small farm, raising chickens and rabbits. He took all those odd shaped pieces and will turn them into coops and hutches. It’s surprising how much room that freed up in the gazebo.

 Big Red took away all the plywood scraps.
Big Red took away all the plywood scraps.


We did a pretty good job last year of estimating the amount of wood that we would need for the floor. Do you remember this picture of the pile of boards sitting in the yard? All that remains is 7 of the long one at the top. Pretty good for amateurs, I think!

 The stack of cedar boards last year.
The stack of cedar boards last year.


The floor is almost complete now. All that remains to be done is to add one more piece to each segment and some kind of decorative detail at the centre. Of course a bit of sanding and some water-proofing will be required, too. It’s getting there!

 That’s a mighty fine looking floor!
That’s a mighty fine looking floor!

11 comments:

its me, sam said...

You'll really enjoy the gazebo this summer. the floor is stunning!

Heidi said...

What a beautiful floor! Very painstaking work, but definitely worth the trouble. You should post one more picture when the centre is done.

~Kim at Golden Pines~ said...

HELLO MY FRIEND!!! I want to start by thanking you for your kind and thoughtful comments that you have left on my blog--Everything has been made a bit easier because of the kindness of people like you.

Now onto your gazebo--I love the pattern of the floor! You and your husbands attention to each and every detail shows your pride in creating something that you will both enjoy in the years to come!

Anonymous said...

WOW...I almost forgot about this project..it's looking absolutely awesome...but...has it been a YEAR already??? I was following this story when you were blogging about it a while ago....but year already? WOW. And as always- your garden area looks just beautiful!!!

Marguerite said...

Fantastic job on the gazebo. All those angles require a lot of thinking and you did it beautifully. You're going to really enjoy that spot this summer.

CanadianGardenJoy said...

I had to come over and have a look see since your title "The Witch" was there on Marguerite's blog Canoe Corner .. husband and I are both from NS (Cape Breton, geographically by birth) so I like to read blogs from the east coast when I can .. I love the gazebo ! and yes all that netting will help keep those horrible black flies and mosquitoes out for sure .. well as much as they can be right ?
Now can yu roast a marshmallow or two in there as well ? LOL
Joy

Sisters of the Blog said...

Wow, beautiful!

megan

Cindy of PEI said...

this is something you are going to so enjoy. So smart to screen in the floor, it is looking lovely by the way.
I love your little blackboard idea for planting. I had everything started in the green house and a rodent got to all the tops of my plants and I gave up, now I'll have to look at everyone else's gardens.

Canadian Saver said...

The Witch, I hope you get to spend lots of relaxing time in the gazebo... it looks wonderful!! Your DH did a fantastic job :-)

Gill - That British Woman said...

that floor looks stunning. For some reason I had thought it was all finished the gazebo?

Could you come by and weed my garden, as its more weeds than plants this year!!

Gill

Jane said...

Love it! We have been experiencing your east coast flies and mosquitoes first hand this summer and they are ferocious! I especially don't like when they crawl around in my HAIR - not that I have much. So we're thinking about a screened in area too, perhaps a back porch. Luckily we are on a bit of a hill so there's always a breeze - that usually carries the bugs away temporarily!