A Cedar Deck is Upcycled in a New Location with some Freecycled Accoutrements
Overhead photo of the (nearly) finished result from a 2nd floor window. Final riverstone landscaping yet to be done along the vinyl fence.
Privacy Screening posts were topped later.
Most of the cost incurred for this build was just for the stain and posts
This project was the next one on my list for the new home but was not what I originally set out to create. What I really wanted was an all-paver patio area but I was having trouble finding decent paver stones in the used market that were a color and style I liked and in a quantity I needed (400+ sq. ft). But eventually I decided (and convinced my wife) that maybe the solution was to do 1/2 deck and 1/2 patio. It turned out to be the right decision since we ended up being able to split the project in two and do it over two seasons, and got a nice result overall.
I found the deck components through Kijiji Free Stuff and it was local, less than 6 miles away. It was a cedar deck that was only a few years old that the homeowner wanted removed in order to install a swimming pool and patio surround. The homeowner had already cut the main deck into 4 sections of roughly 8 foot square each, but in addition there were some other smaller sections that were removed whole. I figured I could design a configuration to put it all together as one unit, and leave the other patio project (Phase 2) for the following summer which gave me more time to source the patio material. Getting it all to my place put my trailer and muscle to good use.
This work was done slowly over the course of a few months and in this particular case almost all material was sourced for free. The general breakdown was about 80% of the materials obtained free, about 10% of the materials purchased new (stuff like stain that you can’t get used and rarely can get freecycle, as well as plants and cedar bark). Nothing was purchased used (that I can recall). The free material included the deck and all the lumber except for the 12′ upright posts (purchased new). All the foundation and conduit material was free, and even a lot of deck screws were reused during disassembly/reassembly
This page shows the build process from start to finish and details how I designed the space, where I sourced the material, and some of the features I designed into the finished product.
FREECYCLE TOOLS USED:
- Electric Drill
- Skill Saw
- Belt Sander
- Shovel
- Wheelbarrow
BORROWED:
- Hand Auger for post installation
- Hand Tamper
PURCHASED NEW:
- Outdoor all-in-one Electrical Box ($10)
- 3 Forsythia plants ($60)
- 1 weeping Norway Spruce ($90)
- Stain ($180, 4 for price of 2 sale)
- Cedar bark chips ($20)
- Decorative small faux plants ($15)
- Metal Art ($90)
- Six 4″x4″ twelve foot posts ($100)
FREEBIES:
- 3 Yucca plants
- Hose reel and garden hose; Y-splitter
- Preassembled cedar deck panels (rough cut) complete with deck blocks
- 18″ square patio stones, gravel, and rigid polystyrene for foundations (Kijiji/ local scrap)
- Vinyl fence cutoffs for perimeter finishing (leftover from fence contractor)
- miscellaneous lumber (Kijiji/Freeycle.org)
- Electrical wiring (outdoor grade)
- Various conduit (construction scrap)
- 4″ Perforated and solid drain pipe (Kijiji)
- Riverstone and limestone (neighborhood leftovers from their landscaping jobs)
This photo shows the overall design I came up with for the complete backyard concept (Phase 1 and 2), although the Phase 2 details seen here were not worked out at the time that I actually started the Phase 1 (deck portion) construction. I had always intended to put some sort of a landscaping perimeter and privacy screen around the outside edge of the deck even before I found this particular freecycle deck being offered. The CAD software I use for design is primitive by today’s standards, but does all I need it to do, including basic 3D and solid rendering capabilities. If you guessed that both the software and desktop computer I used were also freecycle, you move to the head of the Freecycle 101 class. Many lessons to follow….
The 4 main panels and the smaller panels have been safely delivered to my place by trailer (two trips). The larger ones are roughly 8 feet square and are and stacked one on top of the other. Luckily the original owner’s adult sons were large and strong and helped me carry these into the backyard as they weighed over 200 lbs each. Overall there was more material than what I was going to use for the deck itself, but a lot of what was leftover ended up being used in Phase 2 for the pergola over the kitchen island, for the stair extensions, and some other features.
The arrangement of the foundations had to be worked out based on the orientation of each of the panels supporting beams. The design I went with was a floating foundation design, with each footing arranged roughly evenly across the deck area. There are 16 in total, as indicated by the orange squares. These were constructed with 3-4″ of compacted gravel underneath 2″ thick 2′ x 2′ polystyrene sheets underneath 1.5″ thick 18″ square old- school patio stones underneath standard deck blocks, which came with the deck. This pyramid footing structure spread loads evenly, which was important in our area with its poor, compressible clay soils. This is the screenshot I carried on my phone to use for layout (all dimensions in inches)
The panels were positioned and then propped up with spare lumber and the deck blocks were used as brace footings while the excavations were hand dug underneath. Here you see the the P400 styrene scraps cut to 2′ x 2′ square along with one of the 18″ square patio stones. Gravel will be placed and manually compacted with the tamper in each of the 16 holes. The polystyrene is then placed on top of the gravel and the patio stone on top of the polystyrene. The deck blocks will sit on the patio stones. Each foundation needed to be carefully measured brought up to level grade with the previous one. All components were freecycle.
Keeping the deck sections propped up (safely) allowed minor repairs and reinforcements to be done to strengthen the frame and complete the drainage grading and foundation assemblies. This type of work was done gradually over a few weekends; it allowed me to get it right before “dropping” each panel into place. Here you see most of the final foundation assembles nearly level with one another and ready to receive the panels. The first one is already down in this photo. Alternate beams are cut to overlap underneath the deckboards. This will allow 2 panels to be securely joined together
A 3rd section is now down with only one more left to be dropped in place. These 4 panels have all been precut to get even matching edges for the 5th piece – a centre “rib” which was the one panel of the 7 freecycled that we used intact. It was 12′ x 1′ (seen in the foreground), and it allowed for me to design a “square” cutout at the east end of the deck for a decorative feature while acting as a spine to join the 4 panels together. It was tricky to drop these right into all 4 foundations and get the beam to go right into the block slot, but the floating foundation design allowed some movement to accomplish this.
The final assembly was put together joining all assemblies with deck screws once they were all plumbed up square. There is a perimeter space left all around the deck and this will serve as an area for plantings and decorative features. There was still a lot of work to do…….the deck needed to be stripped and repainted, conduit installed, and other elements built and added, including the privacy screening, water tap box, hose reel box, not to mention all the planting and river stone.
The primary issue with an above-grade raised planting perimeter was that I still needed to accomodate drainage from the eavestrough downspout away from the house. I found some freecycle 4″ flex drainage pipe and plumbed a drainage conduit down the fence side of the perimeter space. There was another freecycle conduit placed along this side that would run all the way back to the ground fault electrical outlet located in the Phase 2 section of the backyard. That would allow placing a receptacle here. A 3rd conduit will be placed for the garden hose. The hose reel would go here as well.
Power washer and mechanical stripper were used to remove the thick layer of old deck paint. Although it was tough going at times (it was almost like a plasticized material), the end result would be worth it as we ensured we could restore the cedar boards natural surface texture and get a much better aesthetic with a new coat of deck stain. Our choice of grey color for both the deck elements and the privacy panels were matched closely with the house siding color. The dark brown color for the posts and panel frames were similarly matched to the houses’ door and window frame colours.
The stipping and cleaning of the deck also allowed for the opportunity to fix any damage or defects and smooth and prep the surface. The power washer and mechanical scraper got all the old material off (eventually) and then belt sanding brought the surface to a smooth, even and well-prepped state in order to put down the new stain
Although it looks somewhat bluish in this low-light evening photo, the light grey stain is shown being applied to the deck (still wet). The small piece of beige vinyl seen in the top right corner is a sample of the perimeter molding (edging) that was cut from fence rails freecycled from the fence installer. They left us a lot of post cutoffs (H-cross section) and some top/bottom rail cutoffs, along with a few panel boards. I used the rail cutoffs to make an interior top edging that would go around the entire deck perimeter (with the exception of the entrance). I simply cut longitudinally along the sides of the rail about 1″ below the top and another cut along the bottom near the opposite edge to create an inverted “J” shape
I also used the vinyl fence cutoffs in other ways. I wasn’t expecting to be left with so much material, and frankly was surprised that it would have all gone to landfill (according to the installers) as opposed to some type of recycling process. So I endeavoured to use it up. In this photo (taken prior to stripping/staining) you can see the H-posts (cut in half vertically with the rib facing inward) being used as soldier piles all around the deck perimeter just under the edge to help keep any burrowing rodents out. These actually all went in after the deck was dropped onto the footings although the soil and sod was pre-cut to receive them.
The installation of the 4 x 4 posts was pretty standard work, and the actual pressure treated cedar posts were the only store bought lumber used for this build. In the foreground you can (barely) see the blue handle of the borrowed hand auger that was used for excavating the foundation holes. Because I was doing my own work and taking my own time, manual labour could replace the need for the landscaping machinery that even DIY-ers would typically rent to use. True freecycling is not just about free materials, it’s also about the free “donation” of your own hard labour. It is not a hobby for the lazy.
The first of the privacy panels being installed. These were all made from freecycled wood and were pre-assembled before being lifted and mounted into place.
Accuracy of the post placement was key for these 3 posts in order that the panels fit properly. Throughout this build I used freecycle boards as wedges, levers, and tools to prop up and adjust things before securing them. The 2 x 6s in the foreground are allowing me to check level before putting the screws in to secure these panels to the corner post.
Now the 6 posts are all in and the 5 privacy screen panels are now all installed. In addition, they have all been primed and painted with our chosen stain to make a close color match with the house siding and window/door frames. The gap between the deck and the posts will be part of a landscaping perimeter that will provide a further aesthetic and additional screening with plants. At this point we are actually using the deck with the table and chairs set up while work continues all around the perimeter. Note the vinyl edging has been installed around the deck perimeter as have all the soldier piles underneath the deck edges.
The location of the water tap was less than ideal but unlike the garage build, it would have to stay where it was. Yet, in order to have water for the hose reel and for the phase 2 kitchen island, freecycle conduits were sourced and placed along the wall perimeter between fence and deck. A Y-shaped Tee with individual valves is attached to the tap spout and two hoses would run underground; one to the hose reel and one to the Phase 2 future location for the kitchen island. Now I could get water where needed without dragging hoses across the deck.
The water hose conduit wasn’t the only one needed. I also required the eavestrough drainage to be conveyed past the deck perimeter and I needed 2 electrical outlets; one at the perimeter of the deck as well as one at the pergola to be built in Phase 2. I was able to source all the freecycle conduit needed to make these things happen. This photo shows the 3 types of conduit being installed at the deck corner. Notice in this photo I have the perimeter edging installed on the deck and I’m using more of the fence (rail) cutoffs as a backstop for the planting perimeter.
Here is how I used a lot of the vinyl fence posts and fence rails – as a substitute for lumber to create this planter box perimeter. The first row of H-posts are held in place by ground stakes. The next row sits in the groove of the first row. The top row is rail cutoffs, not post cutoffs, and these are designed to fit snugly in the “H” groove. These were all cut lengthwise to fit in between the posts and then the gap between this and the deck border received all the topsoil and earth that was excavated and stockpiled from the foundation installations.
This picture shows the perimeter now almost complete. Note how the last pieces turn 90 degrees at the last post and then tie into the deck perimeter pieces which by this stage had all been cut and secured to the deck. Those deck perimeter pieces were secured by cutting small pieces of cedar and nailing those onto to the deck edges at all the vinyl joint locations. They were cut to the exact height and width needed so the vinyl almost snapped onto them like a cap, but adhesive was also used.
Now that the perimeter is complete, we can start putting in some of the plants and some of the stockpiled soil removed during the foundation installation. There will be more fresh topsoil added later and then the final layer of cedar bark chips (two different colors). There will also be another row of plants and soil added in front of the post row – the location where the potted plant is sitting in this photo.
The backside of the outer perimeter now has additional plants put in the ground, but in this photo I have yet to add in the additional backfill that will go up against the vinyl outer perimeter toe wall. The poor draining clay meant that I had to use the auger to remove over 24″ of clay soil underneath each plant and then backfill that with loose boulders and rubble, with some gravel and sand in the mix. This would allow proper drainage such that the plants would not “drown” with roots constantly sitting in saturated native soils.
At the back corner of the outer perimeter is where the three conduits exit the deck area, basically right behind the post seen in this photo. One is for the hose reel, which has been given a housing made out of the vinyl fence cutoffs and is erected right next to the fence. The second is the orange conduit, specific for electrical use, which contains outdoor grade wiring leading to the outdoor receptacle box mounted to the post. The 4″ drain pipe extends underground behind the hose reel box to a recharge well further away. Limestone boulders were freecycled throughout this build as decorative features; these came from a field within walking distance.
What to do when the fence installer leaves you with way more vinyl cutoff pieces than you expected? Keep building things out of it to get rid of it! This is another box I built from those vinyl bits to hide the water tap. A freecycle hinge allows a flip top to open up so you can reach in and turn the tap on of off, and independent smaller valves on the tap’s Y-splicer means I can use my hose at the reel but also keep the 2nd valve leading to the future kitchen islands closed until Phase 2 is finished. Note the freecycle river stone used in the gap between the deck and house.
The finished product, looking from the backyard towards the house. The plants still have some growing to do but over the years these will fill in the space below the privacy screens nicely and provide some additional enclosure. Note this picture is taken after Phase 2 was completed; to the right you can see the pavers installed and in the background the modified stairs that were done in Phase 2.
The finished product, looking from the house towards the deck (from the stairs). Overall I think this was a really nice result, even considering all the effort put in, and as for the out-of-pocket cost – it was next to nothing. Under $300 to build the deck itself (only stain and posts were purchased) and another $275 for the plants, landscaping material and metal art. In fact, the material cost for the entire deck, foundations, posts and perimeter screening amounted to a grand total of only $1 (U.S.) per square foot of deck surface!
You can’t even buy cheap ceramic tile for $1/Sq. Ft. anymore!
Have any questions or want more information about this build? Send me a message in the contact link and I’ll be happy to provide a response.
Upcycle Transformations 