Home and garden projects
#751
Re: Home and garden projects
My wife and I are going to look at some Pergola designs for our patio. Planning on having it cover (11ftx25ft) of the patio so we need to look at how much (and what type) of lumber to go for!
Also need a grill cover. Need to get that fired up!
Also need a grill cover. Need to get that fired up!
#752
Re: Home and garden projects
Actually we need a patio too...so not certain which to work on first. Right now we have the grill ready to go on a flat part of the back garden where we sit on lawn chairs...but the weather hasn't allowed for either sitting or grilling!
#753
Re: Home and garden projects
The idiot before me decided to anchor the pool cover with nails... in concrete. Now they are a pain in the ass to pull out, so much so that I have yet to be successful.
#754
Re: Home and garden projects
FWIW I suspect the nails were driven in with a framing nail gun. They may have subsequently corroded. I recommend drilling the head off each nail, and then, after removing the pool cover, cutting the nails off flush with the concrete using an angle grinder.
#755
Re: Home and garden projects
Welcome to the world of home ownership. That is only the first stupid thing you have found.
FWIW I suspect the nails were driven in with a framing nail gun. They may have subsequently corroded. I recommend drilling the head off each nail, and then, after removing the pool cover, cutting the nails off flush with the concrete using an angle grinder.
FWIW I suspect the nails were driven in with a framing nail gun. They may have subsequently corroded. I recommend drilling the head off each nail, and then, after removing the pool cover, cutting the nails off flush with the concrete using an angle grinder.
I'll give it another go with some more leverage, but if that fails, I guess what you said is the only solution.
#756
#757
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 2015
Location: Near Lynchburg Tennessee, home of Jack Daniels
Posts: 1,381
Re: Home and garden projects
#758
Re: Home and garden projects
Another thing about grinding the nails smooth is that it provides a good
Last edited by Pulaski; Jun 3rd 2017 at 2:06 pm.
#759
Re: Home and garden projects
Will report back with how it goes.
#761
Re: Home and garden projects
There have been a few references to nails vs screws in recent posts here. Wanted to post some of my own experiences.
I had a very expensive redwood deck rebuilt back in 2004-ish. Like, $30,000 expensive. I asked that they use screws rather than nails to attach the deck boards, thinking that made the whole deck more 'serviceable' (need to remove a board? unscrew the screws ...) and also prevent 'nail pop'. Well, recently I needed to do just that - access the area below the deck - to my dismay, the screws almost all snapped rather than unscrewed. They all snapped at the point where the screw entered the joists below (which were pressure treated lumber). So now I'm stuck with a screw shaft embedded in the joist. Maybe this could have been avoided had they used better screws, but trying to unscrew a screw that's been exposed to the elements for 13 years maybe expecting too much. I seem to recall hearing that pressure-treated lumber is very 'grippy'.
On the original deck, which was nailed, the nail heads had all pretty much 'risen' by themselves, making removal quite easy. I used to go round every year or so and knock them all back down.
In retrospect, I'm thinking nails were more practical!
I had a very expensive redwood deck rebuilt back in 2004-ish. Like, $30,000 expensive. I asked that they use screws rather than nails to attach the deck boards, thinking that made the whole deck more 'serviceable' (need to remove a board? unscrew the screws ...) and also prevent 'nail pop'. Well, recently I needed to do just that - access the area below the deck - to my dismay, the screws almost all snapped rather than unscrewed. They all snapped at the point where the screw entered the joists below (which were pressure treated lumber). So now I'm stuck with a screw shaft embedded in the joist. Maybe this could have been avoided had they used better screws, but trying to unscrew a screw that's been exposed to the elements for 13 years maybe expecting too much. I seem to recall hearing that pressure-treated lumber is very 'grippy'.
On the original deck, which was nailed, the nail heads had all pretty much 'risen' by themselves, making removal quite easy. I used to go round every year or so and knock them all back down.
In retrospect, I'm thinking nails were more practical!
#763
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 2015
Location: Near Lynchburg Tennessee, home of Jack Daniels
Posts: 1,381
Re: Home and garden projects
There have been a few references to nails vs screws in recent posts here. Wanted to post some of my own experiences.
I had a very expensive redwood deck rebuilt back in 2004-ish. Like, $30,000 expensive. I asked that they use screws rather than nails to attach the deck boards, thinking that made the whole deck more 'serviceable' (need to remove a board? unscrew the screws ...) and also prevent 'nail pop'. Well, recently I needed to do just that - access the area below the deck - to my dismay, the screws almost all snapped rather than unscrewed. They all snapped at the point where the screw entered the joists below (which were pressure treated lumber). So now I'm stuck with a screw shaft embedded in the joist. Maybe this could have been avoided had they used better screws, but trying to unscrew a screw that's been exposed to the elements for 13 years maybe expecting too much. I seem to recall hearing that pressure-treated lumber is very 'grippy'.
On the original deck, which was nailed, the nail heads had all pretty much 'risen' by themselves, making removal quite easy. I used to go round every year or so and knock them all back down.
In retrospect, I'm thinking nails were more practical!
I had a very expensive redwood deck rebuilt back in 2004-ish. Like, $30,000 expensive. I asked that they use screws rather than nails to attach the deck boards, thinking that made the whole deck more 'serviceable' (need to remove a board? unscrew the screws ...) and also prevent 'nail pop'. Well, recently I needed to do just that - access the area below the deck - to my dismay, the screws almost all snapped rather than unscrewed. They all snapped at the point where the screw entered the joists below (which were pressure treated lumber). So now I'm stuck with a screw shaft embedded in the joist. Maybe this could have been avoided had they used better screws, but trying to unscrew a screw that's been exposed to the elements for 13 years maybe expecting too much. I seem to recall hearing that pressure-treated lumber is very 'grippy'.
On the original deck, which was nailed, the nail heads had all pretty much 'risen' by themselves, making removal quite easy. I used to go round every year or so and knock them all back down.
In retrospect, I'm thinking nails were more practical!
#764
Re: Home and garden projects
Personally I am sceptical that the "coating" on screws rated for PT lumber will do anything but slow down the rate of corrosion. So after 13 years I suspect that most screws are going to be badly rusted whether or not they are coated.
You can also get stainless steel screws, which are significantly more expensive, but even stainless steel isn't entirely resistant to corrosion and rust, but stainless steel screws are probably the best option if you don't mind paying. .... Of course even stainless steel screws would comprise a miniscule fraction of the cost of a deck.
#765
Re: Home and garden projects
Nice! In or above ground? What type of filter are you getting?
I've just drained the pool at my new house after it not being cared for in years. The thing smells so bad. It took days of draining as it was much deeper than I anticipated - about 10ft in the deep end.
My wife counted at least 150 large dead tadpoles after I dumped a gallon of chlorine in. I think they were only a few weeks off maturing into full bull frogs.
It's that horrendous that I'm paying a friend to take care of it. He can stomach more than me.
My good deed of the day was saving a small mole that managed to find its way into the drained pool. It started raining and it had no chance of getting out alive.
I've just drained the pool at my new house after it not being cared for in years. The thing smells so bad. It took days of draining as it was much deeper than I anticipated - about 10ft in the deep end.
My wife counted at least 150 large dead tadpoles after I dumped a gallon of chlorine in. I think they were only a few weeks off maturing into full bull frogs.
It's that horrendous that I'm paying a friend to take care of it. He can stomach more than me.
My good deed of the day was saving a small mole that managed to find its way into the drained pool. It started raining and it had no chance of getting out alive.