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Between 265 & 485 SQ/FT The 12-Gauge Garage

Workspaces sized between 265 and 485 squarefeet.
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Huxley

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 4, 2008
Messages
210
Location
Colorado
While watching the 60 sec. clean up, one thing is missing - skylights. They will change your life. I had a garage with no windows & put in 3 skylights. Every time I entered the garage after that it was like theater - clouds parting, sun beaming, chorus of “Ahhhhh” - you know the sequence.

A few hundred bucks invested gets you a different / excellent effect each and every time you open the door.

* This post is not sponsored by Velux
 

Ronin22

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 2, 2018
Messages
478
Location
BA
I am still in awe at getting the pool table and all those guitars into that little camper. :D

Went back one page. Looked for said pictures. Literally laughed out loud in the office.
Now everybody's looking at me like "This dude really needs this week to end".

:lol_hitti:lol_hitti:lol_hitti
 

Outlawmws

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 9, 2011
Messages
39,241
Location
The Badlands
That’s fun right there. How did he do it?


Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

The answer is obvious:

Tardis_BBC_Television_Center.jpg


I'm guessing he used the same tech for the Garage! :pimpflash
 

stonesg

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 13, 2016
Messages
249
Location
SE Georgia
Re: My Fiberglass Camper Restoration

Thanks. I got a new camera a month ago, and it makes up for my lack of actual skills. My garage pictures should improve a little as well.

I'm behind on catching up on what's going on at the 12 Ga. but I had to jump on you about this Jack....

You know damn well that the equipment doesn't make the photographer any more than the typewriter makes the writer....

You have a great eye and create art in several areas.

TG
 

kjdhawkhill

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 19, 2015
Messages
822
Location
Flyover state #4
Re: My Fiberglass Camper Restoration

I'm behind on catching up on what's going on at the 12 Ga. but I had to jump on you about this Jack....

You know damn well that the equipment doesn't make the photographer any more than the typewriter makes the writer....

You have a great eye and create art in several areas.

TG

Yeah, the camera may help, but those camping photos didn't turn out like GJ art because of the camera. Any eye for color, framing and a sense of scale carry most of Jack's images.
 
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J

Jack Olsen

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Mar 22, 2009
Messages
6,678
Location
Los Angeles
Six years into my deck and pergola -- what I've learned

In 2013, I decided to try building a 21' by 20' deck. I did some online research and pulled the trigger on over $3,000 worth of red Brazilian Cumaru hardwood.

I'd never built anything like this before. And I decided to cover it with a steel-and-shade-fabric pergola. In retrospect, I really didn't know what I was doing. But I was lucky. Six years later, it's still there, still flat, and still a very nice place to relax.

Today I stripped and re-stained the wood. Biggest lesson learned? You've got two options with Brazilian hardwoods. You can let them go gray, which is what the smart guys do. Or you can re-stain the thing every year or two from now until the end of time. Foolishly, I've opted for the 'end of time' option. So since I'm six full years into it, here's a recap of what I did back in 2013 and what I did today.

It all started with a bunch of wood (950 lineal feet at $3.29 per) getting unloaded into my driveway. That was followed by clearing out my postage stamp of a back yard.

I4zBdd.jpg


For the next picture, I'll jump through a few weeks of hard work to the point where I had all the decking installed. I didn't end up with a single length of wood to spare, which was probably a bad idea. And I opted for a floating type of deck, which spared me a lot of digging and (surprisingly) has turned out better than I thought it would.

fXCOfE.jpg


Then I covered all the wood up and went to work on this idea I had for a cover for the thing. I started with the top part of it, since I didn't have any ladders that went up to the full height I had in mind. When I was done with the top section, I had to figure out a way to raise the whole thing up so I could weld in the lower section in. I ended up making a kind of mast with a hand-cranked winch to slowly raise the thing 8 feet up into the air. The good news? It didn't fall on me.

m0pDaS.jpg


Jumping ahead a whole bunch again, this is the finished deck. I stained the wood with Penofin, which came highly recommended. As it happens, I wouldn't recommend Penofin to anyone. At least, not in California. After the first rain, my wood got a black-ish overcast to it -- probably a mold or fungus growing in the stain. Over several years of stripping and re-coating the stuff, I finally gave up on Penofin and switched to TWP's 100-series stain. Whatever fungicide it's got works MUCH better on my local fungi/molds than Penofin's formula. Where the Penofin would start to look bad after about six months, the TWP lasted a little over two years.

gl9tfD.jpg


But eventually, even the better coating went gray. It's not a terrible look. And if I let it go completely, or stripped away the stain and let the sun do its work, I'd probably get a familiar shade of gray and I'd never have to move all this furniture again. But I don't like the way that looks. And it was getting pretty gray when I took a look at it two days ago.

joZJRE.jpg


Yesterday, I mopped it with a solution of Oxalic acid and water. Today, I applied a new coat of TWP stain. The difference is pretty remarkable.

3Wa9O2.jpg


I also added succulents to the planter boxes I built for the thing. I've had no luck with a few different types of flowers and other plants on this deck. So these succulents are made of plastic. The good news is that nothing I can do will kill them, ever.

akotCA.jpg


I finished the new stain at 10:30 this morning (it only takes a couple of hours), but didn't count on the sudden rainstorm we got at 2:30. Fortunately, the stuff had dried enough that it didn't cause any problems. I just mopped the water up with some towels, and this is how it looked with the furniture moved back.

UudAec.jpg


And for some perspective on how long the deck has been in place. Here's my son when I initially built the thing and again this evening. He wouldn't agree to smile either time. And he was more helpful when he was four.

BWpMJO.jpg


The furniture has held up pretty well, too. It gets all the weather, but a little less UV because of the shade fabric above it.

TVsMRp.jpg


And here the thing is after sunset, tonight. I hardwired a bunch of flickering LED candles and plumbed a gas line for a fireplace.

Day or night, it's a pretty nice place to relax. :)

TeYlKd.jpg
 

Squankum

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Joined
Mar 28, 2011
Messages
7,712
Location
Southeast
Re: Six years into my deck and pergola -- what I've learned

I see the solution to your problem, a character-building experience, and the target of it, all in these pics.




_
 

CRXPilot

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Joined
Aug 16, 2011
Messages
1,121
Location
west TX
Re: Six years into my deck and pergola -- what I've learned

Love it. I’d love to have my own. I wonder how the fabric does in the rain. Does the “roof” funnel rain water right at that exterior door? How has that done?
 

kaymccampbell

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Joined
Feb 27, 2015
Messages
29,518
Location
Upstate New York
Re: Six years into my deck and pergola -- what I've learned

To go really off topic. I remember helping holystone the deck of the "Texas" in the early 80's to film the " Winds of War" in Bremerton. Some smart boy "lost" the sticks. So there we were, most all the extras, on our knees, scrubbin away.
 

Paycheck

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Joined
Aug 14, 2014
Messages
1,357
Re: Six years into my deck and pergola -- what I've learned

It rained in Southern California?

Seriously, nice setup!
 

JMURiz

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Joined
Dec 6, 2005
Messages
1,483
Location
NoVA
Re: Six years into my deck and pergola -- what I've learned

Looking good...I may have to look into that TWP's 100-series stain for my fence...it's been up too long w/o protection.
 

yeldogt

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Joined
Jan 2, 2012
Messages
18,184
Re: Six years into my deck and pergola -- what I've learned

I remember seeing pictures --- forget how you floated? I did a ground level but still made a structure under out of PT lumber. Agree on the Penofin -- it does not hold up even with yearly applications. I gave up with my cedar and went with Zuri.

You were wise to invest in the hardwood upfront ... the pergola is extremely well done.
 
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J

Jack Olsen

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Joined
Mar 22, 2009
Messages
6,678
Location
Los Angeles
Re: Six years into my deck and pergola -- what I've learned

Thanks.

It's easier to mop than to sand. But I'll bet the mixture of abrasives and chemicals does a job on those Teak decks.


I remember seeing pictures --- forget how you floated? I did a ground level but still made a structure under out of PT lumber. Agree on the Penofin -- it does not hold up even with yearly applications. I gave up with my cedar and went with Zuri.

You were wise to invest in the hardwood upfront ... the pergola is extremely well done.

I also used pressure-treated lumber underneath. Sitting on blocks, with plastic sheeting and a drainage line to keep water from doing any kind of a number down there. Here it is when I was getting it level, and then ready for the decking.
 

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GH85Carrera

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Joined
Jan 20, 2014
Messages
2,150
Location
Oklahoma City, OK
Re: Six years into my deck and pergola -- what I've learned

Not surprised your back yard is almost as tricked out as your garage.

That back yead would not work in may states with freezes or snow loads, but who cares, you don't live there.

It looks like a lot of work, but you seem to thrive on it. Great job.
 

Jeff95TA

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 11, 2008
Messages
886
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
Re: Six years into my deck and pergola -- what I've learned

I remember your build, and it's awesome.

I feel your maintenance pain. I built a 45' x 40' ipe deck and used ipe oil. Looks like I can't go two years between cleaning/oiling.

I use a 70/30 mix of sodium percarbonate / sodium carbonate for cleaning, and like you, oxalic acid for brightening (same ingredients but much cheaper than store bought cleaner & brightener). A bristle brush on a pole wasn't applying enough pressure to fully clean it, so I had to get down and scrub directly with the brush. Not fun. Still need to clean the other side then apply the oil.

Please excuse the lack of trim around the pool. It's on the to-do list!
 

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yeldogt

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Jan 2, 2012
Messages
18,184
Re: Six years into my deck and pergola -- what I've learned

Thanks.

It's easier to mop than to sand. But I'll bet the mixture of abrasives and chemicals does a job on those Teak decks.




I also used pressure-treated lumber underneath. Sitting on blocks, with plastic sheeting and a drainage line to keep water from doing any kind of a number down there. Here it is when I was getting it level, and then ready for the decking.


That was a good idea .... Oh how things work when no freezings around.
 

Scotto

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Joined
Apr 8, 2008
Messages
1,000
Location
South Jersey
Re: Six years into my deck and pergola -- what I've learned

Glad you're happy with the TWP! The 30 year old covered cedar deck on my house was in poor shape and I researched to death what to refinish it with. I ended up with TWP 1500 (100 isn't available in NJ, but it's supposed to perform similarly).
You know, you can just put on another coat of TWP - no need to strip. Is the Oxalic acid a stripper or "brightener"?
I used some stripper from Gemini (the company that makes TWP) and it worked pretty darn well to get up multiple layers of stain. I also sanded a lot of the surfaces because they were pretty messed up after 30+ years.
I just put down the TWP 2 weeks ago so we'll see how it holds up. The stripped and sanding was like 90% of the time so I'm not worried about putting additional coats down later.
yxniFNWBSlyFYyaygmVjA9fJoXY-IG0AS4C5Z7l8e-7Ka_uXuz8KrdpU4JwoSQHyinWhYvfLoMZHtqAst7kZ_dL8Rzx6X2cm81CMSkcjnUbeGU5942h7CSlkHa5Ku4Ip2vtUT_BiEQ=w2400


AGMgjOtzsOdJo0uBwu_B3bVzXF1MATl9IFo8rX3tOPWnIMR0_CnDWwr9uhsm1AAo_Q4wbH7okPhGl5DQ2j2N893ACk9QXvFo2pR7w8UIbBYqaY5Z-NSUZePYIbyQhbt6KNMqWpYBeQ=w2400

I'll post a photo of the TWP when I get a chance.
 
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Bronson

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Joined
Aug 2, 2011
Messages
12,676
Location
Texas panhandle
Re: Six years into my deck and pergola -- what I've learned

I remember that build Jack, I was really impressed with the outcome, well done!
I have a similar, smaller space that I converted to an outdoor living space. I went with stamped, colored concrete, and an overhead of honeysuckle on an arbor. Tiki torches and a small waterfall round it out.
Sadly, the drought and a idiot neighbor with Roundup drastically set back my years and years of honeysuckle growth.:(
 
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Jack Olsen

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Joined
Mar 22, 2009
Messages
6,678
Location
Los Angeles
Wait. I just finished a bathroom. Seven days and $700.

It's not a room that sees much actual use, since it's the one for my outside office. But our ailing cat finally moved out of it, and I had to clean it up for a visit from my (allergic-to-the-cat) parents. It was super gross before, with a roof leak contributing to the general sense of squalor. Now it's got some crazy (maybe fashion-y?) patterns.

Before and after:

j2fSWZ.jpg


And after:

Qkvn5a.jpg


TVvmWp.jpg
 
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RdSnake

Member
Joined
Oct 10, 2018
Messages
14
Location
Oxnard, Ventura County
Jack,
Two quick questions about the 911:
1. Who do you recommend as far as machine work for the 911 engine around the LA area?
2. What size tires are you running?
Thanks,
Gil
 
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Jack Olsen

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Mar 22, 2009
Messages
6,678
Location
Los Angeles
Thanks, guys.

Jack,
Two quick questions about the 911:
1. Who do you recommend as far as machine work for the 911 engine around the LA area?
2. What size tires are you running?
Thanks,
Gil

I only worked with one machine shop, 9 years ago, and they kind of botched it. So I don't have a place to recommend.

The tires on my car are 255 and 315 on 17-inch wheels.
 
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