🖼️
The project:
We needed an outdoor entertainment area to sit and relax in the summer afternoons, kids can have a bit of a splash in the inflatable pool and a place where we could light up fires and play Guitar. Received quotations from two landscape companies; one wanted approx. 10k and the other wanted 8.5K, we got the job done under 3K! Bunnings was my second home for a period of three to four months. Rain didn't help, a few mistakes with leveling, hard labor work with soil and concreting, however at the end we got to where we wanted to get to. We now have a beautiful space to sit and relax!
- Materials:
- Tools:
Tools are listed in the materials section.
- Step 1:
Clear your working area by chipping hoe and Mattock. Make sure your pet is with you to enjoy the journey and get "his hands and feet dirty" :)
Carefully plan where the posts are going to be and then dig approx. 300 - 400mm holes.
Cut your 100 x 100mm H4 treated pine with Mitre Saw and lay them flat in the holes to get a bit of an idea on the height.
Apply Waterproofing Membrane at the bottom of each post.
I connected my H3 Treated pine frame with Galvanised Strapping to the posts (using pryda timber connecting screw) and then dropped the complete frame (1 bar) in 4 x Holes at the wider side.
Repeated this step for all 8 bars and 5 bars on the other side.
Frame was now ready for concreting.
Carefully check level with the high ground (in my case alfresco tiles) and set the concrete in.
Concrete was mixed in a Wheelbarrow with water added as per needed consistency.
Repeat this step for all 8 x bars one the wider side and 5 x bars for smaller side.
I was using one of the Merbau 3M and 4M to check level with the Alfresco tiles all the time.
I then waited for 24 hours for the frame to full settle in and dry out; ready for Merbau to be laid and screwed in. Use Titan 4mm spacers and a pre-drill bit to screw it all IN. This was the most satisfying bit.
I also used Chalk Line here to ensure screws are all in-line and not all over the place.
Once the main body was all screwed in I covered the sides with additional Merbau and closed the whole thing off.
The SpecRite Merbau Pre-Oiled Deck then came to life.
Bunnings was so helpful in this process as I needed 4.8M long Merbau and I got all the pieces to cover my wider area. No cutting was then needed and it was perfect for me with a bit of a finishing touch at the end with the Ozito Circular Hand Saw.
My plan is to add some lights at the borders, however for someone like me who has only done one or two small little DIY jobs this was a massive project for me. I ended up learning so much; more comfortable with tools now and can take on wider/bigger DIY jobs around the house.
