Posts from — June 2009

Work at the woodland garden on one of this seasons projects is almost complete. The screen room that will help protect from the skeeters and summer rains is up and just needs a few tweaks.

The first part of the project involved building a wall to attach the screen room to. The room was designed to go up against a solid wall of a house. Due to the design of the park model trailer the walls were way to short so I built a wall out of 2 x 4 studs and then attached it to the deck.

A 2 x 4 stud wall was built to attach the screen room to.

The wall would support the rafters as well as provide a point to attach the side walls to as well. Once the wall was in place the screen panels which make up the walls of the room were attached to the stud wall.

Once the stud wall was up the screen room walls were attached and then boltrd to the deck.

Now that the walls were all in place and secured it was time to start on the roof of the screen room. The rafters had to be attached to a bracket mounted to the stud wall then attached to the screen panel walls. Both the bracket and the screen panel walls had pre- drilled holes that had to align in order for the rafters to be in the right position. once that was completed the rafters were bolted up.

The rafetrs being attached and bolted to the screen wall panals.

After everything was bolted and tighten the roof slid into a track on the top of the stud wall and then was tied down along the screen walls using Velcro straps and strings around the rafters. The only thing left to do on the project is to go along the edges and add foam insulation were ever there is a space to make the room completely skeeter tight. Here are a couple of pictures of the room now that it is up.

Here is a side view of the screen room.

One more view

Here is a view from the front of the new screen room.

All in all the project came out very good. The instruction sheets called for a two person assembly but I found putting it up by myself was relatively easy . The biggest challenge was figuring out the stud wall so that all the components could be attached. All the materials came in at just under $98.00 so I think that it was very successful. The screen room was recycled from an assembled room at my in-laws who took it down when they sold there park model last fall in order to build a raised ranch house on their lot. So i am very pleased with the outcome.

Of course with every project comes another project and I have the next one lined up. Even though I have been ignoring this for a couple of years Mother Nature has decided I can not let it go any longer. When the deck was constructed 8 years ago this was not a problem but now it is so I will need to correct it in the next couple of weeks before damage ensues. Seems as though this oak tree wants to grow through the deck and it is now pushing against the deck. So I will need to cut out the railing and the decking to accommodate it then re configure the rail and deck. Looks simple and it is after I go under the deck and change the support and joist locations. More about that next time.

Here is a preview of the next project

Here is a picture of the next project that will need to be addressed this year.

Have a great week and please get out into your garden and enjoy.

Well finally the project work will begin this weekend at the woodland garden. My plan calls for putting up the screen room to help keep all those skeeters out. The screen room is 3 sided and designed to fit up against a house wall. Because of the unique design of the park models roof line it will be necessary to build a wall out of 2 x 4 treated lumber and screen to attach to. It should work out well and the room should be up and functional this weekend.

There has been a lot of rain this spring and all the grass seed that I planted seems to have germinated and is doing well. The only down side is the moles who like always are tunneling and having a field day. With all the rain the perennials and ferns are doing great. They are growing like weeds. It is very soothing and relaxing wandering around the woodland garden at this time of year. Lush growth and the late spring flowers. The birds are every wheres also the deer like to come up and empty the bird feeders.

I had early damage from the deer and rabbits this spring but sprayed with my putrefied egg mixture and they leave everything alone now as long as I spray every 3 weeks or so. Small price to pay for the beauty that it protects.

Okay will update this page at the end of the weekend hopefully with pictures of the newly installed screen room. Have a great weekend and Fathers Day. Get out and enjoy your gardens.