My Snow Shoveling Solution For The Deck

After 25+ years of shoveling my deck by either forcing the snow through the railings or lifting it over, I finally decided that I was getting too old for that. The deck is 6' feet above the yard and the only opening in the railing goes to a small landing at the top of the stairs. There was no way to easily shovel the snow from the deck - until now.

First, the description, then a picture which will help this all make sense.

The posts for the railing are built in a sideways "H" configuration when viewed from the top. The railings slip into the "H" and are secured with nails though the face of the posts. The posts are then capped with a square cut from a 2x8 and nailed onto the top.

I removed the nails that secured a railing section into the posts, as well as the nails from one side of 2 caps. This allows me to raise the section of railing enough to shovel underneath it. The railings fit fairly tightly between the posts, so I can't raise either end to their final height in a single lift. To solve this, I built "stepped" supports, allowing me to raise the railing incrementally until it is at its final height.

Although this section of railing is now a bit shaky, I haven't made the deck any less safe since the railing section can't go anywhere except up. In the spring, I'll secure the section with a few screws just to tighten it up until next winter.

I've used the system twice this year and I'm quite happy with the results.

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Reply to
DerbyDad03
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My wife says, in part because of knee replacement, that she is not shoveling the deck this year.

Great by me as last year her hacking ice off it requires me to re-stain it this spring.

In the winter, the deck is for the birds. Let them shovel it.

Reply to
Frank

Do the birds know how to grill a nice Hot Italian Sausage or maybe some Salmon on a cedar plank?

My deck is for grilling all year round.

Reply to
DerbyDad03

I had a 4 season sun room built on top of deck laying down laminated foam core floor. BBQ is done in the patio with screen and wind blocker heavy curtains. This patio has all metal posts, roof one in the back yard, one in the front yard. Birds hang around under the ever green shrubbery and I feed them filling the feeder always. Pheasants often come from the park and feed themselves on spilled seeds from the feeder. Last night I saw 3 deer in the yard.

Reply to
Tony Hwang

< snips >

And I thought that I was the only idiot in the world who shovelled snow off the back deck ! .. I sense a therapy group forming. Our long-gone dog - a real good dog in most respects - - would use the snow-covered deck as his toilet - - but if the deck was shovelled-off - he would always go down into the small dog run ... ie on the ground - .. even if there was snow-up-to-his-balls in the dog run. < he was a tall dog > he wouldn't go on the shovelled deck. My neighbours dog - a large breed - won't go in the deep snow - - needs to be walked to a clear area - go figure. John T.

--- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: snipped-for-privacy@netfront.net ---

Reply to
hubops

Run hot water pipes under it. I ran heating pipes to my garage to warm the parrot room up, then noticed no frost or snow ever stayed on the bit above the pipes. You won't get ice to slip on either. You could use salt but it spoils the flavour of any food you drop during a barbecue.

Reply to
Mr Macaw

I grilled steaks last week-end but don't go out in real cold weather.

Wife would feed birds but I tossed feeder because of guys like this:

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Reply to
Frank

te:

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he parrot room up, then noticed no frost or snow ever stayed on the bit abo ve the pipes. You won't get ice to slip on either. You could use salt but it spoils the flavour of any food you drop during a barbecue.

Great idea. Hot water pipes under a deck in the snow belt. Very cost efficient. ;-)

Reply to
DerbyDad03

A budget is just a method of worrying before you spend money, as well as afterwards.

Reply to
Mr Macaw

I grill whenever the spirit (or my stomach) moves me. On rainy days, I move the grill so that I can reach it just by opening the sliding door. Once it's moved, I don't have to go outside anymore.

Here's one of my favorite things to grill. It's a lot of work, but well worth it.

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Reply to
DerbyDad03

Ratio of an igloo's circumference to its diameter = Eskimo pi

2000 lbs of Chinese Soup = Won Ton

One millionth of a mouthwash = one microscope.

Time between slipping on a banana peel and smacking the pavement = 1 bananosecond

Weight an evangelist carries with God = 1 Billigram

Time it takes to sail 200 yards at one nautical mph = knotfurlong

365.25 days of drinking low-calorie beer = one lite year 16.5 ft into the Twilight Zone = one Rod Sterling

Half a large intestine - one semi-colon

1,000,000 aches = one megahurtz

Basic unit of laryngitis = one hoarse power

Shortest distance between two jokes = a straight line

2000 mocking birds = 2 kilo mockingbirds

One kilogram of falling figs = one fig newton

1000 cc's of wet socks = one liter hosen
Reply to
Phil Kangas

I do them on occasion, but only in warmer weather. I've not uncovered the grill the past few winters. Just shovel enough off the deck yo make a path in case of emergency or that door won't be used until spring.

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

If I do pizza in the winter, it's with the grill by the door and a folding table inside by my side. It takes too much work and time to do them outside when it's cold. I've not done it in the winter too often, but for a special occasion, I have.

Dammit...now I'm thinking about good they'd taste during the football games tomorrow.

SWMBO doesn't eat red meat, so I make and freeze hamburger patties and sausage patties for myself. A quick defrost in the microwave then onto the grill. I've always got a quick and easy meal available.

When she asks, I'll grind some chicken cutlets then she'll add whatever spices she wants and I'll make/freeze a bunch of chicken patties for her.

What can I say, I like to grill. ;-)

Reply to
DerbyDad03

I was at a 4th of July celebration. The small town has a community center and there is a huge deck on the front. They have a band play on that deck, so they need to remove part of the railing. I like what they did. Each section of railing (about 10') sits into metal brackets on both ends, and they just lift it out of those brackets. They have a lag bolt with wing nuts on the top rail on both ends so no one accidentally lifts it out of the brackets. Once it's removed, all that remains is a

4x4 post every 10'.

I've considered doing that on my porch, because I too have to toss it over, or push between the rails. Our last snowstorm left snow as high as my doorknob (3 to 4 ft). Come Spring, I plan to make the rear rail removable the same way. In my case, thats only a 5 1/2' section. My porch is only 5 1/2' X 8 ft, but when the snow is that deep, it's a pain to remove it. If I dont toss it over, it has to go down the steps and then I have to shovel it twice.

Reply to
Paintedcow

How big is 5 pounds? A handful each size is attractive, anything more looks silly.

Reply to
Mr Macaw

[Head crashes into desk]
Reply to
Mr Macaw

I prefer women with only two.

Reply to
Mr Macaw

It depends on whether you mean 5 pounds each or 5 pounds total.

Just under 5 pounds each:

US Size: 58A 56B 54C 52D 50E 48F 46G 44H 42I 40J 38K 36L 34M 32N 30O 28P Cup Diameter: 20.7 cm (8 in 1/6) Volume of 1 cup: 2,340 cc (4.9 US pt) Weight of both breasts: 4.2 kg (9.3 lb)

Just under 5 pounds total:

US Size: 48A 46B 44C 42D 40E 38F 36G 34H 32I 30J 28K Cup Diameter: 16.5 cm (6 in 1/2) Volume of 1 cup: 1,180 cc (2.5 US pt) Weight of both breasts: 2.1 kg (4.6 lb

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Reply to
DerbyDad03

5 pounds total sounds better. 5 pounds each would cause this:
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Reply to
Mr Macaw

I might try that. I had kept my fingers crossed at the height of the blizzard yesterday that the power would not go out as I was making a pizza. Fortunately it didn't as I would have had to shovel through a foot of snow to get to the grill.

Reply to
Frank

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