Adding a porch and ramp to our log cabin

[Frank Pellow]

(part 1 of 7)

As described in the thread: http://festoolownersgroup.com/home-improvement-other-projects/replacing-windows-in-our-log-cabin-with-french-doors/    ,my brother-in-law Jeff and I installed a set of French doors in our log cabin this July. Not wanting them to be "mother-in-law doors", I next needed to add a small porch and a way to get from the porch to the ground.

As usual, I will desriber the project using extract from my weekly journal.

2011, July 24:

My next project was to build a small porch outside the new French doors. After consultation with Jeff, I decided to build a porch of roughly this shape:

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with some very wide steps at the north-west corner and a gradual ramp extending from the left side along the cabin to the east and ending at a spot about as far to the east as the existing steps into the cabin.

The first step was to remove the portion of the lower skirting board that is under the doorway. The easiest way to make the necessary cuts was with a (very sharp) chisel:

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Then I had room to nail a pressure treated spruce 2x4 to the beam and to “sister” another 2x4 to the first one with some galvanized spikes:

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Mum used to have a small rock-surrounded garden in a spot the will be underneath the new porch. Over the last 50 years a lot of roots have invaded the spot. I had quite a time removing all this to get down to bedrock:

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I cut lengths of Sona tube with a hand saw:

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Because I was on my own, I cut them slightly longer than needed. Then, I filled each tube to a spot somewhat lower than needed and concentrated on getting the tube level. Once that had dried a bit, I drilled two small holes through the tube at the desired height, stuck two small nails through the holes and filled the tube with more concrete up to the level of the nails. Once the new concrete had dried, I cut off the excess cardboard with a jigsaw:

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Here, a beam is in place on two of the posts and some joists have been installed between the new ledge on the cabin and the beam:

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[Frank Pellow]

(part 2 of 7)

2011, July 31:

I'm back in Toronto for a short visit and it certainly has been a very busy week.

I worked all day Monday and part of Tuesday on the porch at camp and now have all the support in place for the porch itself.

I developed some plans for the ramp. Unfortunately, the location of the base is in the lowest spot radiating from the porch. In order to make the rise as small as possible, I decided to construct a platform at the base of the ramp and, later on, build an additional ramp to that platform. I will build the platform out of timbers that I saved when I replaced our raised herb garden in Toronto. Below is a photo showing the approximate location of the platform and the ramp:

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The surface of both the platform and the ramp will be build out of the rough-sawn spruce planks that were used to build the stage for the Hearst Public School reunion and that I was given after we tore down the stage.

Even with the platform, the rise of 14 degrees is more than I would like. But, I simulated that rise in a temporary ramp that I built in Toronto during my brief return later in the week, and Margaret thought that it would be OK.

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I used some left over concrete to pour a flat base that I will eventually use for one of the ramp’s support piers:

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I needed to cut quite a few 45 degree bevels on the end of 2x6 and 2x10. My Festool TS 75 saw cuts very accurate bevels:

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I tried the saw both on and off the guide-rail and, in the end, found this task easier to do without the rail.

So that I was not having to reset the Festool saw all the time, I made to 90 degree cuts with my Makita circular saw:

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Here are a couple of pictures of the completed porch under-frame:

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[Frank Pellow]

(part 3 of 7)

2011, Aug 7:

I am back at Pellow’s Camp, this time by myself. I drove back from Toronto on Wednesday.

Thursday morning, I was up and at at work before 6:00. I did a number of odd jobs about the place and was at the landing waiting when the co-op delivery truck got there a little after 9. Here is a photo of the cedar decking boards arriving at Pellow’s Island:

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Right after unloading the boards, I went into Hearst. I came back about noon, had lunch, and put a coat of stain on the backs and the sides of the decking boards:

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Then, it was back to town again to handle some unfinisihed business. After getting back from town, I found that the decking boards had dried sufficiently to relax with a beer on the deck:

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It was 32 degrees out, but comfortable on the deck (with a beer).

I next worked on the crib for the platform that the ramp from the new porch will attach to. I made the crib out of timbers that were in our old raided herb garden in Toronto. The bottom layer of timbers was notched using a reciprocating saw:

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A second layer of timbers was spiked to the first then the crib was positioned and aligned to the porch and cabin:

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[Frank Pellow]

(part 4 of 7)

2011, Aug 7 (continued):

I gathered about 25 rocks and placed them within the crib both this did not come close to filing it. Some other fill was also needed. When I dug the hole for La Bécosse in 2007, I piled up a great deal of clay behind the building. This stuff packs very very hard so is perfect for the job. These photos show the clay being extracted:

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This photo shows both rocks and clay in the crib:

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Here, the crib is almost full and water has been poured over the clay:

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Saturday morning, I slept in until 7:30, having slept for a little more than 10 hours. I started reading in a chair in the living room about 21:00 Friday night and, the next thing I knew, it was 2:15 Saturday. I then went to bed and fell asleep again right away.

I didn’t do much work on Saturday becuase I was attending a wedding in Hearst.  The only work worth noting being a start on the decking on the porch:

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and on the platform for the ramp:

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On Sunday, in spite of getting to sleep very late the night before I awoke a little after 5;00 this morning. My reward was a magnificent sunrise. I took this picture eastward over the lake a little after 6:00:

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Again, I spent most of the day socializing, but did mangae to instal and to sand the rest of the decking boards on the porch:

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[Frank Pellow]

(part 5 of 7)

2011, Aug 14:

I am still at camp, now with my daughter Kathleen and family.

On, Monday, I applied a coat of stain to the decking boards in the morning:

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and that’s the only work that I got done all day.

Tuesday afternoon, I completed the pier that is to go under one of the ramp beam and poured the base for the pier for the other beam:

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While the concrete was still wet, a saddle was placed at an angle in the pier:

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About two hours after pouring the pier and the base, we had a violent thunderstorm that lasted about an hour. That certainly stopped work for a while. After the storm had moved on, I cleared out some trees and brush north of the ramps location to be used as a new pathway to the north side of the cabin. Here are before and after photos:

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On Wednesday, the weather today was truly miserable with a constant temperature of 12, constant rain, and high winds at times. The only work that I did was to pour the last pier that I need for the ramp. I did that about 8:00, covered it with a piece of plywood, then stayed inside and read the rest of the day.

 

[Frank Pellow]

(part 6 of 7)

2011, Aug 14 (continued):

On Thursday, the weather today was the exact opposite of Wednesday what with a high temperature of 22, clear skies, a no wind. It was a perfect day to work and that is what I did for about 13 hours. My objective was to complete the ramp. I came close, but about another 3 hours is needed to complete the job.

The ramps were in place by noon:

2011, Aug 14 (continued):

On Thursday, the weather today was the exact opposite of Wednesday what with a high temperature of 22, clear skies, a no wind. It was a perfect day to work and that is what I did for about 13 hours. My objective was to complete the ramp. I came close, but about another 3 hours is needed to complete the job.

The ramps were in place by noon:

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I’m building a rail along the outside edge of the ramp. It is necessary to notch some of the boards to fit around the post for the rail and, since this is rough work, I used a reciprocating saw:

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Here is a photo of the ramp at the end of Thursday's work:

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On Friday, I worked very hard getting everything ready for the arrival of the Harris family and I was quite tired by the time that they arrived at the Marina (a little before 18:00). As well as cleaning up, I finished enough of the ramp that it could be used.

On Sunday morning, I finished building the ramp. Here are a couple of photos:

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[Frank Pellow]

(part 7 of 7)

2011, September 8th:

This is my last full day at the island this year . I have been here for a little over a week with my brother John and our friend Chris Lewis. We have had great weather except for last Sunday which was miserable. That day we mostly read, talked, and played cards, but I did take time to decide on the size and location of the steps for the new porch and used a few boards to simulate their location. Here are a couple of photos:

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I decided to build a base platform for the wrap-around stairs on the new porch and then to pour concrete in places to provide a level base for the platform. The ground is uneven and the geometry of the stairs is complicated, so I think that this will work out better then pouring the concrete first. Here is a picture taken when I am just starting to lay out the platform:

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The parallel cracks on the porch are a big help.

Here is a photo of the frame after a bit more progress:

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On Wednesday, I leveled the base platform for the steps, to determine where concrete piers should be placed, and to poured three of those piers:

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Today, was mostly a day to pack up and close up, but I did take time to place the stair platform on the three piers that I poured yesterday:

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Next year, I will pour a few more piers, build the stairs (they will have cedar treads and risers) and cover up the pressure treated wood at the edge of the porch with cedar.

 

[Frank Pellow]

2012 Update:

This summer, I extended the ramp and I built stairs at the corner of the porch.

Here are a couple of photos of the extended ramp:

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Here is a series of photos of the steps under construction:

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I made the steps wide enough so they can function as an extension of the deck -as can be seen in this photo where I am sitting on the top step:

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Those of you who looked closely at the photos of the steps will have observed that the last step down to the rock is a BIG one. Next year I plan to raise up that area with concrete and granite flagstones to create what will, in effect, be another step.  These should blend well into the large granite rock that forms the base of the island.