Building a Screen Porch with Alaskan Yellow Cedar Posts?

[lisab]

Here in the US, Monday was a holiday -- Labor Day. My bf and I did a bit of laboring to celebrate.

Start with a bunch of 6" x 6" Alaskan yellow cedar posts.

Then start the notches.

Clean up the notches.

First post up!11!

Two rows of posts!

It's going to be a heck of a screen porch !

 

[jedishrfu]

nice work. don't forget to kill off the grass underneath and put down weed block and stones.

 

[lisab]

nice work. don't forget to kill off the grass underneath and put down weed block and stones.

Definitely will use some kind of block . But the lack of sun and rain will kill what's there, I think.

 

[dlgoff]

Nice Post.

 

[Dembadon]

Looking great so far!

 

[turbo]

Nice Post.

Which one, dlg? All the posts look nice.

BTW, who is that cutie cleaning up notches?

 

[dlgoff]

Which one, dlg? All the posts look nice.

Open mouth, insert foot.

I meant the wood post. Really.

 

[lisab]

Which one, dlg? All the posts look nice.

BTW, who is that cutie cleaning up notches?

You're such a sweet-talker, turbo.

 

[Evo]

Oooh, a screened porch! Awesome!

Evo Child and her BF are going to be in Portland (I think) in a couple of weeks, then heading into Canada. Early birthday celebration. Wish I had been invited.

 

[Andre]

Bump

How was the last weekend spent, Lisa?

 

[drizzle]

Bump

How was the last weekend spent, Lisa?

Nevermind him Lisa.

You look great, btw.

 

[Evo]

Nevermind him Lisa.

You look great, btw.

She does!

 

[lisab]

OK a bit of an update!

I've been in a battle, one that I'm determined to win. My opponent? English Ivy! It's freakin' evil stuff!1!

Afraid I don't have a "before" picture. But here's the final result:

http://imageshack.us/a/img28/4093/ivy1m.jpg

http://imageshack.us/a/img5/8398/ivy2.jpg

What you're looking at is a tree that was about 1/2 taken over by this evil ivy. I had to hack my way in just to get to the trunk! Then cut the vines (the hardest step) and gently pull it off of the bark.

It was a cold day today, so all the bugs and spiders living in this evil stuff were moving pretty slow. Easier to deal with that way, but still .

Under the vines, the bark was soaking wet - I bet it hasn't been totally dry in years. Now I wait for the ivy in the tree to die, then pull it off. Then, see if the tree lives.

I think it's an Ash tree - not sure though.

 

[lisab]

Oh and for an idea of the "before" pic, imagine that ivy all the way from the tree to the ground, pretty dense. Ugh.

 

[Evo]

Oh and for an idea of the "before" pic, imagine that ivy all the way from the tree to the ground, pretty dense. Ugh.

Be glad you don't have kudzu.

http://4chandata.org/images/threads/97658_Kudzu.jpg

 

[dlgoff]

Now I wait for the ivy in the tree to die, then pull it off. Then, see if the tree lives.

Won't the ivy just come up again in the spring? I'd be using chemicals; carefully, not to damage the tree.

 

[lisab]

Be glad you don't have kudzu.

http://4chandata.org/images/threads/97658_Kudzu.jpg

Believe it or not I had a dream about kudzu a couple nights ago! I had found a tasty way to prepare it (sauted with ginger, I think).

 

[lisab]

Won't the ivy just come up again in the spring? I'd be using chemicals; carefully, not to damage the tree.

True, it might come back on the ground, and I'm not against going chemical on it. Ivy leaves are waxy though, so herbicides are tricky - you have to use a lot, and you have to make sure the plant is in an active growth phase. Putting herbicides on now would have very little effect.

I'm not done with this evil vine, by no means! But I did win this round . The stuff in the tree will die and the tree might recover.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

You don't need to kill the ivy. The ivy will eventually kill the tree if its leaves get too much of the sunlight that the tree leaves need. However, it will take many years before that happens again.

 

[lisab]

You don't need to kill the ivy. The ivy will eventually kill the tree if its leaves get too much of the sunlight that the tree leaves need. However, it will take many years before that happens again.

I *really* hate ivy, though! It's a scourge on mankind! It harbors all sorts of bugs, spiders, and rodents. It's pure, pure evil!1!

In fact I have posted about this before, I think...ah yes here it is:

https://www.physicsforums.com/showpost.php?p=3962462&postcount=3111

 

[turbo]

One summer, I worked on the grounds crew of the University of Maine, and I was was tasked with (among other things) clearing the ivy from the walls and windows of the various buildings. I was sworn at, cursed, and called unspeakable names for trimming ivy from the windows of the buildings that were wrapped in that stuff. It's not a good feeling to have professors bitching you out for doing your job.

 

[Dr Transport]

wouldn't roundup for woody plants (poison ivy) work? as long as you didn't get it on the tree, it should be ok. you might have to take a sponge and wipe it on the leaves/growth of the ivy in the spring. even my friend the environmentalist tells me to do it, especially on invasive species like honey suckle out here in the midwest.

 

[edward]

My daughter lives in Portland OR. She had a much smaller ivy problem. After I snipped out pieces of the vine (as in the pictures) I took a paint brush and dabbed Round Up full strength on the ends leading back to the ground.

 

[jhae2.718]

You did a full structural analysis first, right? :)