The capped well in the front yard was an eyesore. I bricked it, but still didn't like it. What the space really needed was a gazebo.
I knew I had the skills and tools to build one, although an eight-sided roof seemed daunting. I bought a couple of books on yard structures from Lowe's and used them to get ideas. I scanned the designs I liked and e-mailed them to my friend Sandra and we discussed their pros and cons.
We finally settled on a plan, like so. Sandra named it the Louisa May Alcove:
My structure would be beefier, with 4x4 uprights and beams and rafters, and a larger lattice. It would also, because it sat on a slope, have a floor. We prepared a list of the lumber and supplies we would need.
When construction time arrived I bought four 4x4s after work and drove home with them sticking out the windows of my car. That evening I dug four deep holes with post hole diggers (see, I told you I had tools!), poured in a little gravel for drainage, and cemented them in. I tacked 1" firring strips to them to keep them upright. The concrete would dry overnight and the construction could begin in earnest. At the last minute I decided to make the structure two feet wider and a foot deeper than the dimensions in the book. I thought the bigger uprights and beams warranted it.
The next morning I picked my friend Sandra up at the airport. We unloaded her suitcases and took off for Home Depot, where we bought lumber and supplies and rented a truck to get them home.
It was when we pulled into my driveway that things took a turn.
My neighbor Lon Cotton, who lived in the little yellow cottage across the street, and who installs decks for a living, took one look at the truck full of lumber and came running over. We told him what we were about to do and, with our permission, he took over the project. Later we tried to give him a check for $500, and he refused it. It was his contribution, he said. Just remember him kindly.
I'm looking for Lon's business card, and when I find it I'll write a post about him and note his contact number in this post as well.
Lon was a whirlwind. He worked for two days solid, while I handed him things and Sandra made snacks and meals.
Here are some photos of the project:
I knew I had the skills and tools to build one, although an eight-sided roof seemed daunting. I bought a couple of books on yard structures from Lowe's and used them to get ideas. I scanned the designs I liked and e-mailed them to my friend Sandra and we discussed their pros and cons.
We finally settled on a plan, like so. Sandra named it the Louisa May Alcove:
My structure would be beefier, with 4x4 uprights and beams and rafters, and a larger lattice. It would also, because it sat on a slope, have a floor. We prepared a list of the lumber and supplies we would need.
When construction time arrived I bought four 4x4s after work and drove home with them sticking out the windows of my car. That evening I dug four deep holes with post hole diggers (see, I told you I had tools!), poured in a little gravel for drainage, and cemented them in. I tacked 1" firring strips to them to keep them upright. The concrete would dry overnight and the construction could begin in earnest. At the last minute I decided to make the structure two feet wider and a foot deeper than the dimensions in the book. I thought the bigger uprights and beams warranted it.
It was when we pulled into my driveway that things took a turn.
My neighbor Lon Cotton, who lived in the little yellow cottage across the street, and who installs decks for a living, took one look at the truck full of lumber and came running over. We told him what we were about to do and, with our permission, he took over the project. Later we tried to give him a check for $500, and he refused it. It was his contribution, he said. Just remember him kindly.
I'm looking for Lon's business card, and when I find it I'll write a post about him and note his contact number in this post as well.
Lon was a whirlwind. He worked for two days solid, while I handed him things and Sandra made snacks and meals.
Here are some photos of the project:
Getting started. The bricks mark the site of the well dug in the 1930s
Lon Cotton hard at work
I supervise from the sidelines
The roof is up!
Sandra on Cleanup
We kept Lon fed and full of Diet Dr. Pepper
Lon was such a dear. He refused payment. Sandra takes a break.
The Project is Finished
A proud Lon Cotton
The Louisa May Alcove, Spring 2011
Note the Carolina Jessamine on the roof
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