Qing's arrival and beyond .

[Vince G]

Looking really good. I was going to start planting a few trees and bushes around the yard but decided to move instead.

[Arnold]

Looking really good. I was going to start planting a few trees and bushes around the yard but decided to move instead.

Funny Martin ! We had our share of " White " .

Vince , that is an excellent Excuse getting away from all that work needed to get a Yard in order . hahaha

[Jason B]

Wonderful looking garden going on there Arnold.  I like to garden so when Xia comes here and we buy our house I want to be able to try my "green thumb" out.  Atleast I will not ever have to worry about "white stuff" falling.  If it does I will start to believe in climate change - another ice age coming!

[kenny]

Great pictures.. very pretty!

Linda and I are going to start some grape vines this year. (I always wanted to do that) I have not seen then on an arch like that in years. I am now thinking where I will put mine.

[Arnold]

Thanks Guy's ! Our next project is .. getting our rear Patio Cover Build . I have made Plans for that years ago , but coundn't find them anymore . So I did them all over again and explained to Qing , how it will look when finished . DIY of course , maybe have my Neighbor give me a Hand .. when it comes to Lifting the big support Beams into place . Should have that done , before Qing's brother's Wife comes for a Visit in July/Aug to Buy a House here in Palmdale . A Homeowner's work is NEVER done , even when you think it is .

[Vince G]

Arnold, are you talking about a frame over the patio for the plants to grow on? or an actual roof? I've done many. Let me know I'll give instructions you could do mostly yourself.

[halfpint]

Great pictures.  Nice to see spring exists somewhere.  No white stuff here but the heat is hard to come by.  I think the Canadian Maple was the best 

[Arnold]

Arnold, are you talking about a frame over the patio for the plants to grow on? or an actual roof? I've done many. Let me know I'll give instructions you could do mostly yourself.

Vince , a real Patio Cover ( not for Plants ) attached to the House . Got my three up-right support's two feet in the ground when I build the frame for the Concrete Slap . It'll be one of-a-kind in my Neighborhood at least . I don't like to copy anybody's Cover or Idea . I'll show when it is done and we open a Bottle Champagne .

Thanks for the offer , I will definitely use it .. when a problem comes up and I have questions .

Glad you liked them Alan , just thought of taking some Photo's while I was watering all . Of course the Front is also coming along nicely .

[Vince G]

Suggestion: If you haven't already put your poles in the ground, don't. It will rot over time (even treated wood). Either put cement footings in the ground to an inch or two above ground and attach the pole onto it or on the patio slab itself (see photos, look past the ducks  ). Mine is all aluminum but that's code here. The amount of poles depends on the length/size of the header. Home Depot doesn't sell these post mounts they have some crappy ones. 

[Arnold]

I would never put wood straight into or on top of or into Cement , would not last . The support's are all Steel and a little above the Slap , so no standing water will get to Wood . If they do ever Rot , one can easy replace them one at a time . I show you here how I put my Support bracket's into the ground before pouring the Cement . With the 12" stakes , there will either sink or turn ever on me .

[Vince G]

You have the idea right. But unless your going to have real heavy weight on these posts? (like a second floor) you may not need to go that 2 foot footing routine. But you can if you feel you want to. OK I'll leave you alone now.     

[David E]

Arnold

Your steel support arrangement is standard here for all Patio/Pergola timbers. We dont have the water problem...but any timber here put directly on concrete or into the ground would be consumed by termites in 1 hour flat !!!

We call these steel supports "stirrups" and they are freely available. I dont have any wood in my home, its all steel and aluminium framing, trusses and window frames. My patio supports are all steel with Fibro Architectual surrounds for appearance. If you look at the photo of my swimming pool in my gallery, you can see what I mean.

David

[Arnold]

I really appreciate your Tip's Vince , I know you are more experienced in Construction than me ( only did it for 4 years ) , but I learned a lot in many fields that concerns a House . Remember I'm German , so when I do something .. it's pretty much always over-done .. but it will LAST as long as I'm around . Mentioning a second deck on top of the Patio Cover , actually came to mind ones ( a Sun-deck ) .. so I put them deep just in case . But I decided on 2/3 covered and 1/3 open at sliding door exit/entrance . So not too much weight and it's only going to be 24 Feet wide all together . I did not want the whole lenght of the back covered .

Hungry little Bugger's those Termites down under .. David . I see this kind of framing only in Commercial Buildings here . Not see it in any House Project yet , maybe Earthquake codes here do not allow that or the price is a factor ? Anyway , let me check your Photo to see .

[Arnold]

It's funny really , that Qing and I .. of all days .. May 1st. Chinese Labor day , that we finished our Cacti Garden finally . So we just sit in front of it and watch it all Grow .. NOT ! We are both in Love with it and just can't wait for it to take-off and grow at least 1/2 inch a year each of them .

[Kiwi303]

I love my Toyota.

The New FJ?

Check out YouTube for the "Road to the Taupo 1000" videos. FJ's bouncing through BIG ruts at HIGH speeds