Finally, a deck! Part 1

We bought our home almost three years ago.  The previous owners, who were also the builders, had intended to add a deck to the back of the house but ran out of both time and money.  We also intended to add a deck right away, but a myriad of other projects has always taken priority.  Well, now that the kids are a little older and the farm is more or less established, I decided it was finally time to get started on the deck.  Since I'm having to work on it on a few weeknights after work and a few hours each weekend, it will take a couple of weeks to finish.  Not to mention the suddenly very rainy weather which has put a hold on the project for the last two weekends in a row.  So sit back, relax, and follow along as we finally build our deck!

Step one: laying out the footings:
It's hard to see in this picture, but there are strings running from the house to each of the H-shaped structures on the right.  There's also two strings running parallel to the back of the house, one 6 feet out and one 11 1/2 feet out.  At every point where these strings cross there will be a footing; nine in total.

Step two: digging the footings:
I started each hole by hand with a post hole digger, only about six inches deep, to accurately mark the location of each hole.  Then it was time for the tractor-powered auger.

The auger turned a back-breaking, miserably hot job into a 30-second breeze.  Each hole was drilled down three feet.

Step 3: Installing and leveling the forms.
These are the forms that will hold the concrete for the footings.  In this picture they've just been tossed in the holes.

Each form must be precisely located at the intersections of the strings.  This is by far the most time-consuming part of the entire project, but also the most critical.  If the footings aren't set properly it will be very difficult to make the deck square.  If you look closely you will see a plumb-bob hanging just above the form.

Filling in around the forms.  I've had a good helper for various parts of the project!

In this picture you can see three of the forms on the left have been leveled and set, and are ready for concrete.

Daddy's little helper is very happy with our progress so far!

Next time: pouring concrete and setting the support posts.