The Handyman Plan, LLC
  • Home
  • Handyman Services
    • Closets and Storage
    • Doors, Locks and Knobs >
      • Door Repair
      • Door Replacement
      • Knobs and Locks
    • For Interior Designers >
      • Hanging Pictures & Mirrors
      • Interior Painting
      • Light Fixture Installation
      • Window Treatments
    • Furniture Assembly
    • Light Fixture Installations
    • Outdoor Spaces >
      • Decks and Deck Repair
      • Porch Repair
      • Railings and Stairs
      • Screen Doors and Porches
    • Renovations
    • Trim and Moldings
    • Wall and Ceiling Repair
    • Winterizing >
      • Storm Doors
      • Weatherstripping
  • Interior Painters
  • Picture Hanging
  • Reviews
  • Gallery
  • Blog
  • Contact

The Handyman Blog

A Cost-Conscious "See Through" Deck Railing

6/26/2017

18 Comments

 
Picture
Last week I showed off a new deck which I recently built near Asheville, but there's one aspect which deserves its own post: the "see through" deck railing made from livestock fence panels.

The problem with building new porch and deck railings is that Asheville's building code restricts openings in the railing to a 4-inch maximum for safety reasons. Traditional pickets get in the way of the view when they're spaced so close together.
Picture
Some people use glass railings, but they can be expensive and hard to keep clean. You can also choose steel cable railings, but they can be expensive, too, and in this case they were a little too modern for this rustic home.

Fortunately, we found a solution that fits the bill: livestock panels.
Picture
I got the wire panels at Tractor Supply, where they said that livestock fence panels are very popular for deck railings. There are several kinds, made with different-sized openings between the wire, in order to keep in different kinds of animals. "Goat Panels" have the right-size openings to meet building code standards.

The materials for this railing cost about the same as a traditional railing, but the installation was much faster than it would have been if I were installing pickets.
Picture
Picture
Zooming in closer, you can see how it was all put together. The posts have holes drilled into them to accept the wire ends of the panels. The tops and bottoms of the panels are held in place by wooden batten strips.

Once it's all screwed together, it's very firm and sturdy. You can sit in the deck chairs and look right down into the yard, which is really nice for keeping an eye on kids or pets.
Picture

The panels wrap around the corner and follow the railing down the stairs.
Picture
As you can see, they're totally unobtrusive.

We don't just do deck railing installation... we also repair railings, porches, decks and stairs in the Asheville area. If your deck or porch needs a little TLC, give us a call. We'll be glad to help!
Get the Perfect Railing
18 Comments

Before and After: Installing A New Deck Near Asheville

6/20/2017

2 Comments

 
I just finished building a new deck near Asheville, and it looks great!
Picture
Let's back up and take a look at the "before." This home was originally built without a deck, and just a simple flight of steps going up to the back door.
Picture
My first job was to dig a row of holes below the frost line, down to undisturbed earth. I filled each hole with 8 inches of concrete, which will serve as the foundation. The metal rebar coming out of the pad will connect it to a concrete pier.
Picture
Picture
Now I've poured the piers, attached them to posts, and connected them all with horizontal band boards. This is the part that nobody notices when you're finished... but it's also the most important stage to get right. If the posts and piers were just a half-inch out of alignment, there could be big consequences later.
Picture
Another important stage was hanging the floor joists. In fact, I was so busy getting it right that I didn't even take pictures. It was a big job, and I am grateful to Glenn Keeney for joining me on this part of the job. Thanks, Glenn!

After the floor joists comes the glory work: laying the floor boards. This is when it really starts to look like a deck.
Picture
I'm glossing over a lot of work here! I had to insert the deck boards below the siding and install vinyl "Z" flashing to keep water from backing up into the wall. I also had to add stainless steel flashing in the doorway. (Pro tip: never use aluminum flashing on decks. It interacts with the treated wood and corrodes.)

Even without the railings, it already lends itself to relaxation...
Picture
...but since it's high off the ground at one end, it really needs a railing for safety.

Here you can see me setting in the top railing. It's important to get this level, then sight down along the railing to make sure it's straight.
Picture
The railing is mostly on, and now we need some stairs so we can get up onto the deck.

This required digging another pair of foundation holes, then setting posts and stringers.
Picture
With the stairs in and the railing on, it's a beautiful place to relax on a shady afternoon.
Picture
Picture
The "before, during and after" photos show that the deck really improves the appearance of the home. It looks more proportionate somehow.
Picture
If you need a new deck for your Asheville home, please give us a call and we'll be glad to help you. We also repair railings and stairs, as well as installing gates and trellises.
Yes, I Want a Beautiful Deck!
2 Comments

A Custom Built-In "Window Seat" Reading Nook in Asheville

6/14/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
If you love to curl up with a good book... or if you have a "bookworm" in your family who needs a place to hang out... then this is the project for you!

I recently built a custom reading nook for an Asheville family. (It's not exactly a window seat, but it's near a window, so that's close enough.) The nice thing about this one is that it's got built-in storage underneath, a lot like the built-in platform storage bed which I recently made.

If you didn't see the "before and after," you'd swear it had always been there:
Picture
Picture
It looks deceptively simple, but it took a bit of extra effort to make it look original to the home. Let's do another slide show to see how it all came together.
If you need a little extra built-in storage and you live in the Asheville area, give us a call. We'll be glad to help you design the right piece for your space, whether it's a window seat, a reading nook, or something from your imagination.
Yes, I want a window seat!
0 Comments

Custom Built-In Mudroom Cubbies in Asheville

6/10/2017

0 Comments

 
As many of you know, I got my start as a furniture maker, so this project was very rewarding: a set of custom built-in "mudroom" cubbies for an Asheville family.

Let's start with a simple before-and-after:
Picture
It really makes the room, doesn't it? It's also making my clients' lives easier.

My clients have five children, and trying to get everyone out the door on school mornings was becoming a challenge. The foyer wasn't helping; it was just collecting piles of shoes and backpacks.

We started with this inspiration photo from Simply Organized:
Picture
The photo is really nice, but we immediately knew that there would be a few modifications. For one thing, my clients' foyer isn't large enough to accommodate a deep bench, so we made the lower shelf shallower. We also took the cubbies all the way up to the ceiling and modified their proportions to fit the room.
Picture
Picture
Obviously this made the unit pretty tall, but the upper shelves are for storing out-of-season items that aren't currently in use.

The double row of hooks is perfect for a family of seven. It allows the smaller kids to hang up their coats while leaving room above for grown-ups and teenagers who can reach the higher hooks.

Want to see how it came together? Click through this slideshow:
Do you need a custom storage solution? We can help with a range of options, from simple shelves all the way to furniture-quality built-ins like this one. Give us a call to get started.
Yes, I need more storage
0 Comments

    About

    Arthur Teel, Asheville & Weaverville Handyman
    Welcome to my blog! This is a chronicle of the adventures of Arthur Teel, a handyman working in Asheville and Weaverville, NC. Need someone to fix your home?
    Get in Touch

    Connect!

    Picture
    I make furniture too!

    Archives

    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2021
    December 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    June 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015


    This blog is for entertainment purposes only. See our Terms of Use for details.
  Our current turn-around time is 1 to 4 weeks for picture hanging and interior painting, and 6-8 weeks for most other projects.

What Our Clients Are Saying

"Arthur is that rare professional handyman who is totally reliable; fairly priced; pro-active in communications; honest; punctual; skilled -- and a really nice guy."

​Cliff Y.
"Arthur is a great resource to have here in our area. He's prompt, professional, does great work and is cost effective. I'll definitely use him again!"

Jonathan J.

​
Read More Reviews

Follow Us:

Email US AT:

AshevilleHandymanPlan@gmail.com

Service Area:

In-town Asheville
Mars Hill and Weaverville
Arden and Fletcher
​Fairview

Popular Services

Interior Painters
Professional Picture Hanging
For Interior Designers
Picture

Copyright 2014-2022 by The Handyman Plan, LLC.

Terms of Service and Privacy Statement
  • Home
  • Handyman Services
    • Closets and Storage
    • Doors, Locks and Knobs >
      • Door Repair
      • Door Replacement
      • Knobs and Locks
    • For Interior Designers >
      • Hanging Pictures & Mirrors
      • Interior Painting
      • Light Fixture Installation
      • Window Treatments
    • Furniture Assembly
    • Light Fixture Installations
    • Outdoor Spaces >
      • Decks and Deck Repair
      • Porch Repair
      • Railings and Stairs
      • Screen Doors and Porches
    • Renovations
    • Trim and Moldings
    • Wall and Ceiling Repair
    • Winterizing >
      • Storm Doors
      • Weatherstripping
  • Interior Painters
  • Picture Hanging
  • Reviews
  • Gallery
  • Blog
  • Contact