Pontoon replacement

This had had its day with the handrail dangerously loose and a lot of the decking rotten and unstable.

The first thing to do was to remove the whole superstructure leaving just the piles in place. These were still sound showing little or no rot. A testament to Greenheart which is one of the most robust timbers available.

Next, leveling by strings this is not only to find the level for laying a deck but also the width so that the timber laid will be of equal width and true to the eye.

The bearers and sides called strings are now fastened to the piles in preparation for the deck and handrails.

All fastenings used are stainless steel. Normal green decking screws and bolts would soon start to rust in this marine environment.

Newel posts and handrails are fixed to the strings. These I machined off site from 100x100mm stock.

And finally the decking. Non slip decking was laid and fastened. All timber used throughout being double vac tanalised so treated twice this extends the lifetime of the timber which should exceed 25yrs. As time passes the wood will melow in colour and end up being a dark honey colour.

Published by southamptoncarpenter

Traditional standards. Traditional tradesman. Traditional service. I have been a carpenter for over 45years, 5 year apprenticeship as a boat builder, 2 years as a wood machinist, then a spell repairing furniture and manufacturing reproduction antique clocks. I spent a further 15 years working in a therapeutic environment passing on my skills, before setting myself up as a self-employed carpenter/joiner. As you will appreciate, I undertake a wide range of projects, so scrolling through the site map may well direct you to past work that may be similar to your requirements. The preferred way to contact me is by using the contact page on this site. However you can always ring me during normal working hours. Lead times vary depending on the time of year; small jobs I can often do promptly. I cover Southampton and I am also happy to visit Winchester and Salisbury areas, but a small fee will be charged.

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