From the profile, they look like stairs...

... but alas, only the stair risers are in place.

Stairs

These pictures are from about two weeks ago and have been sitting in my camera for awhile. So apologies that these are kind of old.

Tar

This is not something you'd send your cats out to walk on. This black glossy stuff is a type of tar that was painted on the plywood that is sitting on top of the shims which are on top of the joists. So, order of placement: 1. joists 2. shims 3. plywood 4. waterproof tar stuff.

And it's glossy mainly because it's still sopping wet...





This picture was taken a day later and you can see that it isn't quite so glossy anymore. And therefore not quite so wet. You still wouldn't want to send your cats out on it.



View from the underside of the top level. You can see the plywood now. The electrician was also out that day and installed the four lights in the ceiling that will be the recessed lighting for the downstairs level of the deck.



Up close shot of one of the can lights mounted on the bottom side of the top deck,



No, this is not part of the deck itself and so therefore is off topic. But it was a clear day today and Mt. Hood had some late afternoon sun on it so it looked pretty cool.

Waterproof Deck System

Check out the super long shims. These will be placed on top of each joist such that each joist will slope down towards our back yard. This will direct all of the rain water away from our house.



If you look close, you probably have to click on this one and view the larger image, you can see that many of the joists already have the shims on top of them.



This picture might give better perspective of the downward slant. The joists towards the top of the picture do not yet have shims.

More Progress

Most joists are in place now






View from the ground level up.

Progress

Would you walk on this? This is the make-shift scaffolding that is built on top of the halfway finished first floor of the deck so that progress can be made on the upper level of the deck.




View of the side of our house where new siding will be placed and where the top deck will join the house.



View from the bottom looking up at the first floor of the deck. All joists are in place now.



View of the deck in its entirety. You can see where the bottom deck is and where the scaffolding starts.





View of the concrete pad beneath the deck. You can't see it too well because it has been covered in plastic since it was poured.