The Sleepout #10 – Finishing off the Decking

Note: This article is part 10 in a series of articles about the sleepout I built in my back yard back in 2011. If you want to read the whole series of articles from the beginning start here

I’m very pleased with how the decking’s turned out and now that I’ve got decking all around the sleepout, it’s a much more usable space. But because we get so much rain, the next task was to get some roofing up over the deck.

All the rain we’ve been having has given me a chance to ensure the drainage I put in was working as I’d hoped. This would be really important once the roof is up as it would probably collect twice as much water as it did before. Thankfully, I’m now up and out of the dirt which in this weather can quickly turn to mud.

  Because the decking goes right up to the boundary, I decided to build a fence for privacy which would also create a bit of shelter from the wind, resulting in a cosy little space for BBQ’s and general outdoor living. At some stage I will probably install a door on the back wall of the sleepout for easy access to this space.

Now that the roof is on I just need to add some guttering and flashings to finish off the roof. Plus I still need to finish off the last bit of fencing and I’ll probably install some outdoor lighting too.
I love being able to walk all around the sleepout now, enjoying the garden outside in all directions, even when it’s raining.

It still remains to be seen whether the winter conditions inside the sleepout will be any warmer and dryer now that I’ve extended the roof. I hope by doing so it will help to keep the ground dry underneath it.

See what happens next here