It's all in the angles

This deck has a 4' bump-out that widens the deck from 12' to 16' (see July 3 post for the design / plan).  The transitions from the narrower to wider space is made by two 45 degree diagonals. Today's task was to cut the joists to the right length and angles before I had to go to work in the early afternoon.  Working from the ladder, I laid out my cut lines with a chalk line and square, then used a handheld circular saw to cut the joists.

As I was working through the layout and cuts, I starting thinking about the extra effort and resources to make the bumpout with the diagonals. It included:

Digging more post holes, more concrete, more 6x6 posts, more 2x12 headers, more Timbertech decking, Radiance Rail hardware, more math, more cutting, and much much more time.  Despite all of this, I'm glad that I put it into the plan.  I don't want a cookie cutter deck.  I'm also glad my wife talked me out of doing a curved bump-out!

By the early afternoon, I had all the joists cut to the right angle.  I also trimmed the outer header that the joists sit on.  

The two remaining rim-joists will have to wait until tomorrow.  Hopefully we'll have good weather, it's raining cats and dogs right now.