Dreaded Yurt Platform

Now that we’d decided we were going to be Yurt livers (at least temporarily) and had purchased the said Yurt, we needed to build the platform in preparation for its arrival. I looked up a few plans for elevated decks online and thought it best that I just ask the supplier if they had a standard plan. It did not take long before I realized that building a decagonal deck out of 2x8s was going to be more challenging that I thought. I went to the hardware place and purchased the lumber that was recommended in the “Lumber Purchase List” – how handy! We took the plans and lumber out to the Land, laid everything out and looked over the plans. I must admit that I hadn’t looked that closely at them before. After a couple minutes of looking at them this way and that, cocking my head, squinting, holding it closer and further, I finally said, “What the f@#k is this!?” First of all, it was a decagram! Why would I build a decagram!? That has 10 sides! Why not just build a square?! Secondly, the plans were seriously lacking basic structural – there were 36” gaps between joists in some areas. I’m no construction expert, but I’m pretty sure that 16” is kid of standard spacing. Also, there was no step-by-step instructions on how to put it together – not like Ikea at all. It was essentially just the shoddy final plan… how to get there? Well, you figure it out. Although it took multiple extra trips to the lumber yard for extra wood, footings, deck supports, bolts and screws – I was able to complete the platform – a Decagram Platform, I might say – in four days. And it was level. And it was a goddamned decagram!

-K