DAY'S END
Focus on good design and clever construction
Bird-Watching Blind
Building an observation deck in a 152-acre nature preserve has its challenges. For one, there’s no power. When constructing this bird-viewing blind at the Ogden Nature Center in Utah, deck builder Mark Hansen of Wasatch Valley Construction had to rely heavily on battery-powered tools. He did haul in a generator but because the job site was adjacent to a walking trail, he had to keep the generator turned off as much as possible — and keep the work area closed off to prevent children on field trips from getting hurt.
The two-level deck is built mostly with pressure-treated lumber, with Trex for the bench seats. It’s 14 feet tall with a footprint that measures 16 feet by 22 feet. Viewing slots were placed so to accommodate visitors of different heights. — Laurie Elden
Photos by Mark Hansen
