Once the floor is nailed down, the ladder is ready to be assembled. When it's hammered on, take the time to barrel on up and admire the work in progress.

THE LADDER

1. Cut two 2' x 4's to match the height of the 4' x 4' posts. Space 16 inches apart.

2. Place on bricks in the ground so the ladder won't sink, fit the top into notches you've made for it in floor, and nail it in. The top will poke through the floor and serve as railing supports.

3. Attach 2' x 4' rungs all the way up, leaving 12 inches between the tops of each.

TIP: When in doubt, measure and level (when the bubble in the yellow liquid of your level sits in the middle, your board is no longer slanted). Leveling is akin to saving a file on your computer: whenever you think of it, do it.