Deck

About 30 people attending a wedding were injured last night - at least one of them critically - when a wooden deck in Skippack Village, Montgomery County, collapsed beneath them, state police said. The guests were waiting on the deck of the Mandarin Gift Shop on Route 73 for the bride and groom to arrive in a horse-drawn carriage when the accident occurred about 6:20 p.m., according to state police and witnesses. The deck, where the couple had planned to marry, was about six feet off the ground and overlooked a scenic pond.

An East Marlborough man has been granted permission to build a swimming pool in his back yard if he tears down part of a wooden deck. Frank G. Edwards told the township Zoning Hearing Board Tuesday , that he wants to build a in-ground swimming pool within 40 feet of the rear border of his property on the 800 block of Grand Oak Lane. The township's zoning code prohibits construction within 50 feet of rear lot lines. Edwards testified that a septic system on one side, a well on the other, and a shallow back yard left him with no alternative except to build the pool within 32 feet of the rear lot line.

Question: Have you done an article recently about which product is the best for cedar-deck sealing? I am amazed at how little the employees at the home-improvement centers (and even the paint stores) know about yellow cedar and which product is best. I have given up on using stains, as they do not last and the maintenance work each year is overwhelming. Do you have any product recommendation on a clear sealer for a cedar deck? I have all the old finish removed and sanded - all ready to go, but just don't know what to use!

Question: I know you've written many times about cleaning decks, but mine is looking kind of dingy and, because it sits on the north side of our house, is coated in mildew. The deck is gray, but the color is more greenish-black. Can you dig into your files and see if you can find your advice? I would have liked to have gotten it done for July 4. Maybe I'll get it done in time for Labor Day. Thanks. Answer: First, if you don't want to do the job yourself - especially if it has been a while since the last cleaning - there are companies that will do it for you. Check out the Yellow Pages or ask your friends or neighbors for recommendations.

Chalfont's Planning Commission decided at Monday night's meeting to study the issue of allowing residents who live in townhouses or condominiums to construct pool decks on their properties. The action was the result of a request from Gene Coghlan of 8 Kaylin Corner to construct a pool deck at the back of his townhouse. The commission members said that Coghlan's request was the first received by the borough, and that there were no ordinances that covered decks in townhouses and condominiums in the borough.

The story goes that an old Jersey Shore clipper ship, the Flying Cloud, held an impressive Cape May sailing record until a decade or so ago, when it was finally broken by a vessel with modern navigational equipment. Like its record, the Flying Cloud doesn't exist any longer, but a quaint and waterway-rustic restaurant in Atlantic City's Gardner's Basin area carries its name. The exterior of the restaurant, situated near where the inland waterway opens into Absecon Inlet, has weathered the salt and the sea breezes in fine nautical fashion, and the timbers of the outdoor deck creak ever so slightly against the tide and weight of servers carrying food.

Neil Little notched his fifth shutout of the season, stopping 24 shots, and P.J. Stock scored the winning goal as the Phantoms defeated the Portland Pirates, 2-0, yesterday afternoon in an American Hockey League game at the Cumberland County Civic Center. After a scoreless first period, Philadelphia (38-22-6-1) took a 1-0 lead when Stock connected for his sixth goal of the season with 38 seconds remaining in the second period. The Phantoms made it 2-0 when Kirby Law hit Portland's empty net as the final buzzer sounded for his team-leading 23d goal of the season.

One of the largest and most beautiful Victorian dwellings in Haddonfield, with 2 1/2 acres of lawns, gardens and old trees, has been renovated by area designers and invites the public to check out its elegant new look through April 2. The Haddonfield Home, 132 Warwick Rd., once the residence of Joel Perkins, a wealthy Philadelphia leather merchant, is now a nonprofit assisted-living community affiliated with the Presbyterian Homes of New Jersey....

I was looking at my home's back steps, constructed of pressure-treated wood, and decided it was time for the annual get-rid-of-the-mildew-and-seal-them program. For some reason, they aren't looking as green as they were last year, so the job will be a snap. It has been a long time since I discussed deck cleaning in this space, probably because these few steps are all I have since we sold the house with the deck 12 years ago. But because the summer entertainment season is coming, it might be appropriate to run through deck-cleaning 101 before the arrival of hotter weather, when things dry too quickly or not at all. If you don't want to do the job yourself - especially if it has been a while since the last cleaning - there are companies that will do it for you. Go online or ask your friends and neighbors.

Six women and a 3-month-old girl were injured Saturday when the deck of a Cedarbrook home collapsed, authorities said. Those injured in the deck cave-in on the 7900 block of Michener Avenue were taken to Albert Einstein Medical Center, police said. The women were treated for minor neck and back injuries and the girl was treated for burns to her legs when a grill overturned, said Lt. Frank Vanore, a police spokesman. The cause of the collapse has not been determined. - Chelsea Conaboy