Encyclopedia

of Home Improvements

*Deck Ledger Board*

The ledger board will be attached to the house and is responsible for supporting one end of the deck's joists. It should be the first component to be installed so that it can act as a reference for all the others.

The ledger board should be the same size and type of wood used for the rest of your deck frame which must be some kind of rot resistant wood usually pressure treated. Select the straightest and most high quality boards for your ledger board. Use long boards to avoid having any seams along the length of the ledger board to prevent water infiltration.

Position the top of the ledger board below the door threshold by at least the thickness of the decking you will be using.
Once you have determined this location use a 4' level and a construction pencil to draw the top edge of the ledger board across the siding. You then can draw in the ends to the proper height as preparation for cutting the siding.

After you have cut the siding but before you install the ledger board you must install your flashing.To install flashing you will need to tuck 2-3" under the house siding before bending the material over the top of the ledger board. You may have to remove nails in the siding to allow the flashing into place. Make sure the flashing runs the entire length of the ledger board.

Flashing comes in a variety of forms to create a moisture barrier between your house and the ledger board.

With the flashing installed you can now mount the ledger board. Make sure that the ledger board is level and install Lag screws ½" x 5" installed every 16" oc. This should give you plenty of support.

Back to Topics Page

Contact