Attaching Ledger Board
 Once the siding's cut and the ledger board's prepared, you can set it in place
on the wall.
Make
sure there's equal space left on the ends if there'll be skirtboards added on
later.
Then
tack the board in position with nails to hold it in place.
NOTE: Unless your sheathing has a moisture resistant exterior, the code may require
that you cover the exposed sheathing with builders felt as a moisture barrier
before installing the ledger board. Check with your local building officials.
Securing
Lag Screws
 Use lag screws to secure the ledger board permanently to the house framing, generally
1 or 2 lag screws driven in between each pair of joists.
First,
pre-drill through the ledger board and the sheathing and partway into the house
framing.
Squeeze
enough silicone caulk into each hole to provide a moisture seal. Tap
the lag screws in with a hammer to bite into the framing. Then
finish driving the screws with a ratchet.
Installing
Z-Flashing
 Galvanized metal z-flashing is usually required to keep moisture from seeping
down behind the ledger board.
First,
seal any gaps with silicone caulk (like between the sheathing and the threshold)
and run a bead along the sheathing to hold the flashing tight.
 Set
the flashing in, Sliding the back up under the siding first (you may need to loosen
or remove a few nails to get it up there). Then push it down over the top of the
ledger board.
If
you use 2 or more pieces of flashing, be sure to overlap the joints by several
inches and use caulk to seal the joints.
TIP: Flashing comes in a couple of sizes. Make sure the back's high enough
to cover the gap between the siding and the ledger board and to ride up behind
the siding about an inch.
Laying Out Footings
Use string and stakes or batterboards to lay out lines representing the deck and
measure off those to locate the footing positions.
To
get started, use a plumb bob to transfer the outside edges of the deck from the
ledger board down to ground level.
Nail
string to the siding and tie the other ends to wood batterboards or stakes set
out beyond the length of the deck.
Using
the 3-4-5 Method
Use
the 3-4-5 method to set the strings square (at a 90 degree angle) to the
house.
 Mark a point on the string 3 feet (36") from where the string hits the wall.
Mark
a 2nd point on the house wall 4 feet (48") from where the string hits the wall.
Measure
out from the 1st point on the wall to the 2nd point on the string and move the
string till the 2nd point is exactly 5 feet (60") from the 1st point on the house
wall. Then the string is square to the house.
Marking
Footing Positions on Strings and on Ground
 Measure and mark the length of the deck on each string.
Tie
a third string between those marks to represent the outside edge of the deck. Using the plan
as a reference, measure and mark the center of each footing position on the strings .
Line
up a plumb bob with each mark on the string. Drop
the plumb bob to transfer those marks to ground level. Mark
each spot with a nail and a bright strip of tape or cloth.
|
