Install and Calibrate Ledger Board
At 9:58 in
Building A MASSIVE Deck Part 3 - Roof Framing and Sheathing
What happens here
After the main beams are in place, the ledger board is installed directly onto the house wall. This is a critical step for rafter length calculation, as the existing house wall may not be perfectly straight or plumb. To address this, a string line is run along the intended bottom edge of the ledger board. Measurements are then taken from this straight string line to the house wall at various points along the entire length of the ledger board. These measurements (e.g., 1/2", 5/8") are marked directly onto the ledger board. The ledger board is securely attached to the house studs using lag screws, ensuring it is level and stable, effectively creating a straight reference point for the rafter installation.
Goal: Create a straight and stable attachment point for the rafters on the house side.
Tools and materials
- Cordless Drill/Driver Makita — Driving lag screws into the studs
- Ladders/Scaffolding Werner — Accessing the house wall at the appropriate height
- Lag Screws GRK — Securely attaching the ledger board to the house studs
- Ledger Board — The primary horizontal board attached to the house wall, supporting the rafter ends
- Pencil/Marker — Marking measurements on the ledger board
- String Line — Establishing a perfectly straight reference line along the ledger board
- Tape Measure — Measuring distances from the string line to the house wall