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Stesso

Installing the Ledger Board

6:04
18:31
57.6K views

At 6:04 in

Most Decks Are Over Complicated. (Do This, It's Easier)

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What happens here

Attach a 2x10 pressure-treated ledger board directly to the house's exterior. Crunch the numbers beforehand to ensure that the top surface of your finished decking will be approximately 1 inch below the house's threshold. The builder mentions he learned this from a previous mistake of assuming 3/4 inch decking. Secure the ledger board to the house's rim joist or wall studs using lag bolts, following a staggered pattern (e.g., 15 inches on center, in a 'W' pattern) for maximum holding power. For areas that require extra weather protection, especially against moisture intrusion, apply a house wrap (e.g., Tyvek) or similar flashing tape along the house framing before attaching the ledger.

Goal: Securely attach the ledger board to the house

Tools and materials

  • 2x10 Pressure-Treated Lumber — The ledger board, which attaches the deck to the house
  • House Wrap or Flashing Tape Tyvek — Providing weather protection behind the ledger board
  • Impact Driver Ryobi — Driving lag bolts
  • Lag Bolts — Securing the ledger board to the house
  • Level — Ensuring the ledger board is installed perfectly level

What they say

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love it. Here comes the fun part. We got a nice straight beam going across. We got to do our ledgers. Now, the idea here is we have our classic 2x10 ledger. Going to use lag bolts secure to the house. Once this is right under, and we already crunched the numbers, and you should too. Always crunch your numbers. Get a good accountant. But crunching the numbers in reference to our deck here is crunch your numbers that your finishing floor joists are about 1 in. And by about, I mean exactly 1 in to an inch and an eighth maybe underneath whatever your finishing surface is. Trex decking is usually about an inch thick. And I made a mistake before thinking it was 3/4. Messed up my alignment. So don't make the mistakes I did. Be smart, kids. Don't do drugs. Your boy is adapting to AI and I'm trying to use Chad GBT almost on every construction question. So I'm attaching this ledger with lag bolts like I'm supposed to. And I was curious about what's my pattern of spacing these lag bolts cuz I really didn't know. I just put a bunch in usually in. And so I just typed in what is the lag screw pattern for a 2x10 deck. And it just gave me this rundown. Okay. What's your span? My span here is 10 ft that it's going to come out from the wall. Uh, you got to do two inches from the top, two inches from the bottom, inch and a half from the ends, and then you stagger them in a pattern. 15 in on center. Do the W. That's brilliant. I should have used Chad GPT. Way, way long more. Way long more. Way further. I don't even know how to say it. A long time ago. Damn it.

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