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Author: Arpad Nyikos Article source: http://asteelbuilding.net/. Used with author's permission.
The Deck Building Ledger holds all the secrets to
successful deck construction because it is the essential
piece of wood that connects your deck to your home and
from which all other measurements are taken.
Choose the piece of lumber for your ledger carefully,
hold it up and look down the side of the wood to check
for irregularities like warping and twisting.
Choosing your Lumber
The ideal deck building ledger should be free of ingrown
knots and flaws, or at least only have very small knots.
The best flat board to pick out for the prestigious job
of becoming a ledger is a vertical grain board - this is
the wood which comes from the center of the tree and
will show the center circles.
Boards with an arc grain, known as a flat grain board,
are from the outer sides of the tree and are more prone
to warping or cupping over time.
If you are building a top quality deck made out of
only redwood or cedar then this doesn't apply to
you, but otherwise, please make sure that you are only
using pressure treated lumber.
Many people who opt for a more expensive option in
lumber still use regular pressure treated wood for the
deck building ledger and the joists because these are
parts of the support of a deck that will NOT be
visible.
If this is the case, do remember to use the Redwood or
Cedar for the Outer Joists and End Beam, because
although they form part of the under support frame they
are visible when looking back at your deck from the
garden.
Once you have selected and seperated the best lumber you
should have choice pieces for both your ledger and for
your beams.
Positioning your Ledger
The first step in building a sucessful deck is finding
the right height at which to secure your deck building
ledger.
It is really important that you allow for a couple of
inches step down onto your deck from your door, this is
to help prevent rain water from running off the deck and
into your home.
Remember also, in the final part of construction, your
surface decking boards will be secured on top of the
side surface of your ledger and joists, so:
- Leave a 1" -- 2" drop from your door
- Allow for the size of your decking boards - that
will be another 2"
- So, measure 3" -- 4" down from your indoor floor
level
- And mark the wall showing the highest point of the
ledger
A spirit level and a pencil are your next best friends,
you shouldn't try to place a deck building ledger
without them.
Measure and mark along the wall, the full horizontal
length of exactly where you are going to place
your ledger.
Fitting your Deck Building Ledger
If your house is covered in siding you have to cut out
the exact size of siding to insert the deck building ledger AND
include enough at the sides to also insert the outer joists.
Flashing should be inserted up under the siding and onto
the top of the ledger, the join should be closed with
sealant.
If your home doesn't have siding you don't need to use
flashing but you should still use sealant to close any gap
between the ledger and the wall.
Galvanised four inch lag screws will secure your ledger into the wall and give you a level and firm foundation to build
your deck design onto.
Admire Your Work
You can now stand back and admire the ledger attached to
your house -- if attached at the right level and
perfectly horizontal -- you have the beginnings of a
great deck design for your home and it all starts with
your deck building ledger. Arpad Nyikos has written numerous articles with
illustrations - dedicated to home improvement trends to
add value to your home or simply add quality to your
home life, plus improvement projects and different ways
that you can finance them. You can read more about deck
design here at home-improvement-and-financing.com A
great way to keep ahead with your home improvement
project is a FREE subscription to Home Improve E-zine
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