Instructions / Assembly

5
Building Decks
Now, let’s go build a deck!
1. Install the Ledger Board
In This Step: you will prepare a flat surface on your house
and will secure a ledger board to it; this will support the
interior and side joists of your deck.
Tools:
framing square, tape measure, level, chalk line,
circular saw, pry bar, caulking gun, hammer, drill with
5/16" bit, socket wrench.
Materials: ledger board, joist hangers with hanger nails,
caulk, flashing, framing nails. 1/2" x 4” lag bolts
Considerations: Length of ledger board = deck length
minus 3"
Length of flashing = deck length
Using a framing square, mark joist hanger
positions on the ledger board.
The ledger board must be attached to a flat
surface at a height 1
1
/2" below the interior
floor height. Snap a level chalk line 1
1
/2"
below the door threshold or, if there is no
door, 1
1
/2"" below the interior floor height.
(For aluminum/vinyl siding: cut
or pry away any siding below
the chalk line to expose the
rim joist of the house. Install
an L-shaped piece of metal
flashing under the siding
and over the ledger board).
Nail the ledger board temporarily in place, the
top flush with the chalk line. Since the ledger
board will be supporting much of the deck’s
weight, it is necessary to
attach it securely to the
house. Drill two holes at
each midpoint between
joist hanger marks, then
permanently secure the
ledger board to the rim joist
with lag bolts. Add flashing and caulk.
Now that the ledger board is in
place, you can install the joist
hangers, using a scrap piece
of joist to determine the
proper height of each joist
hanger.
2. Position Your Footings
In This Step: you will be using string and a tape measure to
make sure that your posts and footings are correctly
positioned. This will ensure that the deck itself will be square
with the house.
Tools: tape measure, hammer, plumb bob
Materials: nails, stakes/batter boards, string
Considerations: Cantilevering — setting in your footings
— hides your posts from view and gives your deck a
“floating” appearance.
From your deck design, you know how far
from the house you want your posts and beam
to be. Run a string line (A) on stakes parallel
to the house at that distance. Example: for a 10'
long deck with a 2' overhang, you would run
your line 8’ from the house.
You also know from your
design
whether
or not the
posts will
be set in
at the
sides. Run
a string
line (B) per-
pendicular from
the house at that
footing position. Example: for a 10' wide deck
with 1' overhang on each side, you would start
your line 4' out from the midpoint of the
ledger board.
Square the positions where A & B cross by
comparing diagonal lengths. Once the dotted
lines in the diagram are the
same length, your footings
will be square. Mark
your footings by
dropping a
plumb bob
where A & B
cross and
then pound
stakes in
those spots.
Joist
spacing
3/4
"
Joist
spacing
1
1/2
"
Line A
Line B
When diagonal
lengths are equal,
the footing
positions will
be square.
5