Deck Ledgers

A ledger is used to attach a deck to a house. A ledger is essentially a large, long and strong piece of wood. The ledger supports one end of the deck that uses the house's framing structure to fasten to and hold up the deck.

A deck ledger can be installed on a house that has an exterior of siding, brick, stucco and even wood. The location of the ledger is important because you must account for deck flooring to be mounted overtop and still be level when you walk out the door. A ledger can be constructed and mounted a few different ways, so it is imperative that you follow code and requirements according to your deck.

A deck ledger must be secured properly and safely to the house's framing or foundation. It is crucial that it be fastened to the house's foundation with the proper equipment and accessories or it will not have the support it needs.

For those with siding, mounting a ledger requires you remove siding where the ledger will go. Metal flashing is often also installed as well. Flashing is a specially designed piece of metal that is installed between the house and the ledger. Metal flashing stops water from getting into the house or into the framing.

Only decks attached to a house use a ledger. Some can be built close to your house which looks like an attached deck but is held up by posts on all sides. Some prefer having the deck on posts and not attaching it to the house to avoid potential complications such as the potential for water seeping in or the hassle of removing and then replacing siding or other materials.