Deck Ledgers Over Brick, Foam, and More
Simpson Strong-Tie BVLZ brick-veneer ledger-connector system
Deck ledgers can’t be mounted to brick- or stone-veneer cladding because masonry veneer is only designed to support its own weight. The conventional workaround is to build a self-supporting deck, but Simpson Strong-Tie’s new BVLZ brick-veneer ledger-connector system offers a new alternative.
The BVLZ ($35 to $40 per kit) is a heavy-gauge steel plate suspended by two 14-in. structural screws driven diagonally upward into the house’s rim joist and spaced off the cladding by an adjustable standoff that extends through the cladding to bear on the sheathing.
Unlike bracket-type systems for mounting a deck ledger to a veneer-clad house, which are designed to be installed before the brick or stone, the BVLZ system can be installed over existing cladding by drilling three holes through the veneer at each bracket location. The BVLZ system will also work on homes clad with adhered-stone/brick systems, EIFS, and walls covered with exterior insulation beneath the cladding.
—Mike Guertin, editorial advisor
From Fine Homebuilding #285
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