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> I just pretend to know it all.
I’m about to start construction on a deck on a house here in NJ and I have a bit of a problem(or maybe not.)
Normally I’d lag the ledger to the rim joist(after removing siding, etc.). Here’s where the problem is.
This house has NO rim joist. At floor joist level, the sheathing is nailed right to the joist ends. As long as I’m accurate with my lag-bolt placement, is it acceptable to lag the ledger through the sheathing to the joist ends, or should I drop the ledger to the block foundation and anchor it there(and then stand the deck joists on top)??
Any advice appreciated.
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Mike, I'd say your tracking much better with the second thought, than the first. I would add a couple of things:
Keep in mind finished deck height in relation to finish floor height, at the door to the deck. I just recently was advised to have 1 1/2" from finish deck to finish floor. This is to help prevent wind driven water from creeping off the deck, and into the flooring of the existing house.
stagger the joist off the existing house joist layout, in order to give backing to nail the pressure blocks in that you'll need at the top of the deck joist. You will use this block line to rest the flashing on that will tuck up behind your siding. If you used 2x6, you could get four good nails down the joist on each block. Maybe not extremely necessary, but they will also prevent the deck joist from rolling on the ledger.
Some guys might talk about positive connection from the deck to the house, and how your dropped ledger will make it difficult to attach the deck to the building in a secure manner, as if to prevent the deck from pulling away from the building. If this is a problem, you have failed in the framing of the post and girders, with their bracing. My gut tells me the ledger is to hold up the deck, not hold the deck to the building. Do that with the rest of the deck framing, properly designed for form and function.
Last, use 1/2" expansion bolts that penetrate the foundation for at least four inches, start the nut on the bolt leaving 1/4" of the bolt showing above the nut before you start pounding the bolt into the hole, drive the bolt so the washer is just good and snug, then tighten the nuts with a wrench until you see the washers begin to sink further into the ledger. Most yahoos just drive the bolt home, without taking advantage of the expansion/jamming characteristic of the bolt design.
Now if I keep going I'll be giving the impression that I do know it all, so I'll stop before I say something stupid.
*if the house is more than 7 years old the soil around the house has probably settled to bearing capacity...you can set posts on bearing blocks aginst the foundation to support the ledger...or fasten the ledger to the blocks as above...
*OR, you can build an free standing deck. I rarely fasten a deck to a house if it at the rim joist level. The deck is flush with the house but not fastened to it. This type construction is common in areas with unstable soils and certainly is useable in other areas.About a year ago there was a long thread on the pluses and minuses of free standing vs attached decks. It all came down to personal preference. Check the archives if you want to see the discussion.
*The free standing approach lends itself to interesting solutions for getting the moment frame into the structural, yes? Seems like it would be a good place for signature work. The posts Mike mentioned could be anything but vertical and wood, if desired.Limits the amount of siding repair, yet the deck could still travel with the course of the building.Must find someone with a ( !!!!!!!! ) budget.
*The free standing approach lends itself to interesting solutions for getting the moment frame into the structural, yes? Seems like it would be a good place for signature work. The posts mike mentioned could be anything but vertical and wood, if desired.Limits the amount of siding repair, yet the deck could still travel with the course of the building.Must find someone with a ( !!!!!!!! ) budget.
*Nathan:Sorry buddy, but I gotta ask….What language is that your typing?Only thing I can figure is that you've smoked all the good stuff without sharing…
*me crew worry about me sometimes too.
*Thanks guys!!It would be easier to lag it to the joist ends, but I had my doubts about the structural integrity of the connection. I kinda had a feeling I was gonna end up bolting it to the block(the back side is in my basement so I will probably use bolts).I like the idea of connecting the deck to the house for eliminating some more damn post-holes, and maintaining deck-to-house location(gap, height, etc.)Oh yeah, and all that moment-frame stuff too.Any more suggestions???
*yeh.. if you're bolting to block... thru-bolt it.. it'll be easier in the long run than using expansion bolts....
*Two things to consider: 1) You cant lag into the end grain of a joist and expect any kind of performance.2) Any time I encounter substandard buliding practices (such as in your case the leaving out of rimjoist) I feel obligated to inform the client and correct the problem before continuing. Once the new rimjoist is in place, your options are not as limited.