I have another challenge: I have to put a ledger on the outside of my house to support the inner end of a 2 ft long roof over a bumpout for a long window. The exterior wall of the house at this point is 2X6’s w/ 5/8 sheathing. The frame structure supports no load; the roof load for the house is supported by a very hefty wide flange beam – the wall is only a curtain.
Question: How to attach the ledger? Nails don’t excite me – I don’t like load being handled by nails. Lag bolts into 2X6’s don’t excite me, either. What to do?
Don
The Glass Masterworks
“If it scratches, I etch it!”
Replies
Nails don't excite me - I don't like load being handled by nails.
Then whats holde the rest of the house together?
Dave: Nails hold things together so that the structure can distribute the load by direct bearing. Nails are really good in shear, but not at all in tension. A ledger has a fair amount of shear on its fasteners, but they can fail in tension by pulling out of the wood after several years of drying out. Especially the poor quality of wood we get today as compared to even 30 yrs ago. Lags don't excite me because they are so large in diameter compared to the thickness of the 2X6.If there's no better, practical way, I'll go w/ lags, since I have nothing to through bolt to.DonDon Reinhard
The Glass Masterworks
"If it scratches, I etch it!"
I ditto Piffin. The GRK lags come in 1/4", 5/16", and 3/8". But the difference is that they are reduced-shank screws, the shank being the diameter of the root for the full length.Just as we rarely, if ever, use old-fashioned wood screws, with the fat shanks, anymore, forget about old-fashioned lag screws, and graduate to GRK.AitchKay
Don, that was a little tongue in cheek.
I do the same over thinking on some of my work and have had a few of those "what ya gonna park up ,.. a truck" comments made on occasions.
GRK structural screws and an impact driver will do, as piffen points out.
Sorry I didn't get the Lingual-Buccal connection. Around here, it's "...whatya gonna do? train elephants on it?"I like the GRK/Ledgerlok idea. Turns out there's a LedgerLok dealer in my county - but as far away from me as you can get & still be in the same county. In Nawth Jawja (Honeychile) that can be a loooooong drive timewise.DonDon Reinhard
The Glass Masterworks
"If it scratches, I etch it!"
If I'm reading this correctly that is a very light area of roofing in concern.
If a fella can hang from a gutter held up by lowly gutter spikes, why be overbuilding for a light bumpout by desiring more than nails or lags?
94969.1 The Breaktime Index
perfect case for GRK structural screws
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PIF: Pls make me smart - tell me about GRK structural screws. I know that you don't use them to hang wallboard. <G>DonDon Reinhard
The Glass Masterworks
"If it scratches, I etch it!"
Because they use stronger steel than your typical lag screw and the threads are cutting type with a self drilling tip, you get a strong shank with less diameter and more holding power than a much larger lag that would weaken the stud you are driving at.Like Ronco Ron says - WAIT THERE'S MORE!and with the TOrx head, you can drive it in with your impact driver.and MORE YET!The washer is built in!http://www.grkfasteners.com/en/RSS_1_2_information.htm
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Just what I was thinking. And if you have trouble finding GRK fasteners, check out "Ledgerloks" from Fasten Master too. Basically the same idea with a 5/16" hex drive.
I've used the GRK's and like them. Around here the legerloks are more readily abailable and perfect for you stituation.
http://www.fastenmaster.com/products.aspx?catID=8