Flashing on wood deck

[John Gromkoski]

Would you call out a missing flashing on a ledger board installed directly on to the vinyl siding? I think the answer is yes because water can penetrate behind the ledger through the penetrating lag bolts and potentially broken siding. Thoughts?

[Marcel R. Cyr]

You answered you own question and I agree in calling it out.

[John Gromkoski]

Originally Posted by mcyr

You answered you own question and I agree in calling it out.

I was pretty sure that made sense. Thanks

[Jeffrey R. Jonas]

Originally Posted by jgromkoski

Would you call out a missing flashing on a ledger board installed directly on to the vinyl siding? I think the answer is yes because water can penetrate behind the ledger through the penetrating lag bolts and potentially broken siding. Thoughts?

I would also call out the ledger board applied over the vinyl siding. They installed it that way out of pure laziness to do it the right way. They assumed the vinyl would eliminate the need for the flashing. Or, they were just plain stupid. Flip a coin.

[Joe Funderburk, CMI]

Originally Posted by jjonas

I would also call out the ledger board applied over the vinyl siding. They installed it that way out of pure laziness to do it the right way. They assumed the vinyl would eliminate the need for the flashing. Or, they were just plain stupid. Flip a coin.

Ditto. Installation over the siding is a defect.

[Marcel R. Cyr]

The proper way.

[William Warner]

Originally Posted by mcyr

The proper way.

Attachment 44350

That can't be proper... I only see it like that once or twice a year...

[Marcel R. Cyr]

That's the way I build them, but also has a WRB not shown.

[Joseph Hagarty, CMI]

Originally Posted by mcyr

You answered you own question and I agree in calling it out.

ditto...

[Ken Brittain]

I've heard that you can't use alum flashing with the new treated wood.

[Marcel R. Cyr]

You should not use Alluminum.
http://www.deckmagazine.com/article/188.html

[Preston L. Halstead]

Originally Posted by Ken Brittain

I've heard that you can't use alum flashing with the new treated wood.

You are corrrect but when was the deck built. Before the changed treated lumber it was fine. Copper can be used

[Brian A. MacNeish]

The best details I have seen yet for deck-to-wall flashing is in the FEMA series for coastal construction..... I would recommend it for anywhere.:

http://www.fema.gov/rebuild/mat/mat_fema499.shtm

Factsheet #5.2

[Marcel R. Cyr]

Brian, here is the way deck ledgers and flashing is installed;

First a full SAF is installed on the exterior wall sheathing.
Then the ledger board is installed using GRK's structural screws into the floor framing joist.
http://grkfasteners.com/en/RSS_1_2_information.htm





Then another strip of SAF is installed over the ledger.


Then the ledger flashing is installed over the top of the ledger, (this one is plastic, but copper is available).


Finally, the WRB is drapped down over the flashing and sealed with the products seal tape.



In some cases, the ledger board and band joist are intentionally kept separated by a stack of washers on the lag screw or bolts to allow water to run between the two boards. In other cases, there is insulation between the two boards. Even worse is when the siding or exterior finish system was not removed prior to the installation of the ledger board. Situations like this, where the ledger board and band joist are not in direct contact, significantly reduce the strength of the ledger connection to the structure and are not recommended by InterNACHI, unless the two members are sandwiching structural sheathing.




The image above depicts washers being used as spacers between the ledger board and band joist, which is incorrect.

Now, if you were a Member of Inachi, you would know that, wouldn't you?

[Brian A. MacNeish]

Originally Posted by mcyr

Finally, the WRB is drapped down over the flashing and sealed with the products seal tape.


Using sheathing tape in the above situation to seal the WRB to the drip edge flashing will probably not end up in a problem as you have the "belt & suspenders" working there with the Grace Vycor providing a 2nd seal under the flashing. I have seen it fail miserably when used to seal the WRB to the nailing flanges of vinyl and fiberglass windows. If you speak to the manufacturers about the WRB tape, they will tell you that it is only approved for use with their product.

Last summer I was in then city and drove by 20 year old upscale condos (~ $1 million/unit) at the edge of the waters here....it was being stripped on the outside- pine clapboard, TYVEK WRB, Tuck sheathing tape sealing the WRB to the vinyl windows- major water intrusion at windows and other trimwork leading to sheathing and minor framing rot.

The new stuff that was going back on was now using Flexwrap in the same manner to seal the new WRB to the vinyl window nail flanges.......I could already see failure beginning and the siding was not even installed! I took a few pictures for teaching purposes when the project manager came up and asked me what I was doing....I told him and .......mentioned that there was a very good detail from an article in JLC that was much superior to what was being done there.............of course, I was asked to leave the site!!

"In some cases, the ledger board and band joist are intentionally kept separated by a stack of washers on the lag screw or bolts to allow water to run between the two boards. In other cases, there is insulation between the two boards. Even worse is when the siding or exterior finish system was not removed prior to the installation of the ledger board. Situations like this, where the ledger board and band joist are not in direct contact, significantly reduce the strength of the ledger connection to the structure and are not recommended by InterNACHI, unless the two members are sandwiching structural sheathing."

Are horizontal boards considered structural sheathing?




The image above depicts washers being used as spacers between the ledger board and band joist, which is incorrect.

Now, if you were a Member of Inachi, you would know that, wouldn't you?

The FEMA method does not use washers as spacers but a wood spacer (preservative treated I would hope).

One item I would improve is the bottom Z-flashing #1- I would like to see a 1/4-1/2" gap between the horizontal section and the bottom of the ledger board for organic debris cleanout. This is a great detail for a deck installation where there is siding below the ledger board as in the above INACHI diagram. It is usually quite hard to get a good seal there, so get the drainage water out and away from the horizontal joint.