How to Install a Deck Ledger Board and Attach Flashing | Trex Academy

A ledger board is a critical structural element of a deck that attaches your outdoor oasis to your home. Water and the elements can damage your ledger board, compromising both your deck and your home. Learn more about proper deck ledger installation and attaching flashing with Trex® Academy's step-by-step video instructions.

Key moments in this video:
00:00 Intro
0:45 Back Flashing
1:38 Ledger Board Location
3:22 Ledger Board Length
4:51 Breaker Board Layout
8:09 Guardrail Post Layout
11:30 Joist Layout
14:19 Ledger Fastener Layout
21:35 Flashing Ledger Layout
24:19 Ledger Board Attachment

[albelanger]

Wow. This is by far the best deck building video series. Extremely well done. Thank you, thank you, thank you❤

[spelunkerd]

As much as I complain about the Google algorithm, it suggested this outstanding video. Thank you!

[robertcochran]

Thank you so much for this excellent video. I learned a lot from it. I'm especially impressed by the use of flashing and butyl membrane to seal both the house and the flashing from moisture. It is so sensible.

[bartbug]

Nice touch covering those Flashing joints, an important part that many skip.

[kevinzep]

I'm glad to hear you continually refer to the local building officials! Thank you!

[dufreebell]

Great video with ton of information. Attaching a ledger board on a siding looks like a simple job, but you made it so clear that it’s not as simple as it appears. Thanks for sharing!

[neeho]

but how did you know your ledger lock screws were biting into anything? this video was very informative and i'm going to be using this information without a doubt! The only thing i need to know now is how to tell where i can screw into the house (my ledger is for a patio roof and needs to be somewhere in the middle of the house) the only meat i can tell to screw into will be the 2x6 outside wall construction of the house...? how can i tell where to screw my ledger in?

[peterbedford]

The last 4 minutes were actually about ledger flashing.

[kevinzep]

Great job. As a designer though. I have not used a bottom flashing as you do. Will water get trapped under the ledger?

[patty]

Saw some other vids in the series. Very high presentation quality and instruction 👍 dang you guys put a lot of posts in, though 😉

[cameronloeb]

for the bottom flashing, shouldn't you leave a pencil width gap below the ledger board? so that there isn't water resting in contact with the bottom of it

[krisallen]

I was under the impression that you need a barrier between the steel flashing and your pressure treated ledger. Did I miss you mention tar paper or some type of barrier to prevent corrosion ?

[stuckster]

For the ledger board instead of the steel flashing directing the water over the board, could you simply install plastic spacers between the house and the board allowing the water to run freely down behind the ledger?

[cameronloeb]

what type of fasteners do you use to fasten the flashing to the house?

[ksiverd]

Very helpful, however, at 7:33 when you're showing a small gap to catch the boards as they reach the breaker board... how do you properly attach joists to the ledger so close together? Is there a special bracket?

[markvandam]

If repairing rotten lower run of siding touching deck due to improperly installed flashing, should the new flashing be installed over the existing housewrap as in this video, or should an incision be made in housewrap, so flashing can be installed under housewrap? Then incision taped over?

[christopherleblanc]

Can the butyl membrane go over tyvek house wrap?

[redneek]

You put up the beams before the ledger board?

[k_mitch]

I must be missing something. It looks like the 3 inch difference on the ledger board was taken all from one end with the ledger and rim flush on the other end. Since it's 1 1/2 inches from each end, doesn't that make the markings on the ledger board off by 1 1/2 inches?

[scotta]

Was there a reason you didn't raise the entire deck so there isn't a step-down of 6 inches? Our has has no rim board, 1989 so I guess I need to screw into the wall studs to secure the Ledger.