Make More Money Building Decks: Framing (Part 1) Phase One Framing: Production deck-building secrets for custom projects (First of four parts)

By Mark Clement The first backyard decks, front porches and attached pergolas I laid out involved the standard affair of strings pulled from the foundation, tied to stakes and criss-crossed so I could arrange and locate post holes before setting them and framing the deck structure on top. That process was slow and difficult, so now I do it in reverse: Building the deck frame first—in the air—and supporting it on temporary posts. Next, I fill in with a cantilever beam, posts and joists. (That installation is detailed in Part 2 of this series.) If this technique sounds backwards, well, it is. However, I make more money doing building from the top down, because I save as much as a day of work. Plus I have much more dependable control points for framing. That makes the entire process easier right through to the last handrail. Ledger, Flashing and Band Joists In top-down framing, all reference points for locating structural deck parts, such as posts and joist length, start with the ledger and band joists. Build three sides of the deck perimeter (the ledger and the left and right band joists) in the air. Temporarily support them on 2 by 4s (strongbacked if the deck is higher than six feet). If the project is huge or multi-leveled, you can use the same method. Just frame in smaller, more manageable sections. And you must remove the siding on the building and flash the penetration properly to prevent leaks. Photo 1 Photo 2 Ledger 1 It all starts with the ledger. Set it to the right height, cut it the right length, then lay it out for joists. Here's how: 1. Determine the ledger's exact location on the building (photo 1). I want my finished deck height flush with any doors to make egress to and from the house easy. So I use the lowest point of the lowest door as my control point for layout. Then I subtract the thickness of the decking, plus 1/8 inch. (In the case of the decking on this project, that's 1-3/8 inch.) 2. Next, I lay out a level line indicating the top of the ledger. For short runs, a level works; for longer runs, a laser level rules the roost (photo 2). 3. Cut the ledger to the overall width of the deck. Photo 3 Photo 4 Flashing Remove the siding just above the ledger layout line. Note: For the aluminum siding here, I used RotoZips's new metal cutting bit; it blew away anything I could do with snips (photo 3). Flashing details may vary by local codes, but the key here is to not skip this part. Many deck failures trace straight back to improperly detailed ledgers that fail (and leak, rotting the sill plate/band joist). 1. I use a belt-and-suspenders approach to flashing ledgers. After the sheathing is exposed, I tuck Grace Ice and Water Shield up under the siding, then adhere it so there is an impermeable barrier behind the ledger—and the Ice and Water Shield seals around penetrations like lag screws and nails (photo 4). 2. Next, I use Phenoseal caulk to seal under any gaps under doors that integrate with the flashing (photo 4a). 3. Finally, I install copper flashing (photo 5). That also gets tucked under the siding and eventually folded over the ledger. Do not use aluminum. Aluminum has a bad reaction with the copper in the new treated formula, creating the recipe for a leak. Photo 4a Photo 5 Ledger 2 Now back to the ledger board. 1. Lay it out for joists and bolts. Make sure no joist—or joist hanger flange—interferes with a bolt location (photo 6). The decking used here calls for 16-inch centers. 2. Cut 1-1/2 inches off each side of the ledger board. Do not cut 3 inches off one end! These post-layout cuts enable you to face-nail the left and right band joist to the ledger while maintaining the same control points for layout you'll need later (photo 7). 3. Install the ledger on the line. I use 1/2 inch by 6 inch double hot dipped galvanized lag screws, but there are new ledger screws available from Timberlock and GRK that I'll use on my next decks. A ratchet or wrench works for installing bolts, but a cordless impact driver works great (photo 8). Photo 6 Photo 7 Photo 8 Band Joists Determine and cut the band joists to their finished length. Shoot one face nail through the top of each band joist into the ledger. Eyeball it square to the building, then have someone at the far end of the board level it (photo 9). Once in position, tack each band in place on a temporary 2-by post (photo 10). I set the temporary post 24 inches back from the end of the joist and plumb to the ground. Repeat for both sides. Last, square the band joists and ledger. (Pulling a 3-4-5 or 6-8-10 triangle works.) Once in place, tack a diagonal from the ledger to the band to hold it. Photo 9 Photo 10 RELATED ARTICLES: Make More Money Building Decks: Framing (Part 2) Make More Money Building Decks: Railing (Part 3) Make More Money Building Decks: Decking (Part 4) A Hard-Working Deck Builder’s Rig