How to Safely Attach a Deck to a House | This Old House

This Old House general contractor Tom Silva shows how to save a wood deck from a catastrophic collapse.

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Tom helped a homeowner repair a deck that was in imminent danger of collapsing due to poor building practices. Underneath, Tom found that a couple of nails were the only things holding the deck's ledger board to the house. Using framing lumber and a sledgehammer, Tom pushed the deck back toward the house and back up to the proper height. With the deck in the proper position, Tom fastened the ledger board to the rim joist of the house with lag screws. For additional support, and to prevent the ledger board from splitting, Tom also used masonry bolts to fasten the ledger board to the stone foundation. He also found that the original deck builder used joist hangers that were too small for the 2x10 joists, so he installed larger-sized timber hangers (designed for engineered lumber) for additional support.

Tools for How to Safely Attach a Deck to a House:
- Sledgehammer
- Circular saw
- Drill/driver
- Impact wrench
- Hammer drill with 1/2-inch-diameter masonry bit

Shopping list for How to Safely Attach a Deck to a House:
- 2x4s and 2x6s_-inch x 10-inch galvanized lag screws with washers
- _-inch x 10-inch masonry wedge anchors
- Pressure-treated 2x4
- Engineered-lumber joist hangers

Joist hangers, masonry bolts and lag screws can be found at your local home center or lumberyard.

About This Old House TV:
This Old House is America's first and most trusted home improvement show. Each season, we renovate two different historic homes—one step at a time—featuring quality craftsmanship and the latest in modern technology. We demystify home improvement and provide ideas and information, so that whether you are doing it yourself or hiring out contractors, you'll know the right way to do things and the right questions to ask. Our experts Norm Abram, Tom Silva, Richard Trethewey, Roger Cook and host Kevin O'Connor give you the tools you need to protect and preserve your greatest investment—your home.

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How to Safely Attach a Deck to a House | This Old House
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