I know this is probably a pretty basic issue but I need a little advice. I am going to build a deck onto a manufactured home that has a built-out sliding door. The door area is built out about 2 1/2′ , angled at 45 degrees on each side. I know the standard ledger attachment is to cut out the siding where the ledger goes, install the ledger and proper flashing on top, and caulk the ends of the ledger.(At least I think this is right.) But because of the vinyl siding I want to make sure I do it right. With the built out feature there is the inside and outside corner pieces that the siding fits into, one of each on each side of the door. Do I simply cut out the siding and corner pieces all the way across(deck is 18′ wide), install the ledger as you would do on any house, and caulk the ends. Or is the vinyl going to be too flimsy along the cut edge and how would you secure it? Will caulk hold up with the expansion and contraction of the vinyl? We live in a cold-winter climate.
I would appreciate any advice you can give me . Also the bottom of the ledger will be close to the bottom of the siding. This has me wondering how the piece of siding that’s left under the ledger will be secured?
Duey
Replies
Have you considered making your deck 'freestanding' , meaning not attached to the house in the conventional manner? It would involve digging footings and setting posts to carry the 'rim' you'd normally attach to the house. If you notch the posts to allow your 2 x a shoulder of support and use through bolts to attach the two then brace the posts to the rim with diagonal members, it will be plenty solid and won't move. Just be sure to lay out your rim and band so you don't place the posts where your joists need to be located. Use the standoff plates where you drill a hole in the concrete and use a redhead to attach the plate to the concrete. Leave between an inch to two inches of clearance between the band board and the house to allow an air gap then when you deck it out, run the flooring close to the siding without touching.
Considering your situation, this might be a better approach and alleviate the need to cut into the siding and flash the whole thing. It could also save you in the future when the deck needs to be replaced because you won't have any water damage caused by a faulty connection, flashing, or some other detail where time and the elements will cause deterioration.
I suggested a freestanding deck to the HO when I first looked at it but he seems set on attaching it to the house. It is approximately 42" above the ground and he thinks that a freestanding deck will be less sturdy. I will be talking to him today and I will again mention it.
If it is properly braced, 42" shouldn't be too high for freestanding, should it? I will be using Trex decking and railing which is 2-3 times the weight of wood. Would this be a factor in determining which way to go? Thanks for any additional advice!
Another possible approach is a stand-off ledger that is just used to stabilize the deck (doesn't bear any weight). With this approach you'd space the ledger away from the siding a half-inch or so, attaching it with lags and spacers made from something like iron pipe. You'd have to drill holes through the siding to pass the spacers, but these would be small enough to caulk fairly effectively. After the ledger is in place you do the rest of the construction as if it were a free-standing deck.
You're well within safe limits to set a freestanding deck as you describe. Dirishinme gives some good advice too. I'd only add that you'd be able to save some time doing it this way and as was also said, the attachment might be tenuous at best with a modular. If you don't have to perforate the wall, you can't be held liable for any damages beneath the vinyl. If you go the route of attaching to the house, definitely strip the vinyl to know what's behind it. I like to lay in a layer of iceshield behind the rim and about 6" or so over the top leg of the flashing as well. When at all possible, through bolt the rim to the house. Lags are a second choice but don't instill the confidence that through bolting does. Either way you go can be fine but the situation is one where I'd recommend freestanding if at all possible. Have fun...
PS- You doing 5/4 Trex or the full thickness material. If 5/4 you'll want to frame at 12" oc instead of 16"oc. And if you're doing an aluminum rail system, Trex is a pia to set your posts flat on...
Normally you should use "J channel" to secure the edges of the vinyl. Nail it in place with roofing nails, then "pop" the vinyl into the channel, or, in a pinch, just glue the channel in place with some silicone caulk (taking care to not glue it to the siding). Cut the siding so it will end up a little more than halfway into the channel -- more if it's a warm day, less if a cool one.
On the bottom, if you have less than about 6" between the bottom of the ledger and the top of the foundation, I'd just place a piece of wide flashing behind the ledger, so it ends even with the bottom of the adjacent siding.
I'm with Homewright. Unless you're decking off a second story, why attach a ledger? Sometimes a builder will rough in for a ledger during construction. But if your deck is close to grade I'd go with free standing.
Carl
It's not clear what you mean when you say "built out sliding door". If you are saying that the house's floor system is cantilevered out, than you cannot attach to this. If there is foundation under the built out part than you may be able to attach. Another question is are the house's floor system joists running perpendicular or parallel to what would be the ledger of the new deck?
You said manufactured house - if it is not a 2x10 floor system on the house, the possibility of attaching is reduced.
If it is a I-joist floor system, you need to take a close look at the floor system at the proposed attachment area to see exactly what you are dealing with and specifically if a (typically) 1 1/4" rim board is installed there. If there is only a I joist there this would need to be reinforced, since you cannot attach solely to the OSB web of the I-joist.
If it is a trussed floor system, you need an engineer to design and/or approve the connection, or at the very least, some kind of buyoff from the truss manufacturer stating the approved method for attachment to the trusses.
In general, the correct way to attach a deck to a vinyl sided house is to remove the siding, (maybe the bottom 18" - 2') flash the heck out of the side of the house, attach the new ledger, add 'L' flashing to the top of the ledger, and then reinstall the siding, detailing it around the ledger.
Really though, it sounds like, as said above, this is the right place for a free standing deck. 42" is not too high - really there is no limit (within reason), but the deck should be diagonally braced in both directions to prevent lateral racking of the post and beams that form the floor system supports.
Good Luck