Your first step to installing a ledger board will be to check the house wall where the ledger board will be located for any obstructions like vents, water spigots, and electrical lines.  If any of these obstructions exist you may need to relocate them, or find a way to break the ledger board around them. 

The ledger board will be attached to the house and is responsible for supporting one end of the deck’s joists.  It should be the first component to be installed so that it can act as a reference for all the others.  The ledger board should be the same size and type of wood used for the rest of your deck frame which must be some kind of rot resistant wood usually pressure treated.  Select the straightest and most high quality boards for your ledger board.  Use long boards to avoid having any seems along the length of the ledger board to prevent water infiltration. 

Position the top of the ledger board below the door threshold by at least the thickness of the decking you will be using.  In regions with a lot of snow, you may want to leave room for a full step down in order to keep the door operational in the winter.  You should end the ledger board on both ends of the deck by 1-1/2” to allow for the thickness of the rim joists.  These end joists will not be installed with hangers to the ledger board face like the rest of the joists.  They will extend past the corner of the ledger board and run back to the house.  This allows the end joists to be nailed into the end of the ledger board and cover the end grain. 

Once you have determined this location use a 4’ level and a construction pencil to draw the top edge of the ledger board across the siding. You then can draw in the ends to the proper height as preparation for cutting the siding. 

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