Add Porch - Attaching Ridge / Ledger Board

[thoover]

I'm planning to add a 12x36 porch to the back of my house. Specs provided by the city indicated that the ridge has to be connected to the framing of the house. My house has brick veneer. I'm assuming that I'll need to drill through the brick veneer and use lag screws to attach to the framing. Any recommendation on size and spacing? I'm thinking either 3/8 or 1/2" lag screws, about 9" or 10" in length, installed at 16" intervals (through the brick into the wall studs). Thoughts? Our city has adopted the 2006 Int'l Residential Code.

Thanks so much for any insight.

Terry

[rwanders]

I m pretty sure the code will not allow you to fasten through the brick veneer-----they are not meant to provide any structural support----If you draw out what you plan you will see that all the porch loads will be perched out on the end of the lag screws. If they fail, it may well be very sudden and could result in some serious injury to anyone on the porch. You need to consult with a structural engineer for design detail for the ledger attachment,

[thoover]

Thank you for the response. Since my house is two story brick veneer, removing the brick is not really an option. Would putting a supported beam in place (as opposed to a ridge board), be an option? Of course, I would still need to tie into the house framing with lag screws, but there would be no downward pressure on the brick veneer.

Thanks again for the help.

Terry

[Richard A Hetzel]

Will your new ridge be [B]supported[B] by the existing house, or is the tie to the house strictly to prevent movement? If that's the case, you can make a small opening in the brick veneer to make the connection...the bricks above will arch over the opening. You just don't want the opening to extend above your new roof. The opening can be just big enough for the ridge to pass through it, and you can, if you have access to the other side of your existing wall, nail a ledger board btweeen two studs, set the ridge on it, and toenail the ridge to it.

[thoover]

Richard,

My porch will actually be a straight roof that slopes away from the house (4/12 pitch). The porch cover will be approximately 12' deep by 36' wide, along the back of the house. Therefore, I will need to attach the entire length of the ridge board (should I refer to this as a ledger board?) to the house. The ridge/ledger board will be 2" x 8" x 36'. I was planning on attaching to the house (through the brick veneer and into the stud framing) with 1/2" lag screws every 16" (basically a screw into every stud).

[Richard A Hetzel]

Anchoring through the brick veneer is not a good idea. It will put compression loads on the brick, and bending loads on the screws. Maybe the brick can take the compression loads, or maybe not, because it would be so concentrated, but the lag screws most likely will not be able to resist the bending loads.

I don't have a solution to the problem. I'm thinking of something like steel brackets anchored to the framing with a few bricks removed, and fastening your ledger board (it isn't a ridge) to those. I don't have the time to design such a thing, but your architect certainly should, There are also some flashing and waterproofing details that need attention. It sounds like some good professional advice is called for.

[Don_P]

The ledger could be a post and beam affair with the posts and ledger tied through the veneer to the framing with no downward pressure. The posts will need to land on something adequate.

[thoover]

Thanks Richard and Don. I'm going to try to get with the inspector and ask what his/her expecations would be.