Holes and notches in ledgers.

[Mr. Inspector]

Just failed an inspection because the bolts were closer than 2" to the top of the ledger for a deck. I was asked can they just take out the ones that are too close to the edge and move them or put in new ones. I am not sure what to say.

There are no rules about holes and notches in ledgers like there are for joists. Just rules on where the bolts should be. Do anyone have an answer to this.

 

[steveray]

Just failed an inspection because the bolts were closer than 2" to the top of the ledger for a deck. I was asked can they just take out the ones that are too close to the edge and move them or put in new ones. I am not sure what to say.

There are no rules about holes and notches in ledgers like there are for joists. Just rules on where the bolts should be. Do anyone have an answer to this.

If there is not weight hanging on that spot tearing the top of the ledger off (as the hangers hang below the bolt point), it is less of a concern.....I would have to see it to make a judgement call...

 

[Sifu]

If there is not weight hanging on that spot tearing the top of the ledger off (as the hangers hang below the bolt point), it is less of a concern.....I would have to see it to make a judgement call...

Same thought.

 

[Yankee Chronicler]

Just failed an inspection because the bolts were closer than 2" to the top of the ledger for a deck. I was asked can they just take out the ones that are too close to the edge and move them or put in new ones. I am not sure what to say.

There are no rules about holes and notches in ledgers like there are for joists. Just rules on where the bolts should be. Do anyone have an answer to this.

Do you have any structural engineers you can call up to ask for informal advice?

My concern is that the requirement for spacing the bolts down from the top is to reduce the likelihood of the load causing a fracture plane along to line of the bolts. This is also why we now want the ledger bolts to be staggered, rather than all along a single horizontal like. There are a couple of considerations to just removing the bolts and lowering them. First, should the new locations be directly beneath the current locations, or should they be offset horizontally by some distance? If so, how far?

This relates to the concern that the holes, even without bolts carrying any load, interrupt the grain of the wood and affect the load-carrying ability/capacity of the ledger. By how much? I don't know. I don't know if it's possible to quantify that without performing destructive testing on sample pieces of the same size and species.

Another concern is: what do the bolts go into or through? How much is THAT member going to be weakened by putting more holes in it?

My knee-jerk reaction would be to offer the building an option:

1. Just replace the ledger, or
2. Hire a structural engineer to provide a report on whether or not relocating the holes would be adequate.

Also a knee-jerk reaction, I might be inclined to ask for additional bolts as an alternate to replacing the ledger entirely.

 

[Mr. Inspector]

Seems to me it is best to keep the bolts that are too close to the edge and add new bolts lower and between them. The deck is finished. I have no access to an engineer and I sure that I would be asking for trouble requiring the owner to get one or making them take the deck apart.

 

[tbz]

I have come across this more than a few times getting calls after the member failed an inspection on the bolt hole locations, I have always asked if it is being bolted to wood, if it is then see if the inspector would allow LedgerLOK's to be installed offset in the correct locations for spacing, and leave everything else alone.

For masonry, Hilti adhesive threaded rods work the same.

I have yet to hear from anyone that it was not allowed.

FastenMaster LedgerLOK Structural Ledger Board Screws - 3-5/8 inch wood screws with hex head - Gray (50 Pack) FMLL358-50 - The Home Depot

Give an essential addition to complete your fastening job rapidly with FastenMaster LedgerLok External Hex Drive, Hex Head Ledger Board Wood Screw Fasteners.

www.homedepot.com

 

[rogerpa]

Add the correct bolts to carry the load. Leave the wrong bolts in place too prevent rodent access. The too high holes are no different than knots.

 

[redeyedfly]

This relates to the concern that the holes, even without bolts carrying any load, interrupt the grain of the wood and affect the load-carrying ability/capacity of the ledger. By how much? I don't know. I don't know if it's possible to quantify that without performing destructive testing on sample pieces of the same size and species.

Another concern is: what do the bolts go into or through? How much is THAT member going to be weakened by putting more holes in it?

The answer to both questions is "negligible"

Add more bolts in between the other bolts at the correct edge distance.