ledger for porch

[diyfrank]

I'm looking at adding a porch after I get my cabin sighed off this spring. I was thinking a shed roof off the gable end, full length 16' and maybe 6' deep??

I will be placing a 2x6 between the bottom of the hardie siding and above the skirting around the perimeter. Should this be fine to use as a ledger to  secure the joist to?

As far as the roof go's, should you cut the siding from the area before securing the upper ledger or place  over/on top ?

[PEG688]

I'm looking at adding a porch after I get my cabin sighed off this spring. I was thinking a shed roof off the gable end, full length 16' and maybe 6' deep??

 
I will be placing a 2x6 between the bottom of the hardie siding and above the skirting around the perimeter.

Is there going to be a door coming out of the cabin that you'll be stepping down from floor height to this new deck top? Maybe a create a landing and steps if needed?  



Should this be fine to use as a ledger to  secure the joist to?

 What are you bolting this ledger to? e

As far as the roof go's, should you cut the siding from the area before securing the upper ledger or place  over/on top ?

 At the upper ledger it would be better to cut away the siding so the ledger would be flat , not beveled, I assume you have some type of lap siding, (Hardi sells all sorts of siding so I assume bevel?)  NOT a T1-11 type siding?

 Although you'll still need a roof to wall counter flashing , so IF you have bevel siding you could arrange your ledger height so that the counter flash could just tuck under the "next course " of siding above your ledger, leaving the siding in place. Long bolts thru the whole works into the gable wall studs are a must.

One nice thing about Hardi bevel is , IF it's top nailed with roofing nails, you can peel it back pretty easy and generally re-use the pieces, DAMHIKT.  



 





   

[John_M]

I will let the experts here give advice on the construction aspect of your question, but might I suggest going a little deeper with your porch?  I went with an 8 foot porch and really, really wish I would have gone 10 feet.  It wouldn't cost much more to extend yours to a least 8 feet.  I think you'll appreciate the extra room.  Just my 2 cents!

[diyfrank]

Peg, I'm using 6 1/4" smooth hardie.

There is a door with about a 4' drop to the ground. Maybe 1 step to the porch and the rest going from the porch to the ground.

The porch floor joist ledger will be attached to the end joist which is triple 2x12's

The roof ledger will be attached to 2x6 studs  24" oc.

When you say, "Long bolts thru the whole works into the gale wall studs are a must" are you talking long lag or  through bolt?

Moving it up or down for best fit won't be a problem. I have 18" to play with.

[diyfrank]

I will let the experts here give advice on the construction aspect of your question, but might I suggest going a little deeper with your porch?  I went with an 8 foot porch and really, really wish I would have gone 10 feet.  It wouldn't cost much more to extend yours to a least 8 feet.  I think you'll appreciate the extra room.  Just my 2 cents!

I can go deeper.  I'm trying to make it fit the cabin. 16' x 20'
The porch on the 16' side and with a shed roof.
What size porch would be best without it looking out of proportion?  What pitch? The cabin roof will be 12/12.  I've seen them with slight  pitch and with steep and both look good on some and not others.  Opinions???

[PEG688]

Peg, I'm using 6 1/4" smooth hardie.

There is a door with about a 4' drop to the ground. Maybe 1 step to the porch and the rest going from the porch to the ground.

The porch floor joist ledger will be attached to the end joist which is triple 2x12's

  This isn't covered by your siding? Well even if it is it sounds like a good attachment point from what I can tell by your description. 

The roof ledger will be attached to 2x6 studs  24" oc.

When you say, "Long bolts thru the whole works into the gale wall studs are a must" are you talking long lag or  through bolt?

  That should have read Gable , not gale, sorry about that missed used word.  Just lags will be fine , thru bolts are not necessary, they make a bolt ,"Ledger Locks" maybe is the brand name, or 1/2" Gal. lags , pre-drill two per stud , properly spaced say 1" in from each edge of the ledger , which should be a 2x8 as the angled cut of your rafters will make for a wider than 2x6 landing area for the rafters. Those should be attached with angled Simpson hangers, made just for this purpose.   


Moving it up or down for best fit won't be a problem. I have 18" to play with.

[rwanders]

I have double-decked 10x24 covered porches on a 24x24 with 12/12 roof over them-----really glad I extended plan from original 8' deep. Amazing how the extra 2' changed the feel and look. Six feet is definitely too narrow.