How to Anchor a Footboard to Masonry

The footboard of a wood deck or porch, also known as a ledger board, sits under the door and against the house to support the deck joists. The deck joists, in turn, support the deck’s floorboards. Brick walls do not have enough strength to support the weight of a deck. You can create a structurally sound and stable deck by anchoring the footboard to an adjacent structural element of the building. Options include the band joist, which sits on the other side of the wall to support the corresponding, interior floorboards, or the house foundation’s wall, which sits below the brick wall and is typically made of concrete.

Drill
Chalk
Hammer drill with carbide bit
Carriage bolts
Slip lock washers
Hex nuts
Silicone caulk

Instructions

- 1
  Outline the locations where the ends of the joists will sit along the 2-by-8 inch footboard. Common joist spacing is 16 to 24 inches.
- 2
  Equip a drill with a bit that corresponds to the diameter of the footboard’s carriage bolts. Drill pilot holes into the footboard every 16 inches to anchor it to the wall with the carriage bolts. Make the holes in a zig-zag pattern so that half the holes sit along the top of the board and half sit along the bottom. Do not place any holes where joists will sit.
- 3
  Outline the placement of the footboard on the exterior wall with chalk. Place a level on top to ensure evenness. Also mark the location of the board’s pilot holes on the wall.
- 4
  Equip a hammer drill with a carbide bit that corresponds to the diameter of the carriage bolts. Drill pilot holes at the marked locations.
- 5
  Set the footboard in place. Insert the carriage bolts. Secure the carriage bolts with slip lock washers and hex nuts. Apply a line of silicone caulk along the seam where the top of the footboard meets the wall. Run a finger down the caulk line to smooth it into the seam.

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