Trust me, I’m not looking for problems with the DCA 6 Prescriptive Residential Wood Deck Construction Guide.
But at the same time, I’ve never quite understood this flashing detail, where the ledger flashing extends out past the first deck board along the house and under the second one.
Well, when I recently visited a deck I built at the end of last year, I found a small garden growing between those two boards.
It appears the flashing trapped enough dirt—and there were diseased trees in this yard shedding all kinds of small, organic debris—and water that seeds took and started growing.
I took what I call my “use it every day tool” (because, well), and I gouged out the plant matter. At the same time, I tried to crease the flashing down so water can escape.
I don’t see the purpose the flashing’s extension under the second board serves other than to trap water. I’ll be trying to hold that back on my next deck frame.
