Adding a deck to a house with brick or masonry veneer siding is tricky, because that type of cladding is designed to only support itself. Most builders solve the problem by building freestanding decks, though several manufacturers offer standoff brackets designed to be installed before the cladding. Simpson Strong-Tie now has a hardware solution for retrofit applications. Called the BVLZ, it’s a metal bracket fabricated from 12-gauge steel with a ZMAX galvanized coating. The bracket design includes two tension screws that pass through the mortar into the structural framing, and a compression strut that transfers compression forces from the ledger plate to the rim joist. The system enables the ledger to hang freely without bearing on the brick veneer, though it requires three 1 1/8-inch-diameter holes – one that is horizontal and two holes that are oriented up at a 40-degree angle – through the cladding for the supplied structural screws (to see a video by Mike Guertin showing how the bracket works, click here).
Each BVLZ brick veneer ledger connector kit includes a steel ledger-connector plate, a compression strut, two 14-inch Strong-Drive SDWH Timber-Hex HDG tension screws, and six Strong-Drive SD Connector shear screws. Spacing guidelines for the brackets is TBD, but the estimated price for a 4-pack kit, which includes an installation template for drilling holes and 3/8-inch and 1/4-inch screw bit drivers, is $130 to $150, according to the manufacturer. The price for a 1-pack kit is about $35 to $40. www.strongtie.com
