Ledger strip nailing. OK or not.

2"x2" nominal ledger strips were used and approved over 45 years ago that I can remember and still are today.
Here are a few details, compliments of Southern Forest Products.

floor joist on ledger.gif

Some of the higher end builders rip LVL into 1.75 square strips and use those for ledgers to support the ends of long joists and I-joists. These are really nice since they have no knots to fail later and the nails do not split the ledger as bad.

That is the best material to use for that Bruce. A little more money but better.
One has to choose when using regular lumber.
In a lift of lumber there is usuall about 20-25% #1 grade lumber and the rest is #2.
With basement around this area, sometimes they increase the depth of the main support beam and use a two x three or a full two x four. Depends on the head room. :slight_smile:

I’d call a 2x2 for approval by a structural engineer every time. 1 3/4" engineered lumber like a microlam rip I’d consider better but I’d still call it a poor quality framing.

Maybe I’m misunderstanding. If those joists are end-nailed through the rim with at least 3- 16d, then I don’t have a problem with it. I don’t even care if they leave out the 2x2.

End nailing is even worse and not allowed. Must have support hangers or ledgers.

When you say “allowed” are you talking about new construction, Bruce?

There’ve been many deck built across North America with say… a floor structure built using 2x8s. The structure is built using front and back rim through which 16d nails secure 2x8 joists.

The deck rim joist that fastens to the home rim joist would be considered a ledger and is typically fastened with 1/2" lags staggered up and down every 2 feet with 2 lags at each break. No metal connectors at all were required for many years. So unless you know the year the code went into effect and are willing to call out a code violation, what’s important is accepted practices.

A common situation would be a deck in which the ledger was first lagged to the home rim joist… either through the exterior wall finish or before it was installed if it was original construction.

Deck floor joists have been toenailed to the lagged ledger (using 3 -16d galvanized on one side and two on the other if nailed according to widely accepted practice). The other rim joist was through-nailed into the joist ends and then the deck floor assembly is planked over and braced as necessary.

Built in 1978 in California that would be perfectly acceptable and any inspector calling it a defect would be wrong. So part of what we’re talking abpout here as to do with locally acceptable practices and the other has to do with safety.

I couldn’t tell from the photo whether the joists had any bearing other than the 2x2 ledger. If not, my call would be inadequate bearing in addition to inadequate connection to the home.

Not sure of the dates involved but we were talking about a floor system not a deck. Any deck as old as you mentioned would be deteriorated and unsafe anyway not to mention built in a manner that has been since found to be unsafe.

Some old methods found in a floor system that show no signs of failure do not have to be reported but would be an issue if found on a deck due to widespread knowledge.