Newbie to building a deck

Morning everyone. I'm new to this so I appreciate the help. The deck I would like to add to the house is indicated by the green line in this photo. I need advice on two things. Should I be adding a ledger board to both side of the house or just the longer side? (I should also say that I plan on extending the shorter side another 3 feet past the house to accommodate a set of stairs up to the deck.) Second, how do I handle the ledger board as it goes over the concrete stoop? Thanks!

 

I prefer a free standing deck, no ledger board at all. Ledger boards collect water.

 

It isn't a great idea to have the deck level even with the house floor level! Too much danger of moisture entering the house. Do you intend to take out the concrete steps/stoop? If you use a ledger you need to flash it properly.

 

Thanks. I do not intend to take out the stoop. I'd like to build over it.

 

Leaving the stoop almost guarantees the deck will be the same level as the house floor. That makes it easy for melting snow or rain to seep into the house.

 

Another vote for a freestanding deck.

Deck height should be several inches below door threshold to keep water out, as Mark stated. I think the concrete steps need to go.

 

A far out idea. Build a free standing deck with the deck surface level with existing platform. Existing platform would be exposed.

 

No, that would not look good.

Needs to be lower, you could probably get away with partial removal of steps, you REALLY want it to step down from the door.

Freestanding is good, I added a couple of pipe & bolts from my deck to house structure, not for support like a ledger but just to increase the torsional stiffness of the deck, worked great!

 

I've never heard of water entering the home because of a ledger. Just flash it properly and you'll be fine. Aside from breaking up the top of the stoop to allow room for the new joists, I'm not sure there is any other viable way.

 

You have two post confused. I said that a ledger collects water not that it enters the house.

 

reversearp, how is your deck project coming. I just completed phase 1 of my two level deck but I'm always on the lookout for new knowledge so skulk around these forums. I note that your original question was never answered though I expect you figured it out. I would have only installed a ledger on the side in front of your door. The other side would be your first joist hanging off the ledger. As a few people pointed out, you should have the finished level of your deck a couple of inches below your doorway; the level of your current porch would be pretty close. This means you would need to blow away that entire stairway to make room for your ledger and the joists.. It's also not a bad idea to slope your deck just a bit to ensure that no water collects and blows back towards the house. Also I hope you stripped away all the siding before you attached the ledger board and used adequate fasteners. They say about 90% of deck failures are ledger boards separating from the house. Much was said about a free-standing deck in this thread and if you can accept a few extra posts there is a lot of merit to that design. Hope the project is going well.