08/10/2026
🚨 Pt.1 The Damage: House Ledger Board - Improperly Flashed Deck
This deck was 35 years old, cedar, and had exactly one small piece of flashing on the entire structure.
💧 Flashing is a thin strip of metal installed where a deck meets the house. Its job is simple: direct water away from the wall instead of into it. You'll probably never notice it's there, it costs very little, but it's one of the most important details that determines whether the board holding your deck to your house lasts for decades or starts rotting long before it should.
📍 We removed this deck in Arnold this week.
⚠️ But here is the part we really want you to see: a previous owner had already tried to fix it.
The repairs were made with drywall screws - junk drawer screws, never designed to support structural weight. The metal brackets holding the framing had nail holes sitting empty, and those brackets only work when every required fastener is installed. The framing carrying the load had been doubled incorrectly and wasn't properly tied back into the house. Then everything was covered with spray foam, hiding the problems while trapping moisture against the wood.
This wasn't someone intentionally cutting corners. It was someone trying to take care of their home with what they had available.
We see situations like this all the time, and it's exactly why deck construction isn't weekend DIY work. A deck is supporting people several feet off the ground, and almost everything that determines whether it's safe is hidden once the deck boards are installed.
🔍 If your deck was built in the 80s or 90s, or it has been patched somewhere along the way, take ten minutes with a flashlight & look where it ties into the house.
Look for:
- Dark streaks
- Soft or spongy wood
- Screws that look like they should be holding a picture on a wall
- Rusted or incorrect fasteners
- Missing flashing
✅ Caught early, these issues are often repairable. 🚫 Left too long, they can turn into a complete deck rebuild, or worse: repairs to the house itself.
👀 Pt. 2 is coming soon - we will show you exactly how this deck gets rebuilt the right way.
Maniaci Construction | Decks & Fences
📞 314-440-8873
