Deck Construction

A deck is a structure before it's an outdoor space. Footing depth below the frost line, joist spacing sized to the span, proper ledger attachment and flashing where it meets the house, and correctly rated hardware are what determine whether it stays solid or develops movement after a few Minnesota winters. The ledger connection is the most important detail and the one most often done poorly, since it carries significant load and is where water gets behind siding when it isn't flashed right.