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Pergola ledger over asbestos and clapboard siding

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parrothead_nj

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Hello,

I had a meeting with a client this afternoon, while I was reviewing my design with, they told me of their plans for a deck and pergola, and something sounded off to me.

The customer's house has asbestos siding, and beneath that clapboard. The contractor wants to install the pergola ledger board with flashing directly against the asbestos siding.

I asked the contractor about that install, and he said that the customer wants to have vinyl siding installed on top of the asbestos after the pergola and deck are completed.

It is certainly not my area of expertise but is installing the ledger directly over the asbestos a recipe for disaster?

Thanks,
Kevin
 
#3 ·
I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to ever install a ledger over siding.
If you insist on cutting the corner and installing it over the siding, at least pump the holes full of silicone before bolting and add drip edge Z flashings to the ledger. Since the ledger might not connect to a band joist/rim joist like a deck or a pergola with a ledger connected to a rim/band joist that separates an upper level in the building, unless the ledger is contained to the area only above something like a sliding door which should have a solid 2x8"-2x12" header, then installing the ledger over the siding is even worse of an idea since you'll have bolt into the dead center of studs, which can a) damage their strength and b) you have very little margin of error to not hit wires, unlike a deck ledger connected into a rim/band joist, there's usually no wires or pipes in there. I wouldn't try going inside with a stud finder and then transferring the supposed stud locations by hooking a tape measure to the corner of the exterior and thinking you subtracted the thickness of the drywall and everything before marking the studs outside. You can find the studs via sheathing nails if you cut and then repair the home wrap if you decide to remove the siding, but those nails can be very off center. Probably should just do a free standing pergola.
 
Discussion starter · #8 ·
Andy, I'd guess 1/2" for the clapboard and 1/4" for the asbestos siding. The pergola is decorative and will just provide shelter/shade for the homeowner. If it were live load bearing I'd know that something would need to be said. Since it is just bearing the weight of the cedar I was 50/50 on saying something. Deckman, thankfully my job is the hardscape elsewhere in the backyard.
 
#12 ·
i was going to say the same, that you probably need certification to deal with asbestos . Just highly recommend a free-standing pergola. No headache, no ledger, no asbestos, and no frost heave on the ledger since you hinted you don't want to ledger it correctly since it's not load-bearing which is irrelevant. Or have them sub out only the ledger.
 
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