Alternative Ledger Detail To the Editor: Regarding the ledger board flashing detail depicted in "Designing a Porch That Fits" (6/92): Mounting ledgers in this fashion will provide proper moisture protection; however, as a proper stucco application will add 3/4 to 7/8 inches to the sheathing face, its depth will leave you approximately 1/2 inch of load-bearing surface for your T&G flooring (which I view as inadequate). Your diagram graphically indicates how thin a "lip" is left atop the 2x ledger. As an alternative, consider the following: Stucco the wall, predrill the ledger with an appropriate number of holes, mark the hole locations using the actual ledger as a pattern, and (switching to a 1/2-inch masonry bit) drill through the 1/2-inch stucco. Then use lags
