Description

Key Features

Built for Brick Veneer

This kit is made to attach a wood deck ledger through brick veneer without asking the brick to carry the load. That matters when you need a safer, code-compliant path for a retrofit deck connection.

Mortar Joint Installation

The Simpson Strong-Tie brick veneer ledger connector is designed for drilling through mortar joints and driving the angled fasteners into structural framing. That helps reduce unnecessary damage to the brick veneer and water barrier.

Complete 4-Connector Kit

BVLZ-KT4 includes four connector assemblies, the required drivers, installation guide, template, and fasteners. You are not piecing together hardware from different boxes and hoping it works together.

Overview

The Simpson Strong-Tie BVLZ-KT4 Brick Veneer Ledger Connector Kit is a brick veneer ledger connector kit for attaching a wood deck ledger to structural framing through existing brick veneer. This is a deck ledger connector kit designed for retrofit deck construction on homes with brick veneer exteriors. Model Number: BVLZ-KT4. If you need to add a deck without building it free-standing and without tearing off large sections of brick, this is the hardware system built for that job.

What makes this product matter is how it handles load transfer. The system is designed so the tension screws pass through the mortar joint and into the structural framing, while the compression strut transfers compression forces from the ledger plate back to the rim joist. In plain terms, the ledger is supported by the framing behind the brick veneer, not by the brick itself. That is the whole point of using a purpose-built deck ledger connector instead of trying to improvise a connection in a condition that inspectors look at closely.

The BVLZ-KT4 is made from 12 gauge steel and uses Simpson Strong-Tie’s ZMAX coating for corrosion resistance. For exterior deck work, that combination matters because this hardware will live in a demanding environment. The kit also accommodates a range of air gaps and brick sizes, with published gap conditions shown at 4-3/4 in., 5-1/2 in., and 6-1/4 in. That gives it practical flexibility when you are working on existing construction where field conditions are rarely perfect.

Installation is set up around real retrofit work, not idealized new construction. The connector allows drilling through mortar joints, which helps minimize penetrations through existing exterior water barriers and avoids the bigger mess of removing and replacing large veneer sections. Simpson Strong-Tie also notes that this approach enables inspection and approval by building departments in retrofit applications, which is a major selling point for contractors who do not want surprises after the framing inspection is scheduled.

This four-part kit is also more complete than a bare hardware pack. You get four steel ledger plates, four compression struts, an installation guide, an installation template, a 1/4 in. hex driver, a 3/8 in. hex driver, eight 14 in. Strong-Drive SDWH Timber-Hex HDG tension screws, and twenty-six Strong-Drive SD Connector shear screws. That means the critical fasteners and setup pieces are matched to the connector system from the start, which saves time and helps keep the install aligned with the published instructions.

From a jobsite standpoint, this kit is for builders, remodelers, deck contractors, and inspectors dealing with deck additions on existing brick veneer homes. It is especially useful when a free-standing deck is not the preferred layout and when you need a tested, code-oriented way to tie the ledger back to the house framing. If you work on exterior renovations and run into brick veneer conditions regularly, the Simpson Strong-Tie BVLZ-KT4 solves a very specific problem with hardware designed for it instead of forcing a workaround.

Attach the Ledger Without Relying on the Brick

This setup is about getting the load path back to the framing where it belongs. The ledger plate, compression strut, and tension screws work together so the connection is made through the veneer instead of asking the brick face to do structural work it was never meant to do.

• Designed for attaching a wood ledger to structural framing through brick veneer
• Compression strut bears against the framing while tension screws anchor the system

Everything Needed for a Four-Connector Layout

The value here is that it is a true system kit, not just a plate in a box. The included guide, template, drivers, and matched fasteners help keep layout and installation consistent, which matters on retrofit deck work where you do not want to guess your way through the connection details.

• Includes four connector assemblies for multi-point ledger attachment
• Comes with installation guide, template, drivers, and specified Simpson Strong-Tie fasteners

What’s in the Box

• (4) Steel Ledger Plates
• (4) Compression Struts
• (1) Installation Guide
• (1) Installation Template
• (1) 1/4 in. Hex Driver
• (1) 3/8 in. Hex Driver
• (8) 14 in. Strong-Drive SDWH Timber-Hex HDG Tension Screws
• (26) Strong-Drive SD Connector Shear Screws

Key Specifications

Material	12 gauge steel
Finish	ZMAX coating
Packaging Quantity	4
Weight (lbs)	12 lb
Gap Range	4-3/4 in. to 6-1/4 in.
Application	Deck ledger attachment through brick veneer
For Treated Lumber	Yes
Tension Screw Length	14 in.

Built For

Deck Construction Retrofit Deck Additions Brick Veneer Homes Remodeling General Contracting Exterior Structural Connections

Pro Tip

Lay out each plate location so the center hole lands cleanly in the mortar joint before you drill the ledger. That small step makes the rest of the installation go a lot smoother, especially when you are trying to keep the angled holes and fasteners aligned with the framing behind the veneer.

Tool Nut’s Take

Tool Nut’s Take

Simpson Strong-Tie BVLZ-KT4 Brick Veneer Ledger Connector Kit is the right answer for a tricky deck detail

If you are attaching a ledger on a brick veneer house, this kit gives you a tested system instead of a field-built gamble.

• Who it’s for: Deck builders, remodelers, and contractors adding a deck to an existing home with brick veneer.
• Why it stands out: It is designed specifically for mortar-joint drilling, structural framing attachment, and retrofit inspection approval, and it comes as a real four-connector system with the needed fasteners and setup tools.
• Worth knowing: This is specialized hardware for a specific ledger condition, so follow the published instructions and use all specified fasteners to get the intended performance.

Common Questions

• What is this product designed to do? It is designed to attach a wood deck ledger to structural framing through existing brick veneer on a house.
• Can it be used for retrofit deck construction? Yes. Simpson Strong-Tie states it is a code-compliant, tested solution intended for retrofit construction applications.
• Does the system drill through brick or mortar joints? The product is designed to allow drilling through the mortar joints.
• How many connectors are in the BVLZ-KT4 kit? The BVLZ-KT4 is the four-part kit and includes four steel ledger plates with matching hardware and installation accessories.