Ledger Zip Tape
SeanRyan
| Posted in General Questions on
New build, CZ 6, Zip sheathing as air / water barrier.
Thinking through ledger board… Since we have the zip system already, would it be fine to just tape the entire backside of our 2×10 ledger before installing it? Thinking that if was completely covered in Zip tape it would work.
Or should we use a more robust peel and stick against the sheathing where the ledger will be installed?
Thanks,
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Replies
While I really appreciate Huber's Zip System, I've never been a super fan of their tape. Too many instructions and application requirements to meet their standards that are too often overlooked by average laborers. Plus, the adhesion leaves something to be desired at it's price point. I prefer Soprema Colphene, or equivalent, to achieve better results. 3M makes a great flashing tape, and it's readily available, but it's expensive if you measure by the square foot. The Colphene comes in 200 square ft rolls (approximately) and as well as being extremely sticky and good for below grade waterproofing applications, we tend to utilize hand cut strips to flash windows, doors, pipe penetrations and other by using the leftovers after a large basement installation. Watch out though, on even a warm day it can be likened to human fly paper once the backing is stripped.
Soprema Colphene is comparable to Grace Ice and Water Shield and other common bituminous membranes. I agree that it would be a good choice behind the ledger.
As a bituminous product, though, it doesn't play well with many common building materials. For example, you can't use it to flash PVC or fiberglass windows, or windows with flanges made of those materials; it will eat away at the plastic over time.
Zip tape is actually made by 3M and it has an acrylic adhesive. Like all acrylic adhesive, it requires a clean substrate, pressure and time to fully adhere. (The amount of time and pressure varies by product.) Training workers to do so should take all of 5 minutes. Acrylic adhesive is safe to use on virtually all substrates.
Sean,
Zip Tape may work fine, but I don't think the back of the ledger is the right place for it. The membrane (of whatever brand) needs to extend out on the sides and top of the ledger and be lapped by the WRB.
I like to set the top of the deck joists 3/4" above the ledger so water and debris has somewhere to go. The flashing gets installed before the joists and hangers, and the return gets sandwiched between the two.
Thanks Malcom -- I ended up digging in and watching Guertin's ledger flashing videos and ended up getting some Grace ice and water shield