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Roof-Flashing Guide

This collection of articles and videos will help you get your roof waterproofing details right and keep your home comfortable and dry.

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Certain parts of a roof are particularly prone to hidden leaks and subsequent water damage. These include roof valleys, chimneys, and skylight perimeters—pretty much any area where there is a lot of runoff or two surfaces meet. These spots need special protection that only properly installed flashing can provide.

Below is a compilation of articles, videos, and tips on roof flashing from the Fine Homebuilding archives. We’ve got you covered on everything from vent flashing to common errors in the process. Learn from experts like builder Mike Guertin, who shares his best tips and methods. These curated articles and videos will give you the tools you need to ensure that your roof performs at its very best, keeping you dry and preventing water damage.

  • How-To 1
    Installing Step Flashing to Prevent Roof Leaks

    The first rule of roof flashing is that water runs downhill; the second rule is that the first rule isn't without exceptions.

  • Tools & Materials 2
    retrofit permaboot
    A Guide to Better Boot Flashings

    Use a better plumbing vent pipe boot flashing to last the lifetime of a new roof.

  • How-To 3
    Edge Flashing for Roofs

    Roofing contractor Dyami Plotke explains the best way to install rake and eave flashing.

  • How-To 4
    Bending kick-out flashing
    Bending Kickout Flashing

    Divert water away from the siding at the bottom of the roof with this critical flashing detail.

  • How-To 5
    Plumbing Vent Boot Flashing Repair
    Plumbing Vent Boot Flashing Repair: Method 1

    Repair a boot flashing without doing a full replacement.

  • How-To 6
    Plumbing Vent Boot Flashing Repair: Method 2

    Repair a boot flashing with Perma-Boot.

  • How-To 7
    direct-water-into-gutters
    Direct Water Into Gutters With a Kickout Flashing Diverter

    A proactive approach to flashing one of a roof's most vulnerable intersections.

  • How-To 8
    Four Steps to Flash a Dormer

    This leak-free approach begins with an impenetrable corner detail.

  • Tools & Materials 9
    Chimney Flashing

    Here's a quick look at the pros and cons of lead vs. copper.

  • 10
    How to Repair a Roof Flashing Boot (in a Flash)

    Here's a quick and trouble free way to repair a vent pipe roof flashing when the rubber seal part has failed from UV damage. Sure beats tearing out the whole…

  • How-To 11
    Back Up Your Vent Pipe Flashing

    Use flashing tape and additional underlayment to backstop your flashing boot.

  • Tools & Materials 12
    Better Boot Flashings Last Longer, Seal Better

    If ordinary boot flashings are not durable, shouldn't we use better designed and manufactured ones?

  • How-To 13
    flashing a chimney
    Flashing a Chimney

    Installing the flashing along with the bricks makes for a more secure and much better-looking job.

  • How-To 14
    vent pipe flashing
    Vent Flashing Done Right

    Back up roof vent boots with flashing, counterflashing, and proper shingling to prevent leaks.

  • How-To 15
    How to Bend Copper Chimney Flashing

    Roofing contractor Dyami Plotke demonstrates how to make complex cuts and bends to create durable, beautiful flashings for making watertight connections between roofs and chimneys.

  • How-To 16
    roof flashing
    Roof Flashing

    Installation details can make the difference between a trouble-free roof and an expensive callback.

  • How-To 17
    Time-Tested Approach to Chimney Flashing

    Roofing contractor Dyami Plotke demonstrates how to prepare a chimney for flashing and how to bend, install, and seal metal flashing for a durable, weatherproof, and beautiful job.

  • How-To 18
    Valley Flashing

    Successful valley flashing is one of the fine points of making a wood-shingle roof weathertight. I favor the old-fashioned method of nailing shingles into 1x3 horizontal stripping; fixing shingles to…

  • How-To 19
    Flashing

    Anticipate the flow of water to keep it outside your house, where it belongs.

  • How-To 20
    common flashing errors
    How to Avoid Common Flashing Errors

    Building paper and adhesive-backed bituminous tape are vital ingredients in protecting a building from water damage.

  • Tools & Materials 21
    Video: Using a Sheet Brake

    A professional roofer demonstrates ways to use a stationary brake to bend flashing.

  • How-To 22
    A Smarter Way to Flash

    Removable two-part counterflashing allows access to roof flashings without digging in to the wall.

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