Bitumen tape for window flashing?
canoehead2
| Posted in Construction Techniques on
I’ve searched high and low in my area and cannot find flashing tape (Grace Vycor, Dupont FlexWrap…) so…
I’m considering cutting strips from my bitumen-based ice and water shield.
Any reason why I shouldn’t use this instead of the proper Butyl rubber stuff? I don’t think heat melting will be an issue since I’m not covering with metal siding and I’m located in Canada.
Thoughts?
P.S. Everyone around here seems to just use housewrap tape (called “Tuck Tape” here. It’s red, very thin but sticks well to Tyvek).
Replies
I don't see any problem with cutting strips from Grace I&W.
I have done it many times and have not had any problems.
Can be a pain to cut straight - I have the best luck by cutting it with a metal straight edge and a sharp utility knife while the piece of I&W lays flat on top of a plywood scrap.
I bought a 1/8" x 2" x 8' piece of aluminum that I use as a straight edge. Handy to have for lots of purposes.
I first had the bright idea that the way to do this would be by rolling the I&W and cutting the roll - that technique produced a very "wavy-edged" strip. Now I lay the I&W down flat and cut it with the straight edge.
Jim
Never underestimate the value of a sharp pencil or good light.
Edited 10/13/2007 9:52 am ET by JTC1
OK. I figure that that would work fine too but was worried that maybe I'd find tar oozing out of my Z flashing above the window on hot days (the wall has a unsheltered Southern exposure).
"I've searched high and low in my area and cannot find flashing tape (Grace Vycor, Dupont FlexWrap...) so..."
That's amazing. I get Vycor at Home Depot.
Rich Beckman
>> That's amazing. I get Vycor at Home Depot.
Not here. The only thing that HD has here is bitumen based self-adhesive tape for flashing skylights. The stuff is packaged in a Velux box. $16 for 20'!!!!
"The stuff is packaged in a Velux box. $16 for 20'!!!!"Yeah, that stuff isn't cheap, but when you're putting in a skylight, it is worth it.
Rich Beckman
Velux is just packaging bitumen tape and jacking up the price 500%. When I first saw the box I figured it must be EPDM or butyl at that price!
Check Rona. Saw some there the other day (first time ever I have found it). You might have to get it ordered, or check with the pro desk, but I saw it in the roofing section.
Why roofing? Because the manufacturer also makes ice dam and other roofing-related flashing products.
I haven't been in one, but I'm guessing Roofmart would probably carry it, too.
Regards,
Tim Ruttan
Rona doesn't have it.
I've tried a couple of roofing places but not Roofmart. I'll call 'em Monday. Thanks.
For years we used the uncured EPDM flashing tape from ABC supply to make door pans with. Pretty pricy stuff as well but worth a shot.
------------------
"You cannot work hard enough to make up for a sloppy estimate."
No ABC Supply here.
I have also used Moleskin with primer; it works well, but one of our local lumberyards has Grace Vycor, which I use for decks, and Tyvek for window flashing. Did you send an email to Grace or Tyvec to find a close supplier?
Quality repairs for your home.
AaronR Construction
Vancouver, Canada
Grace has a list of retailers none of which are near me.
I'll email DuPont re Tyvek. Good idea.
Check Dow also. They make a good butyl tape.John
J.R. Lazaro Builders, Inc.
Indianapolis, In.
Here are some of WR Grace's residential waterproofing products:Vycor Butyl is a butyl based flashing tape made for high temperature climates but can also be used in any climate.Vycor Plus is a modified bitumen (aka rubberized asphalt but not tar) based flashing tape 25 mils thick that can melt in high temperature climates and liquify when exposed to certain plasticizers in sealants or thin flexible PVC. Vycor V40 is a version that meets government specs.Deck Protector is bitumen based protective wrap for P.T. wood decks.Ice & Water Shield is essentially a thicker (40 mil) version of Vycor Plus and is sold for use as a roofing underlayment/base flashing. It is also sold in strips.Grace Ultra is a butyl based roofing underlayment (essentially a thicker version of Vycor Butyl) for high temperature climates.Any of these materials will work fine in your climate if properly detailed and applied.Tyvek tape has an acrylic adhesive that I would not use for permanent waterproofing although I have put it underwater for a month and it did not fail.There are no WR Grace distributors in BC but you can find them in Alberta and Washington state.
http://www.graceathome.com/distdb/selectState.cfm
I think you wanted to reply to the OP. By the way, I used the Vicor plus and was not terribly impressed with adhesion.John
J.R. Lazaro Builders, Inc.
Indianapolis, In.
Dicks lumber carries the deck protector. I don't do roofing, but I do decks and I get it from there.Quality repairs for your home.
AaronR ConstructionVancouver, Canada
I noticed something over the last year - a whole lot of residential jobs are suddenly using Blueskin self-stick vapour barrier. They must have made a MAJOR push in our area (Ottawa) to promote it. Until then I had only seen it used in commercial jobs.
I checked the their website (Bakor) and they make flexible flashing too.
hey depends where ya are but we get flex wrap from a place near Ottawa Ontario .and straight flash .NO tuck #### for me. The place is Hoffman materials
if ya need more info just email me I would be happy to help ya out .
I see people around here using tuck tape .I think Mike Holmes made it popular
the stuff is junk when it gets cold will come off
I see people put cpounter flashing on over the house wrap and taping to the house wrap what happens when tape is gone in a few years
Ya, whenever I asked for flashing tape at Rona or HD they point me to Tuck Tape. Sheesh.
Thanks for the tip about Hoffman. A bit far for me (40 minutes away).
I think I'll just use leftover bitumen roof underlayment.
40 minutes east or west north or south Winchester Perth Ottawa Prescott
the issue I have with all other tapes etc. is that they leave a hole in the bottom corners .flex wrap covers it all
I'm in Ottawa. Hoffman is in Kemptville.
I am building a house in cedar hill .we use stainless steel nails fo siding hand nails
we puchase through KBC in kemptville
Thanks
(off topic)
Since you are in or near Ottawa...
Have you found Maze nails nearby? If not, do you know where I can buy Siding nails (loose for hand nailing)?
Canoehead,
The Rona at Hunt Club & Merivale stocks a product line called Resisto (http://www.resisto.ca/)... it's on shelves at the back wall (next to the door into the lumber yard). Resisto has a flashing tape called Red Zone which, I gather, is very similar to Vycor.
Can't say I've ever used the Resisto products... I've used Bakor Blueskin for sealing window flanges and other SA flashing jobs.Regards,
Ewan
Thanks Ewan! Looks like Red Zone is made by Soprema who actually make my favorite roof underlayment - better than Grace.
I'll pick up a roll this week.
Contact grace and get the number for you area rep, he'll have the list of vendors.
The grace I&W is basically the same thing but the thickness of the vycor is much less. I've talked to my area rep several times about the different products and the do's and don'ts. You can use I@W on the sidewalls , decks, etc. but they don't want you to use the vycor on roofs. He said that the vycor is not designed to take the heat that you'll get on roofs and it will breakdown because of it.
You did not mention what brand I&W you wanted to use. I would use the grace I&W but not the other brands I've seen. The grace sticks just like the vycor and seals, the other brands are not even close.
I don't mean to complicate your life any more than it already is.
But
a lot of window manufacturers are starting print in the install directions that they do not want any bituminous seals used on the vinyl nailing fins.
Apparantly, the bitumen can eat away at the vinyl.
So the new tyvek type tapes are the recommended thing.
Meaning - read your instructions first
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Thanks for the heads up Piffen.
The modified bitumen or rubberized asphalt used in flexible flashings is incompatible with some plasticizers used in thin flexible PVC used in roofing membranes and sheet flashing as well in some sealants. The plasticizers can actually cause the asphalt to liquify and run. I am not aware of any incompatibilities between these asphalt based flashings and the kind of rigid PVC used for window cladding (other than possible cosmetic staining from plasticizer migration) unless a window uses a thin flexible PVC nailing fin (which you might consider avoiding for reasons of strength).If someone has evidence of physical deterioration of rigid PVC from contact with asphalt based flashing I would appreciate a reference or link to it.
I my local HD's they have usually have Vycor hidden in the window department somewhere and another brand in with roofing.