I’ve been planning my dream workshop for years and finally am building it. Today the framers started work and I told them to do a really dumb thing. I had read a recommendation to put a metal termite barrier and a rubberized ice dam protection membrane between the stem wall and sill gasket to prevent water wicking into the framing material and to protect from insects. I bought aluminum clad Vycor to serve both purposes. Ok so far, but I mistakenly told them to put the sill gasket down first, then the aluminized Vycor, then the (0.25 ACQ pressure treated) mud plate. By the time I realized my error tonight, the bulk of the structure has been built. I know you don’t want to have aluminum and copper in contact, I just wasn’t thinking this morning. So what kind of long-term damage can I expect? I’m not too concerned if the aluminum corrodes, the Vycor should do a reasonable job protecting from insects. I’m really worried about damage to the mudsill, as the entire structure sits on this. Please, please, please reassure me that the mudsill won’t rot away and cause my beautiful new shop to collapse in a heap! And please don’t tell me I’m a dolt; I feel bad enough as it is.
Conrad
Replies
The aluminum will lose the battle. I think you're OK.
edit: The aluminum will lose if there is a battle.
http://www.quittintime.com/ View Image
Edited 6/10/2009 7:17 pm ET by seeyou
What really got me worried is when I picked one of the end tags off the pt lumber and in big bold print it says "NOT FOR USE IN DIRECT CONTACT WITH ALUMINUM". As I said, I'm not so concerned about the aluminum as the wood, and I do feel better if you think it will be ok.Conrad
Won't hurt the wood.http://www.quittintime.com/ View Image
I believe that moisture is required for the galvanic action between the PT and the aluminum.
So as long as the sills stay dry, you should be OK.
There might be a very slow reaction between the two, but like seeyou said, the aluminum will be the looser
We've done a few repairs where the aluminum just kinda left a stain and disappeared. You should be ok, but the ASPCA might want to talk to you. You know, The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Aluminum. ;-)
Constructing in metric...
every inch of the way.
As near as I can tell, and I have seen the outcome of several aluminum vs ACQ battles --- the aluminum sort of bubbles and goes away -- the wood wins.
You don't have any wood problems to worry about.
Jim
. . . so, if you were trying to decide whether to use aluminum or not, now you get it both ways.
Greg
Thank you all, I'll sleep better tonight.
Conrad