It's how we roll...
Zip Tape. Those two words by themselves are quickly becoming the largest construction controversy we have seen since the Chinese drywall issue. I've seen building scientists, construction experts and attorneys going at it all across the country recently in heated debate that will likely continue for some time.
I'm here to tell you, the answer is simple. Roll it. One simple tool, for a very simple system. I will continue to preach this for as long as I have a voice in the construction industry....if you do not ROLL the zip tape, it WILL NOT WORK! It is a pressure sensitive adhesive, which as the name implies, well, it doesn't even imply, it dictates, requires, mandates that, you guessed it....pressure.
According to the most renowned Building Scientist in North America, Dr. Joe Lstiburek, "...siding is typically nailed through housewraps, building wraps, sheets, wrb's. Almost all cladding systems are mechanically attached through water control layers and air control layers. How are those penetrations any different? It is impossible to construct a building with no penetrations. The key is to deal with the significant ones. Nail holes and screw holes are not significant. Experience has taught us to focus more on controlling drainage and hydrostatic pressure and less on things that don't matter. Flashings matter...punched openings matter...roof to wall connections matter...deck to wall connections matter....screw holes and nail holes do not matter when drainage and hydrostatic pressure is addressed....regardless of whether a mechanically attached building paper is used or a sheet good with an integral water control layer or a fluid applied water control layer or fully adhered sheet good water control layer."
So let's break it down here into the simplest equation, which is what I like to do. It makes it easier for all of us out here in the trenches trying to build these buildings. Joe said, "focus more on controlling drainage..." which is what we need to to here. How do we do it? Again, roll the product. Roll, roll, roll. Not just some of it, every square inch of it. That is what Alliance Building Solutions does, and if your zip tape subcontractor doesn't, you should fire them, now. So we'll leave the debates to others, while we happily go about the business of providing the best, most complete installation of zip taping of any company in Florida. If you want the best, call us at 904-503-3784. It's really that simple.
