Home Page link

Plastic sheeting water barrier behind exterior trim

Home| Search | About
Login Password
Register Now! Lost Password?

Home Repair - - If it ain't broken, don't fix it. Otherwise look here. 

Bookmark this page:  YahooMyWeb Yahoo!  Google Google  Windows Live Favorites Windows Live  del.icio.us del.icio.us  digg digg  Add to Netscape Netscape
Subject Author Date
Plastic sheeting water barrier behind exterior trim Samson 09-15-2007
If you were  Registered and logged in, you could reply and use other advanced thread options
Posted by Samson on September 15, 2007, 10:44 am
I live in a 16 unit townhouse complex in the Bay Area in California.
The building exterior is a mix of painted stucco, painted wood trim
and stucco stone, with some shingles and a flat roof, done in a
1970's psuedo Tudor style.

The association is starting a project to replace worn out trim and
then paint the trim and stucco. As the trim is coming off we notice
that behind the trim there is clear plastic sheeting protecting the
plywood backing where the chicken wire is attached. The plastic
sheeting is being removed but the contractor is not replacing the
sheeting when new pieces of wood are being put back on. The wood
called out in the proposal to do the job is "S3S Advantage Pine Plus"
and is being screwed on with it primed on all sides.

The proposal also states:

"Remove loose caulking at all of the trim that can be safely accessed
- Re-secure and reseal all of the trim with Sikaflex sealent".

I assume that they intend to keep water from getting to the plywood
backing with the Sikaflex sealant but I'm not sure if this will work.
My understanding of things is that sealant is a caulking that will
keep water and the elements from getting behind the wood trim but I'm
not sure if that can replace the plastic sheeting used for the water
barrier.

Does anyone know what the code is for this type of job? Is the
plastic sheeting necessary by code? Is it good practice to use
regardless of what type of sealent is being used? Or is it no longer
considered the right thing to do? Also would this type of thing be
covered by local construction codes?

The contractor comes to us highly recommended but I'm concerned he is
not doing the job as well as possible and that we will see water
damage behind the trim eventually without the plastic.

\Samson

Electric Radiant Heat 468x60
Posted by Don Phillipson on September 15, 2007, 1:57 pm
> I live in a 16 unit townhouse complex in the Bay Area in California.
> . . .
> The association is starting a project to replace worn out trim and
> then paint the trim and stucco.
> . . .
> Does anyone know what the code is for this type of job? Is the
> plastic sheeting necessary by code?

Building codes vary from place to place so you must
ask at the municipal office that issues building permits.
But codes are public information. There is nothing
confidential about them, let alone secret.

--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)



Similar ThreadsPosted
Plastic as a vapor barrier attic insulation July 26, 2008, 6:46 pm
Trim (Exterior) Question September 8, 2005, 9:14 pm
Exterior Trim Replacement September 24, 2005, 4:43 pm
Be sure to backprime your exterior trim February 3, 2006, 5:43 pm
Exterior trim question June 17, 2008, 8:23 pm
What wood to use for exterior trim replacement? November 1, 2006, 3:42 pm
Exterior window trim installation November 18, 2006, 7:32 am
Exterior window HEADER TRIM - Installation? February 27, 2006, 12:08 am
Paint for exterior vinyl trim around windows December 13, 2006, 10:37 am
Exterior trim wood prep question September 30, 2007, 4:37 pm

Contact Us | Privacy Policy

XML SitemapXML Sitemap