WRB & Flashing

A woven mesh with integrated house wrap allows drainage and drying

​

The wall is framed with pressure treated plywood and flashed at the bottom. To ensure long-term durability of the wall, Will is using a rainscreen drainage mesh behind the siding. This allows the siding to dry evenly on both sides while allowing any water that sneaks in to drain out. 

This particular drainage mat has house wrap attached that is easy to peel back at window and door openings or for wrapping corners. 

Flashing under an exterior door and along the bottom of a basement wall that used to have an overhead door

A drip edge overlapping strategy that won't catch the eye

An interesting project that requires redundant water management detailing

Tape layers should overlap shingle-style up the roof

Snap a line and stick to it

Roofs peel off from the edges, so it is critical to hold them tight

Outside insulation is an effective way to keep heat in. The devil is in the details, such as this one

Overlapping tapes with gravity in mind keeps water out of the house

Left-, right-, and straight-cutting snips with single- and compound-leverage each have their place on a jobsite

The first layer of foam is mostly an insulation layer; the outer layer is the air barrier and drainage plane. This video is about the first layer.

A retrofit solution that works great for a low-skill workforce—like volunteers

Paint-on waterproofing membrane, physics, and forethought protect an old window—and allow future maintenance—while sealing a big hole in a wet and windy wall

If you can't build to stay dry, build to tolerate wet

Make a route for drainage, protect the structure, and use water-tolerant materials to rebuild