I’d like to see a video that compiles all the rain screen “best practices.” This video plus details for window opening rain screen and trim. Door opening rain screen and trim. And top of wall siding and trim detail to allow rain screen to vent. All in one video. Love the details and big red!!!
So much this. I literally bought 15 boxes of CorAVent today. I'm happy with the current details I've spec'ed, but I wouldn't mind a master class on the subject. For example, you should put CorAVent at both the bottom AND top of the wall. In addition, the top should leave a 1/4 gap between the CorAVent and the soffit so there's air flow. There's a lot of details this video doesn't cover even for the products mentioned.
@coasttal123 honestly, I'll settle for someone competent, which I believe Steve is. If you're offering an equally competent engineer answering the same question, I'd be happy to hear their take on best practices.
@@coasttal123the problem with may engineers is that they haven’t gotten out of their cubicles to see the actual implementation. I had to deal with two engineers sitting back to back in the same cubical designing a part to go into the exact same place. Two other engineers spent so much time on the floor looking at the area they were dealing with and talking to the installers getting their input. The later two rarely had to redesign their project.
Thank you! I had planned to use the screen approach, but I like the Cobra ridge vent option you noted. I'm resheathing our house, adding exterior insulation, a rain screen, and new siding this summer -- it's time to put into practice so many things I've learned from your channel and your colleagues' channels. Thank you for sharing so much great info!
What do you do about the capillary break where the wood meets the concrete? Does the water not wick up and rot the wood over time, being it appears the strips are sitting right on the concrete?
Coravent is the best practice imho. I like to flash under it and leave a small gap between the coravent and the flashing for air and water to freely go through
I don't like to see the soil level so close to the elevation where wood starts. Give me 18" of foundation showing and a sheet metal termite shield, says me: BrickSaver LLC.
I was wondering how you kept the bugs out. I get wasps nests if the siding is not kept tight and hole free. During a remodel job I found a massive bee nest in the interior of a wall cavity where the original 1961 builders had notched the sheathing and siding around a beam supporting the front porch and left a small hole that you couldn't see from the ground.
I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that mesh roof vent materials severely restrict airflow and shouldn't be used to vent roofs and thus probably not a great choice for this application as well.
With the second system, is it a negative to have end grain on the 1x3 "open" to the mesh - that may have water in it? Not trying to nitpick, just curious.
Steven, in your Cor-A-Vent example, the vent material on the foundation appears to be wider than 3/4", filling the rainscreen void and extending out from the firing. What is the purpose of the Cor-A-Vent outside of the furring? Does this example use (2) layers of Cor-A-Vent stacked horizontally ?
Would the rigid plastic of the Coravent create a bit of a dam when it’s installed flush against the ZIP? Water could trickle down between the ZIP and the Coravent and get suspended in there due to capillary action, no?
How would RockWool work as a drainage material/bug screen in place of the stainless steel mesh or Coravent? If I remember correctly both air and water will transfer through Rockwool, but with the added benefit that no bugs and fire embers will be allowed within the rainscreen spacing.
You will restrict airflow too much and the Rockwool will retain water like a sponge without that airflow. I don't recommend this approach. If you're worried about fire, use Rockwool as your exterior insulation. I wouldn't, but you could change out the furring strips for something non-flammable as well, though it's likely to increase your costs.
With using the coravent, if you run it all the way across the bottom and butt the furring to the top of it, is it stiff enough to attach the starter strip for lap siding to? Was thinking I would need to run the furring all the way down to attach it securely but I am not familiar with using coravent product. Planning to try it with my current project. Thanks for the video!
I'm not in the construction industry, just a random YT commenter, but it seems to me that it wouldn't make any difference to the starter strip, if the 1x3 furring went all the way down, or if it stopped at the top of the Coravent. The bottom of the siding is strong enough that it can extend a little below the bottom of the furring strips. From watching these videos, I believe there does need to be some sort of air gap either below or behind the starter strip. It'd probably look better if the gap was behind the starter strip, so you don't see the gap unless you look up from underneath.
Coravent is strong enough to use as your exclusive rain screen material. It would be expensive, but people do it (their product videos show installs using all Coravent - seems they'd be happy to sell you more...).
Someone can correct me if I am wrong but I believe that it is not necessary. There shouldnt be that much water getting behind your siding to begin with, and when it does, it has ample opportunity to dry which is the whole purpose of the rain screen. Seems like I always see standard lumber being used, not treated or sealed. Of course, you could always go that extra mile anyways for added protection I guess, just not sure it makes sense for the increased cost.
@@brady_morgan agree it just would be that extra mile if it was gonna keep you up at night but yes should dry fine because that’s the point of the rainscreen
@@brady_morgan Had a house with DryVit, if you recall it is outer insulation. Any water that got between the Dryvit and the framing caused mold and rot. I am not a fan of 1x3's. Water does get into the wall cavity one way or the other. A rainscreen is essential, but use a product specifically made for that. See my post above.
@@coasttal123no WRB? I’m not too familiar with the product your referencing but your issue as you stated was water between exterior insulation and framing. Should have WRB either under exterior insulation or over it, people do both ways. With the zip sheathing it’s WRB. So imagine same as furring on tyvek. I mean ya a little bit can get behind the furring let’s say but very minimal. Your siding will drain most water away, and the remainder can flow downwards vertically easier than it getting trapped behind the furring. And whatever wetting does happen it’s not wall framing the zip is the wall sheathing and there’s 2x6 behind, these are just siding attachment and drainage/air flow plane. Moisture forms from wall cavity anyways, trying to make something perfect just doesn’t happen. Its is trying to fight the climate, if you heat or cool and inside and outside are different temps, moisture will form. Nature of the beast.
For the first assembly, wouldn't it have been better to run some Fentrum tape to close the gap between the zip sheathing and foundation, and then done the rain screen?
Not a builder or architect but interested in maybe having a passive house built to retire into. All this stuff is interesting but.. A suggestion for a video. How would SIP construction relate to the principles of the "Perfect Wall"? It seem to me the best system for a house would be an ICF basement foundation with a Metal of Fiber Cement SIPS. (OSB will rot and the house will then fall down.) True? How would you finish it to meet the Perfect Wall standard? Could you? How would you keep it dry? Or am I wrong on this?
I've looked into SIPs and ICF for many years. I used to believe what you mentioned, ICF foundation with SIP wall construction. The best option (in my opinion) is ICF from footers to the roof. It will easily meet passive house ratings without all of the extra labor material steps required by other building methods. In the end it will cost less (due to less labor) and be a stronger build. Like you ... I want to do this for my retirement home.
@@RealTechSkills Unless you live in termite country and it will be hard to get any termite company to warrant your house. Good luck selling the house without a termite warranty here in the southeast.
I think it's best practice to do so, but require is different. I'd love to see Steve opine on this. I spec'ed metal flashing at the base of the wall in my house.
Hi Steve, do you know if its possible to get something like Zip in Europe? Am also aware of the Weatherlogic product from LP, but that also isnt available here.
OMG, a European who wants to build a stick house? You must be from a Nordic country where they build wooden houses. It would be interesting to hear how you are planning to use it. And if the building code enforcement would allow it.
@@markstipulkoski1389 Its a fairly normal construction method up here, I could use SIGA's barriers instead so its not the end of the world, but ZIP/Weatherlogic for sure would be a good solution.
I've had benign comments deleted across a host of channels and done so almost immediately. My guess is that this is a RUclips issue, where the automated checks for spammy or other bad comments are overly aggressive.
@@dosadoodle Why not use a mesh for the whole wall that numerous companies make. Those 1x3's will trap moisture behind them. Joe L. knows this. If numerous companies make rain screens, why, for the life of me, why does Steve and Risinger use 1x3's. They then have to add a bug screen. Just put a mesh rains screen and be done with it. Nobody will warrant that 1x3, but the companies making the mesh screens do warrant them. As a PE, I want the warranty.
@@coasttal123 I think I've seen them feature a mesh rain screen product when there isn't any exterior insulation, but this video was also specifically about the context with battens where there's special treatment at the bottom of the video. I can think of two reasons why I would prefer battens over mesh: 1) Battens work with exterior insulation, while mesh would require long screws or nails for every spot the siding is fastened. Of course, this isn't relevant to at least the first example in this video (maybe to the second? I'm unclear if that is exterior insulation that's shown). 2) I don't know how long of fasteners they are recommending for the siding. If they don't penetrate the full sheathing, then this would help preserves the air barrier when the siding is eventually removed. I also am skeptical that the moisture is really trapped for a concerning period of time behind the 1x3s in most climate zones, because water can soak into the boards and dry out the other side (even if slowly, but I don't think there should be that much water to deal with anyways behind commonly used siding). That all said, I'm certainly not opposed to a mesh screen, even if I personally prefer the idea of 1x3s.
@@dosadoodle I live here in the southeast on the coast. I am a PE and design to the 140 to 150mph range, plus seismic. I see alot of stuff come off a house when doing a remodel and an awful bunch of ugly stuff and wet. Having owned a home many years ago with Dryvit, I personally know what walls without any drainage mat looks like. Those 1x3's in a dark damp environment will trap moisture behind them. The drainage mats just go up with a tack hammer stapler. The hardi board, or hardi panel just nails up to the studs, or screws up. The rainscreen does not compress. It goes up very quickly, and much quicker than puting all those 1x3's up. What warranty do I get with 1x3's? I can specify the mesh rain screen and get warranty backup. Did you see Risinger put the battens on his roof at an angle. Tell me water will not get under those battens. I am going with a mesh rainscreen on my own home. I am also using an R6 ZIP panel. The Hardi stuff will go up over that using 16d spiral shank nails at 3"OC edge, 4"OC field. I also use a product called Quicktie cable system for both upllift and shear.
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I’d like to see a video that compiles all the rain screen “best practices.” This video plus details for window opening rain screen and trim. Door opening rain screen and trim. And top of wall siding and trim detail to allow rain screen to vent. All in one video.
Love the details and big red!!!
So much this. I literally bought 15 boxes of CorAVent today. I'm happy with the current details I've spec'ed, but I wouldn't mind a master class on the subject.
For example, you should put CorAVent at both the bottom AND top of the wall. In addition, the top should leave a 1/4 gap between the CorAVent and the soffit so there's air flow. There's a lot of details this video doesn't cover even for the products mentioned.
@@jonathansage2147 Do you want an engineer, or architect deciding which is best?
@coasttal123 honestly, I'll settle for someone competent, which I believe Steve is. If you're offering an equally competent engineer answering the same question, I'd be happy to hear their take on best practices.
@@coasttal123the problem with may engineers is that they haven’t gotten out of their cubicles to see the actual implementation. I had to deal with two engineers sitting back to back in the same cubical designing a part to go into the exact same place. Two other engineers spent so much time on the floor looking at the area they were dealing with and talking to the installers getting their input. The later two rarely had to redesign their project.
I can't wait to start implementing these rainscreen practices.
Thank you! I had planned to use the screen approach, but I like the Cobra ridge vent option you noted. I'm resheathing our house, adding exterior insulation, a rain screen, and new siding this summer -- it's time to put into practice so many things I've learned from your channel and your colleagues' channels. Thank you for sharing so much great info!
What do you do about the capillary break where the wood meets the concrete? Does the water not wick up and rot the wood over time, being it appears the strips are sitting right on the concrete?
Coravent is the best practice imho. I like to flash under it and leave a small gap between the coravent and the flashing for air and water to freely go through
good stuff here as always. Appreciate it
I don't like to see the soil level so close to the elevation where wood starts. Give me 18" of foundation showing and a sheet metal termite shield, says me: BrickSaver LLC.
I was wondering how you kept the bugs out. I get wasps nests if the siding is not kept tight and hole free. During a remodel job I found a massive bee nest in the interior of a wall cavity where the original 1961 builders had notched the sheathing and siding around a beam supporting the front porch and left a small hole that you couldn't see from the ground.
I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that mesh roof vent materials severely restrict airflow and shouldn't be used to vent roofs and thus probably not a great choice for this application as well.
Don’t tell Cora-vent that. That’s what they sell the stuff for.
@@pcatful I don't think cora-vent has fibrous mesh in their rain screen shields.
MTI dry has some great products as well
With the second system, is it a negative to have end grain on the 1x3 "open" to the mesh - that may have water in it? Not trying to nitpick, just curious.
Steven, in your Cor-A-Vent example, the vent material on the foundation appears to be wider than 3/4", filling the rainscreen void and extending out from the firing. What is the purpose of the Cor-A-Vent outside of the furring? Does this example use (2) layers of Cor-A-Vent stacked horizontally ?
Here we commonly use perforated aluminum "J" or "L" channel. 10 foot strips.
Would the rigid plastic of the Coravent create a bit of a dam when it’s installed flush against the ZIP? Water could trickle down between the ZIP and the Coravent and get suspended in there due to capillary action, no?
No
Steve, the black product & black tape details are impossible to see in this video. It just looks like a single piece of black tape.
How would RockWool work as a drainage material/bug screen in place of the stainless steel mesh or Coravent?
If I remember correctly both air and water will transfer through Rockwool, but with the added benefit that no bugs and fire embers will be allowed within the rainscreen spacing.
I think water beads up on Rockwool. If that's right, it's probably not likely to flow through very easily and may hold water in place.
You will restrict airflow too much and the Rockwool will retain water like a sponge without that airflow. I don't recommend this approach.
If you're worried about fire, use Rockwool as your exterior insulation. I wouldn't, but you could change out the furring strips for something non-flammable as well, though it's likely to increase your costs.
With using the coravent, if you run it all the way across the bottom and butt the furring to the top of it, is it stiff enough to attach the starter strip for lap siding to? Was thinking I would need to run the furring all the way down to attach it securely but I am not familiar with using coravent product. Planning to try it with my current project. Thanks for the video!
I'm not in the construction industry, just a random YT commenter, but it seems to me that it wouldn't make any difference to the starter strip, if the 1x3 furring went all the way down, or if it stopped at the top of the Coravent. The bottom of the siding is strong enough that it can extend a little below the bottom of the furring strips. From watching these videos, I believe there does need to be some sort of air gap either below or behind the starter strip. It'd probably look better if the gap was behind the starter strip, so you don't see the gap unless you look up from underneath.
Coravent is strong enough to use as your exclusive rain screen material. It would be expensive, but people do it (their product videos show installs using all Coravent - seems they'd be happy to sell you more...).
Steve, would it be wise to zip tape the 1x3 furring strips to prevent any water infiltration and decay
Doing a fluid applied would probably be a lot easier. Or just use pressure treated boards
Someone can correct me if I am wrong but I believe that it is not necessary. There shouldnt be that much water getting behind your siding to begin with, and when it does, it has ample opportunity to dry which is the whole purpose of the rain screen. Seems like I always see standard lumber being used, not treated or sealed. Of course, you could always go that extra mile anyways for added protection I guess, just not sure it makes sense for the increased cost.
@@brady_morgan agree it just would be that extra mile if it was gonna keep you up at night but yes should dry fine because that’s the point of the rainscreen
@@brady_morgan Had a house with DryVit, if you recall it is outer insulation. Any water that got between the Dryvit and the framing caused mold and rot. I am not a fan of 1x3's. Water does get into the wall cavity one way or the other. A rainscreen is essential, but use a product specifically made for that. See my post above.
@@coasttal123no WRB? I’m not too familiar with the product your referencing but your issue as you stated was water between exterior insulation and framing.
Should have WRB either under exterior insulation or over it, people do both ways.
With the zip sheathing it’s WRB. So imagine same as furring on tyvek.
I mean ya a little bit can get behind the furring let’s say but very minimal.
Your siding will drain most water away, and the remainder can flow downwards vertically easier than it getting trapped behind the furring.
And whatever wetting does happen it’s not wall framing the zip is the wall sheathing and there’s 2x6 behind, these are just siding attachment and drainage/air flow plane.
Moisture forms from wall cavity anyways, trying to make something perfect just doesn’t happen.
Its is trying to fight the climate, if you heat or cool and inside and outside are different temps, moisture will form. Nature of the beast.
Is Cora-vent as good for insects? Larger openings?
For the first assembly, wouldn't it have been better to run some Fentrum tape to close the gap between the zip sheathing and foundation, and then done the rain screen?
100% agree. Zip tape is not suitable for use on concrete.
Liquid flashing
Does the convent need to be held up a little to allow air in?
Not a builder or architect but interested in maybe having a passive house built to retire into. All this stuff is interesting but.. A suggestion for a video. How would SIP construction relate to the principles of the "Perfect Wall"? It seem to me the best system for a house would be an ICF basement foundation with a Metal of Fiber Cement SIPS. (OSB will rot and the house will then fall down.) True? How would you finish it to meet the Perfect Wall standard? Could you? How would you keep it dry? Or am I wrong on this?
I've looked into SIPs and ICF for many years. I used to believe what you mentioned, ICF foundation with SIP wall construction. The best option (in my opinion) is ICF from footers to the roof. It will easily meet passive house ratings without all of the extra labor material steps required by other building methods. In the end it will cost less (due to less labor) and be a stronger build. Like you ... I want to do this for my retirement home.
@@RealTechSkills Unless you live in termite country and it will be hard to get any termite company to warrant your house. Good luck selling the house without a termite warranty here in the southeast.
@coasttal123 : there are ways to protect ICF from termites, but you have to factor that in during the planning stages of a new ICF build
Liked#48 N Subscribed!!!
Do either of these approaches require a metal flashing drip edge?
I think it's best practice to do so, but require is different. I'd love to see Steve opine on this. I spec'ed metal flashing at the base of the wall in my house.
👍🤠
Hi Steve, do you know if its possible to get something like Zip in Europe? Am also aware of the Weatherlogic product from LP, but that also isnt available here.
Wow, that sucks!!! ZIP is such an awesome product!!!!
OMG, a European who wants to build a stick house? You must be from a Nordic country where they build wooden houses. It would be interesting to hear how you are planning to use it. And if the building code enforcement would allow it.
@@markstipulkoski1389 Its a fairly normal construction method up here, I could use SIGA's barriers instead so its not the end of the world, but ZIP/Weatherlogic for sure would be a good solution.
Let the bugs in! More they nest = better R value 😂
So you deleted my comments
I've had benign comments deleted across a host of channels and done so almost immediately. My guess is that this is a RUclips issue, where the automated checks for spammy or other bad comments are overly aggressive.
@@dosadoodle Why not use a mesh for the whole wall that numerous companies make. Those 1x3's will trap moisture behind them. Joe L. knows this. If numerous companies make rain screens, why, for the life of me, why does Steve and Risinger use 1x3's. They then have to add a bug screen. Just put a mesh rains screen and be done with it. Nobody will warrant that 1x3, but the companies making the mesh screens do warrant them. As a PE, I want the warranty.
@@coasttal123 I think I've seen them feature a mesh rain screen product when there isn't any exterior insulation, but this video was also specifically about the context with battens where there's special treatment at the bottom of the video.
I can think of two reasons why I would prefer battens over mesh:
1) Battens work with exterior insulation, while mesh would require long screws or nails for every spot the siding is fastened. Of course, this isn't relevant to at least the first example in this video (maybe to the second? I'm unclear if that is exterior insulation that's shown).
2) I don't know how long of fasteners they are recommending for the siding. If they don't penetrate the full sheathing, then this would help preserves the air barrier when the siding is eventually removed.
I also am skeptical that the moisture is really trapped for a concerning period of time behind the 1x3s in most climate zones, because water can soak into the boards and dry out the other side (even if slowly, but I don't think there should be that much water to deal with anyways behind commonly used siding).
That all said, I'm certainly not opposed to a mesh screen, even if I personally prefer the idea of 1x3s.
@@dosadoodle I live here in the southeast on the coast. I am a PE and design to the 140 to 150mph range, plus seismic. I see alot of stuff come off a house when doing a remodel and an awful bunch of ugly stuff and wet. Having owned a home many years ago with Dryvit, I personally know what walls without any drainage mat looks like. Those 1x3's in a dark damp environment will trap moisture behind them. The drainage mats just go up with a tack hammer stapler. The hardi board, or hardi panel just nails up to the studs, or screws up. The rainscreen does not compress. It goes up very quickly, and much quicker than puting all those 1x3's up. What warranty do I get with 1x3's? I can specify the mesh rain screen and get warranty backup. Did you see Risinger put the battens on his roof at an angle. Tell me water will not get under those battens. I am going with a mesh rainscreen on my own home. I am also using an R6 ZIP panel. The Hardi stuff will go up over that using 16d spiral shank nails at 3"OC edge, 4"OC field. I also use a product called Quicktie cable system for both upllift and shear.