Despite having a fairly restrained scope and number of products, it’s hard to not be impressed with the continued innovation of a company like Huber Engineered Woods. Much of their success being built (literally, perhaps) on their unbelievably weather-resistant line of Advantech subfloor sheathing, the company then thumbed their nose at Mother Nature just a bit more forcefully with the introduction of Zip System sheathing and tape in 2007, challenging the housewrap-dominated world of residential construction. Now, they have managed to round out their offerings with a new Zip System flashing tape–Stretch Tape–that is as fascinatingly fun to play with as it is functional.
The function of the acrylic tape is simple: Stretch Tape is designed to weatherize those areas of a house that straight flashing tapes can’t easily protect. Yes, I know DuPont has had FlexWrap on the market for years. I’ve used it many times, and I have no hesitation in saying that the new Zip System variety is a major improvement.
This Stretch Tape can be manipulated in all four directions, and it sticks tenaciously to the framing, yet is forgiving enough that it can be easily repositioned for adjustments, or pulled apart if it sticks to itself during installation. And my favorite part: unlike asphalt based tapes, you can install this acrylic tape in temperatures as low as 20 degrees Fahrenheit, and even then you don’t need to use cap nails to hold it in position around window rough openings. Just stick, roll it out, and it’s bonded.
But this tape isn’t just for windows, and the company says that early adopters of the new product have been saying that they just like to have a roll on the jobsite for any last minute flashing problems that arise. After all, sealing a penetration for plumbing, electrical, ducting, or other holes in the wall that don’t have the benefit of an integrated flange can be a nightmare to weatherize with conventional products. This tape is so flexible that I was seeing it easily stretched around even small diameter electrical conduit or copper pipe during demonstrations, with not even a slight sign of difficulty.
The new Stretch Tape is available in 6″ wide rolls, and the company tells me they’re aiming to have a 9″ wide version later this year (which would be ideal for flashing openings in 2×6 walls). To me, this is just one more feather in the cap of a company that really understands what builders are up against out there in the real world.
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Meet the newest member of the Zip System family: a flexible flashing tape that will make all of those hard-to-flash areas a piece of cake.
