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Shop Class

How-To

Part 1: Prepare a Rough Opening for a Nail-Fin Window Over Zip System Sheathing

Use a piece of bevel siding and some carefully fitted pieces of Zip System tape to flash the sheathing to the framing.

By Jake Bruton

Installing a nail-fin window in a wall sheathed with Zip System has become one of the most common installation situations in residential construction, yet it’s still often done incorrectly. A good installation begins with prep work on the rough opening, with a goal of protecting the moisture-sensitive framing materials, and ultimately the interior of the house. In the video, builder Jake Bruton shows how to use flashing tape to protect your windowsill as well as his preferred method of flashing that uses one piece of stretch tape to extend from one side of the window all the way to the other. Jake’s preferred method avoids the small pinhole gap created at the corner of the windowsill when using normal flashing tape because the stretch tape allows for the user to simply pull the tape down and cover the entire corner, leaving no room for water to get trapped. Jake then uses a simple technique with regular flashing tape to treat the sides and top of the window. Each side requires slightly different treatments to completely protect the frame of the building, but Jake’s demonstration makes the process very straightforward.

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Videos in the Series

  • Part 1: Prepare a Rough Opening for a Nail-Fin Window Over Zip System Sheathing

    Use a piece of bevel siding and some carefully fitted pieces of Zip System tape to flash the sheathing to the framing.

  • Part 2: Install a Nail-Fin Window in a Wall With Zip System Sheathing

    Run a bead of sealant around the sides and top of the rough opening before setting, squaring up, and fastening the window to the framing.

  • Part 3: Flash a Nail-Fin Window in a Wall With Zip System Sheathing

    Wrap the sides and head of the installed window with Zip System tape, but leave the bottom flange of the window untaped for drainage.

  • Part 4: Air-Seal and Insulate a Nail-Fin Window in a Wall With Zip System Sheathing

    Spray foam and high-quality sealant bridge all of the gaps between the framing, shims, and window for a durable and energy-efficient installation.

  • Have a different type of wall? Check out the full video series

    See additional window-flashing details for walls with Exterior Rigid Foam, Housewrap, Peel-and-stick Membranes, and Fluid-applied WRBs

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About This Video Series

As we add thicker insulation and more water-sensitive materials to the walls of our houses, it becomes increasingly important to detail our exterior walls to keep water out. Window flashing is one of the parts of a house where this matters most. Getting flashing details right for the common nail-fin-style window means making leakproof transitions between the water-resistive barrier (WRB) and the flanges that fasten the window to the wall. In this Fine Homebuilding Shop… More about this Video Series

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More Shop Class

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  • Installing ZIP System Sheathing: Rough Openings with Liquid Applied

    Installing ZIP System Sheathing: Rough Openings With Liquid-Applied Flashing

  • Installing ZIP System Sheathing: Rough Openings with Tape

    Installing ZIP System Sheathing: Rough Openings With Flashing Tape

  • Installing ZIP System Sheathing: Penetrations

    Installing ZIP System Sheathing: Sealing Penetrations

  • Installing ZIP System Sheathing: Sheathing to Foundation Connection

    Installing ZIP System Sheathing: Sheathing-to-Foundation Connection

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