I have a deck contractor working at my house and in our contract, he stated that he would use copper flashing at the deck. Now he says he wants to use vinyl. He says that vinyl is better and is warranted for 100 years, blah blah blah. He also says the copper flashing sold today is not as thick as it should be to flash properly.
Should I hold him to the copper?
Replies
MOre than likely between the time he quoted you the price of the deck and the time at which he went to buy copper, he discovered copper price had escalated into unbelievable heights.
You can do as you wish regarding the flashing, although I believe copper is superior, vinyl might do as well.
If you elect to go the vinyl route, insist on a change order to compensate you for the reduction in price, and labor for the installation. (The copper would have probably been custom made on site with a brake, whereas the vinyl probably comes ready to install - if he is using the same stuff we have at our local HD.)
"I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul." Invictus, by Henley.
cold and UV stomps the snot out of vynal flashing...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
There is a slight chance he's telling the truth--a lot of lumberyards are carrying a self-stick copper flashing that's about as thick as aluminum foil. He might have to go to a roofing supplier to get 16oz copper.
Yes, but if you're a gentleman, give him a break and ask him if the price of copper is much different than his estimate. If its been a while since he's bought any, you might want to give him the benefit and not make him 'eat' his underbid. Yes, he should have checked, but some guys trust their memory a bit too much sometimes. Depending on the temperature swings in your area, vinyl, over time, is often a real bad idea.
And FWIW, the cost of the copper drip/edge mold on my roof, the gutters and downspouts that I had installed 1 1/2 years ago now cost almost 3 times what I paid then. I guess the Chinese just like copper!
BruceM
chinese have been building that masive dam project for hydroelectric power and then will be building 20-30 nucler facilities to make electricity. Traaansmission lines covering the country to bring it into the twentifirst century from the fifteenth will use a lot of copper.
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If it's because of the price how old is his estimate? Right nnow it's hard to gaurantee prices for 2 weeks nevermind 30 days. I've used aluminum flashing on decks and it works perfect. Ask him about that instead of copper.
Headstrong, I'll take on anyone!
"I've used aluminum flashing on decks and it works perfect. Ask him about that instead of copper."Only if he wants to redo it in 2 years.
Whats the problem with aluminum? We use it everywhere else on a house.
Headstrong, I'll take on anyone!
You can't be serious.
FWIW
Around here they use this product for copper flashing. Runs about 60 bucks a roll.
http://www.homes.h-b.com/copper-termite-shield.html
Then why not use stainless on it? Someone must make it. We only use stainless nails.
Headstrong, I'll take on anyone!
the bottom talks about aluminum
http://www.sutherlands.com/acq.htm
AL should definitely not be in contact with aany PT lumber though. I don't know the ret of the deck design
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Ther are places I have lived and aluminum is used a lot. Other places it would not have lasted very long. Near the ocean I would never use it.
Never had a problem with copper to copper.
Mixing metals is the only problem I'm aware of.
Copper is fine. Aluminum is not.
If you'll be using a snow shovel, the vinyl won't last a year
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I hope that the flashing doesn't get hit by a snowshovel.
That would mean someone stole the planks off the top of it. :)
More than one way to do flashing
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Agreed, more than one way to skin a cat.
I have only seen vinyl flashing that is shaped like a Z. And that gets covered by the first plank.
If there is another vinyl flashing that doesn't get covered by siding and deck planks I haven't seen it, and wouldn't use it even if it was free. Not durable enough.
Around here they sell a flexible vinyl flashing that comes in a roll maybe 14" wide and is about 80 mils thick. I have never used it, but it looks like a good product. Not cheap but a lot less than the "new" copper price.
My lumber salesmen told me the other day that he went to a sales meeting with a large manufacturer of PT lumber and it was announced that they were coming out with a new PT lumber that doesn't have the corrosion to metal issues that ACQ has.
- Edited for spelling -
Edited 10/2/2006 7:35 am ET by Matt
The chinese are building a copper dam? Sounds extravagant. I guess that's better than a vinyl dam.
Seems like every construction issue somehow relates to the dam Chinese dam.
FYI: I am going to go with copper. The contractor was OK wid dat.
The copper in the PT goes after other types of metal except SS. The new ACQ requires hot dipped galv or SS for joist hangers and either copper flashing or other flashing that is rated for ACQ. Most products that are ok for it will state on it approved for ACQ or something like that. The one thing you could do is use Grace's vycor or decking membrane and put that on the joist and the sheathing before then you can use aluminum since it is not in contact with the PT.
Moisture speed the corrosion. However, I replaced a small 12x10 deck on my sisters place this past spring and built a much larger deck. The small deck was flashed with aluminum and I saw no signs of corrosion and the house has no gutters and a large roof dumps water on the deck. I didn't see anything but I wouldn't take a chance, the new one has approved flashing.