I’m replacing a drip cap along where a bottom row of siding meets the brick veneer around the bottom of a house. The old wooden drip cap had rotted out, and I’m replacing it with Never Rot. The brick is partially beveled with just enough flat area to hold the drip cap.
The original drip cap had been caulked where the siding meets the top of the cap. This gives it a nice look, but doesn’t that prevent any water that gets behind the siding from being able to drain out proporly? I think this is what contributed to the first drip cap being so rotted.
Mr. homeowner disagree’s, and say’s the caulk would do more good than harm by preventing water from working it’s way back up under that bottom row of siding.
He also possed a good question about the lip that sticks up on the back of the drip cap itself – why is it so small? Each corse of siding is overlaped by at least an inch by the one above it, so why is there only a 1/4 inch lip on the back of the drip cap to go under the siding above. It doesn’t seem like much there to keep water from splashing up behind it during heavy rain.
So far, all the drip caps I have seen are the same profile. Are there any other that have a higher lip across the top back of them?
I’ve just completed the replacement of a large section of rotted band joist just underneth where this siding / drip cap / brick transition is taking place, so we’re both interested in getting this drip cap thing done right.
Replies
i'm not understanding quite how the brick is involved, 'cause I don't work around that much brick veneer.
but one rule is that you never caulk a horizontal joint , only the verticle ones.
Forget the rule for a minute and pose a comnparison - do I want to stop water dropm running uphill by caulking it, or stop water from running downhill by caulking it. Which way is water more likely to run?
Downhill - so let it run without trapping it.
Where there is a concern for wind drivin moisture, you back it up with ice and water shield or a prebent mewtal cap that is taller - or both.
where we usually use this milling is above windows where we add the metal also, or above a water table base board. There, the base is applied with tarpaper behind it, and shims from 3/8" to 3/4" set vertically every 12" or 16" . This provides a drain plane so water is not an issue.
The reason the milled lip edge is so small is that it is there mostly for a shim, to hold the first piece of siding out att he proper angle and you don't have to rip a top edge off the siding for a starter course.
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"but one rule is that you never caulk a horizontal joint"I asked a similiar question on here a few years ago. It led to a rather long discussion with more agreeing that one SHOULD caulk the top of the drip cap than not.At first, I was thinking one shouldn't either...but there were several arguments that made sense for doing it. The main was that the drip cap isn't flashing...it's not necessarily meant to drain water from behind the siding...it's main perpose is to provide a lip for water to drip from...reducing the amount of water running down the window frame/window.Since I was retrofitting on a stucco house, I knew I couldn't accurately get it fully behind the stucco anyways, do I did end up going the caulked route.Not saying that's right/wrong...as with most things, you're going to get answers from both sides. Just tossing out another POV.
heres a drawing of what I'm working on.
I'll look for a peice of bent metal flashing that can go under and behind the drip edge.
thanks,
st
I'll try agian with the drawing...
damn computers...
The house is built on a basement foundation. The outside of the mudsill, band joist and all that are flush with the concrete basement wall. The brickwork, which is thicker than the siding, comes up about 2 feet off the ground, then switches to cedar lap siding. The top of the brick is flat, wide enough to hold the drip cap, then beveled down for water run off.
would love to show the picture I just spent 15 minutes drawing, but...
After you hit the attach files button and bropwse to select it, you have to hit the "upload' button and then WAIT for the name of the file to appear in th eattachments box, signifying that Prospero has a hold of it. only then do you say "Done" to close that window and then post the message with the attachment.
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You talking about a house that is brick veneer 3' up and siding set on top?
yep, you got it.
Just bend what you want. don't need both.
got to keep the look of the milled drip cap on this one.
Not sure of the profile you are after but seems like you could make it one piece.
standard wooden drip cap profile. I'm not having any luck today with attachments or I show a picture.
I thought about glueing up some azek and milling one myself, but that would get expesive.
Unless owner is dead set on wood that profile could be bent with coil stock. One place I deal with if I buy their coil, They let me use their brake for free. put wood under for support.
Here are some similar details.but always leave the water a way to drain out. Caulking this will trap water that gets into the wall system above and stop if from draining out.
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