prevent exterior stubwalls water damage
BruceT999
| Posted in Construction Techniques on
I am bidding on replacing five 6’8″ x 10′ stubwalls that separate patios at a beachfront condo property. Original walls are rotting from water getting in under the rough-cut 2×6 cap.
City requires they be re-built similar to original; 2×4 framing, 1/2″ drywall covered with 3/8 plywood and shingled to match building; rough 2×8 cap with 1×3 rough trim under its bottom edge. Stubwalls join condo wall at back end and are bolted to wrought iron fence at front end.
There appears to have been no water-resistant material under the 2×8 cap.
What do you guys recommend? Tyvek? Moistop? 20lb felt? something else?
Thanks,
BruceT
Replies
If I were doing this for myself I'd use steel framing and something other than drywall for the surface. In one problem area of my house I replaced "brownboard" sheathing with 1/2" cement board (tile backer). For your situation there's a form of gypsum sheathing (intended as a stucco base, I believe) that might work as well or better, and likely treated lumber would suffice for the framing.
Also, I'd wrap the top edge with rubber membrane (over the walls, under the top course of shingles, on top of the course below that), and use it liberally in other areas. (This of course means that you need to do this while shingling and before the cap is installed.)
Of course, that's for my own repairs, where I'd rather spend twice the time/money to avoid having to do it again. You're bidding, and costs are a concern, I suspect.
happy?
I might not be understanding this.
But I gather that the this is just an exposed wall with nothing to protect it from the weather at the top except 2x8 cap on the flat.
If so I don't think that you can get much weather protection from felt or tyvec across the top.
I think that what you need to do is to put drip edges on the cap so that water does not run across the bottom into the wall.