How To Make Window Flashing

As a follow up to last week's Window Leak video, here's how to install and order a Window Head Flashing.

Huge thanks to our sponsors Marvin Windows, DAP, Cosella-Dörken, and Sugatsune for helping to make these videos possible!

For more information on their products visit them in the links below:

[michaelc.]

Matt, great job and thanks. I had watched the master, Tommy Silva, over at TOH (YouTube), but he didn’t show any of the critical flashing details. But you DID. Thanks, and God bless.

[allannielsen]

Sorry Matt. Your end dam would fail in BC. End dam must be bread panned here no pin holes. Also the height of en dams can vary here depending on DWRP ratings for regions. From 1/2” up to 1 1/4”.

[capitalcitypunishmen]

Check your local building codes before trying anything like this. This practice will probably fail inspection in most areas that recive any amount of annual rainfall. A much better way to do this is with bends and folds, elimintaing the need for caulking

[TheHughess]

So, do you flash over the window and over the trim?
Thanks-

[gabrielvarona]

Very appreciated video. Proper window flashing should include drip cap installation to make homeowners aware of this relevant step and avoid costly errors when installing sidings and windows

[mbishton]

Hey Matt, nice demo, but I can't believe you didn't go ahead and counter flash the head flashing with some good flashing tape, as you know, is critical to prevent water from running in behind the flashing wall flange. I inspect houses & find head flashing missing over 'brick molding' trimmed doors 60+% of the time and when it is installed, counter flashing is missing 50% of the

[joeluna]

Hi Matt! What’s the company in Austin that you recommend for making the flashing? Thanks!

[desmo]

We bought a 30 year old house with vintage-style single-pane windows and wooden sills. Started noticing most of the sills rotting where the horns meet the sill wall, the inside corner. In some cases the rot extended down into the framing. After a lot of head scratching, determined it was caused by head flashing -- which did have the little kick-up dams, but never had or no longer had the little beads of sealant adjacent to the dams. So the flashing worked like a diverter to channel rain to the side and under the window trim. Most of the head flashing isn't perfectly level left-to-right, and may even have some draft toward the house, both of which make matters worse. So we're talking about the potential for a tremendous amount of water being channeled under the trim and down. And basically what makes the difference are two little marble-sized beads of sealant that need to hold up for decades. We didn't know, probably like most homeowners, that re-applying that sealant was one of the most critical maintenance items required of us.

Our windows were otherwise "flashed" with house wrap only. No tape, no fancy sill pans, etc. Apparently in 1990 the trade didn't add those as standard, because many houses I've seen pre 1995 or so have poorly flashed windows. Even with 5 layers of flashing tape, though, I wouldn't want a lot of water under the trim and siding. So, beware the head flashing. Not saying to go without, but to be aware of and mitigate potential failure modes of every single construction sequence, and in doing so remember that material performance, like sealant, decay over time and may need to be part of a maintenance program.

[bob_frazier]

Thank you! The specifics and little touches like the side dam are what I like best about your awesome channel. Come build my house in Oregon next spring!

[NDcompetitiveshooter]

Summary: How to make window flashing: I don't. I order it.

[thegungorillas]

here in FL there are instances where using a non-PT board and capping the entire board with a painted (powder coated)aluminum coil. we make all our own bends and flashing. I noticed you were using galvanized, do you have rust issues on the ends you cut as they are not finished?

[cahoonm]

Matt can you share who makes your flashing for you in AUSTIN? I am looking for good supplier.

[powshredder]

Do a bread pan fold and skip the dab of sealant .

[nextdevelopments]

Great detail. I extend mine out 5mm and bend down, but I like the dam cause it will stop the cladding getting that runoff.

[krug]

How refreshing to find a video and presenter that are clear and efficient, well done. Thank you

[Ashes_Boomstick]

I live in Austin, what's the name of the Austin flashing company?

[bcdemon]

Thanks for the end dam tip 👍
I'll wrap the dam around the back of the upstand, the you're just left with the hated pin hole lol.

[kanetao]

This is kind of funny. After all these years of anti-house wrap soap boxing, it's funny to see crew installing Tyvek in the background.

[JoshPiland]

Great stuff--you packed a lot into 00:04:34 Matt! Does anyone have a preference for metal type?

[twinsenw]

Matt, what company in Austin do you use to make your custom flashing?