47) Exterior Finishing Details

The amount of detail required to ensure a breathable but water-shedding building envelope is breath-taking. I had no idea.

building wrap, band board with custom flashing

We’re using a building wrap, Vaproshield, that eliminates the need for two layers of building paper. But, even directly under eaves, we need a window flashing above the window frame as well as above the window trim just above the window frame! Flashing everywhere: we asked Steve the roofer to bend some colour-coordinated copper-like flashing for above the band-board. I think it looks very handsome. All cedar corners and flashing cuts need to have sealant at the joins.

Lower window trim needs to be beveled and sealed so the water washes off.

trim dado-ed to insert shingles

We have elected to have 2×4 cedar window trim. Ron had the brilliant idea to dado out a groove in the side of the 2×4 to slip the shingles under, so there is not so much fussy-cutting required.

First soffit and first row of shingles

Ron and Ian moved the chop saw right up onto the scaffolding, to custom fit each shingle. They are masters at efficiency, always figuring out jigs, pulleys, systems.

D stains trim

I have been painting the 1×6 pine tongue & groove soffit material with clear finish. One of the tenets of energy conservation is to use light-coloured finishes to reflect the available light, so you don’t need so much artificial light. The eaves are deep, so we will be able to see the soffits from inside through all the windows. The light finish should help to brighten any reflected light.

The pine includes some beetle-stained pine (branded “Denim Pine”) from BC’s interior and is milled/shaped in North Vancouver, close by for lower carbon footprint.

Tagged as: building envelope, Building Wrap, Denim Pine, efficiency, energy conservation, flashing, local building materials, Pine Beetle wood, rain screen, shingles, soffit, sourcing locally, Vaproshield, window trim