My shop addition (21'x60' added on to an existing 40'x60') has been complete
for a year and after many trips by the contractor it still leaks at the
windows. I do want to mention that of the 21x60 feet, 21x24 is for the
machinery. Installed radiant tubes in the concrete slab and heavily
insulated walls and ceiling. The remaining 21x36 is finished space with
carpeting, drywall, pool table, 9 pinballs, juke box, piano, saxophone,
popcorn machine,etc. In other words I cannot tolerate leaks. BTW, metal
siding.
Everyone of the six windows has had some degree of leakage. The
manufacturer admits that using "C" channels and flashing is not enough to
seal the windows. Seems like the top "C" channel catches the water but when
it goes down the side "C"'s there is no incentive for the water to jump back
out to the exterior of the metal siding. The only solution has been to add
more and more caulking around the windows.

I would like to take some spare siding (corrugated metal) and make simple
bent awnings over each window so the only place I would ever have to caulk
would be the 'awning-siding' interface. I would like to, for example, place
a 6 foot long awning a few inches above one of the 5 foot windows. If it
were not for the corrugations I would simply bend a 30° to 45° angle in a
10"x72" strip about 2 inches in from the long edge. BUT because of the
corrugations this is not a simple bend. Seems like my choices are to make
it up from 2 pieces, scribed together, and MIG them together. Of course I
would have to remove galvanizing and repaint the whole assembly. Lots of
work times 6 windows.

Anybody have a better idea?

Thanks,

Ivan Vegvary, in wet Oregon

Ivan Vegvary wrote:

Anybody have a better idea?

Thanks,

Ivan Vegvary, in wet Oregon

Sounds like a crap building job - he should have known better, assuming
he lives/works in the area....

mm - how about getting some siding same profile as the walls, (assuming
its steel/colurbond/zincalume) notching out the ridges to the depth of
the wall ridges, folding along this line at 45 degrees (or whatever)
and then riveting it to the wall. Then cover with a line of "flash tac"
- its whats its called here, anyway - made by 3M, used for sealing
round airconditioners etc. Heavy foil one side, bituminous tape the
other.

It works - had the same problem here with the workshop door, the idiot
who assembled the shed (not me!) didnt do the frame square, so theres
a 0.5 inch gap one end. it leaked ......

Andrew VK3BFA.

mm - how about getting some siding same profile as the walls, (assuming
its steel/colurbond/zincalume) notching out the ridges to the depth of
the wall ridges, folding along this line at 45 degrees (or whatever)
and then riveting it to the wall.

Thanks Andrew! I do have metal of the same profile. I was going to cut,
hold at 45° angle and then scribe. But your method of notching out the
ridges sounds a lot easier. Thank you.

Ivan Vegvary

"Ivan Vegvary" wrote in message
news:CdWFf.123689$7l4.28668@trnddc05...
My shop addition (21'x60' added on to an existing 40'x60') has been
complete
for a year and after many trips by the contractor it still leaks at the
windows. I do want to mention that of the 21x60 feet, 21x24 is for the
machinery. Installed radiant tubes in the concrete slab and heavily
insulated walls and ceiling. The remaining 21x36 is finished space with
carpeting, drywall, pool table, 9 pinballs, juke box, piano, saxophone,
popcorn machine,etc. In other words I cannot tolerate leaks. BTW, metal
siding.
Everyone of the six windows has had some degree of leakage. The
manufacturer admits that using "C" channels and flashing is not enough to
seal the windows. Seems like the top "C" channel catches the water but
when
it goes down the side "C"'s there is no incentive for the water to jump
back
out to the exterior of the metal siding. The only solution has been to
add
more and more caulking around the windows.

I would like to take some spare siding (corrugated metal) and make simple
bent awnings over each window so the only place I would ever have to caulk
would be the 'awning-siding' interface. I would like to, for example,
place
a 6 foot long awning a few inches above one of the 5 foot windows. If it
were not for the corrugations I would simply bend a 30° to 45° angle in a
10"x72" strip about 2 inches in from the long edge. BUT because of the
corrugations this is not a simple bend. Seems like my choices are to make
it up from 2 pieces, scribed together, and MIG them together. Of course I
would have to remove galvanizing and repaint the whole assembly. Lots of
work times 6 windows.

Anybody have a better idea?

Thanks,

Ivan Vegvary, in wet Oregon

Remove the siding above the windows, install a drip cap, which is a simple
flashing under the siding and extending out over the top of the window with
a slope to direct water away from the window frame.

/
___/
/

Kinda like this ASCII art for a section. It should have been done from the
get-go. I've been installing windows for 30 years and not one leaker. Get
the contractor to do it. He screwed up.
Tom

"Tom Wait" wrote in message
. com...

Remove the siding above the windows, install a drip cap, which is a simple
flashing under the siding and extending out over the top of the window
with
a slope to direct water away from the window frame.

/
___/
/

Kinda like this ASCII art for a section. It should have been done from the
get-go. I've been installing windows for 30 years and not one leaker. Get
the contractor to do it. He screwed up.
Tom

Tom, thanks for the drip cap idea. It would be nice if I could install the
drip cap past the left and right edges of the window. I suppose I could
just use some RTV at those corners. Your drip cap idea sounds like a good
solution and would also look a lot better.

Ivan

In article RV9Gf.144276$7l4.58837@trnddc05,
"Ivan Vegvary" wrote:

Tom, thanks for the drip cap idea. It would be nice if I could install the
drip cap past the left and right edges of the window. I suppose I could
just use some RTV at those corners. Your drip cap idea sounds like a good
solution and would also look a lot better.

If the siding is installed correctly, you can. If it's not, your
contractor should fix that, too. Welcome to "why I'm doing my own work
on my shop, even though I'm very slow and it's not exactly fun anymore".
I've contracted out three items, and two of them have left me
disinclined to contract out more, as doing the job right was evidently
not a priority for the contractors. The guy who did it right did his
part right in spades, but it's a total crapshoot.

--
Cats, coffee, chocolate...vices to live by

"Ivan Vegvary" wrote in message
news:RV9Gf.144276$7l4.58837@trnddc05...

"Tom Wait" wrote in message
. com...

Remove the siding above the windows, install a drip cap, which is a
simple
flashing under the siding and extending out over the top of the window
with
a slope to direct water away from the window frame.

/
___/
/

Kinda like this ASCII art for a section. It should have been done from
the
get-go. I've been installing windows for 30 years and not one leaker.
Get
the contractor to do it. He screwed up.
Tom

Tom, thanks for the drip cap idea. It would be nice if I could install
the
drip cap past the left and right edges of the window.

You can, I usually do. It only takes a 1/4" or so. You can also turn down
the ends of the drip cap at the corners of the window. These turned down
flaps are over the side channels. If the siding and accesories are installed
correcetly, that is from the bottom up, and lapped over, there will be no
leaks. Its hard to do it after the fact.
Tom

"Ecnerwal" wrote in message
...
snip--------

If the siding is installed correctly, you can. If it's not, your
contractor should fix that, too. Welcome to "why I'm doing my own work
on my shop, even though I'm very slow and it's not exactly fun anymore".
I've contracted out three items, and two of them have left me
disinclined to contract out more, as doing the job right was evidently
not a priority for the contractors. The guy who did it right did his
part right in spades, but it's a total crapshoot.

You said a mouth full. I've been involved in building projects for several
years now----and I've concluded that If I want it done right, I have to do
it myself. The chances of hitting on a good craftsman, even with
references, is way too hard to accomplish. It definitely is a crap shoot.

I'm slow as can be, and hardly a master of all trades, but I can do the
work----to MY satisfaction (and it meets or exceeds code). Far too many
have no pride in what they do and are interested in grabbing the money and
getting lost. One such even left some of his tools behind. I always
wanted a stainless drywall pan and knife! g

Harold.