Last time we completed the skeleton of Bob’s new roof. Now it needs a skin. Our goal is to create an impermeable barrier through which no water can pass.

On the drip edge (running along the base of the roof) and the rake edges (running up the sides), aluminum flashing gets the job done. We use a special extruded product called, aptly enough, drip edge. Hans and I installed the product with roofing nails, overlapping edges so water will slide downhill and not get stuck under. We had a tricky time finishing off the corners, but by trial and error we figured out the best arrangement: butt two edges together at a right angle and then snip one to wrap the aluminum around.

You can just barely see our aluminum drip edge banding the upper roof.

Next, D.D. and Mark huffed two rolls of Ice & Water Shield up the ladder to cover the roof’s entire area. This stuff is super sticky on one side (warm sunny weather made sure of that) and kinda slippery on the other. If you can adhere the sticky side smoothly to your roof sheathing, then you are more talented than the four of us combined. With one person to unroll the roll, one to press down the freshly laid Ice & Water Shield, one to discard the backing paper as it came off, and one to keep us running parallel, we did an OK job… but there are a few wrinkles we’d like to take back.

Once we finished that job somewhat competently, we put an extra layer of protection at the peak, covering the flashing under the ridge cap (which we’re keeping from the previous roof replacement). We added a “boot” around the white drainpipe vent and Ice & Water Shielded around that, too.

Mark completes the Ice & Water Shield treatment at the ridge cap.

Next we proceeded down the back wall of the house. We pulled siding and put up fresh sheets of mesh Typar housewrap. We stapled the housewrap in place, particularly the bottom edge so a strong wind won’t tear it off. Typar doesn’t just help to waterproof the house, it also prepares the exterior surface so we can install windows before the week is out.

Housewrapping in progress.