Siding & Doors and Windows

I am building a new house and doing some of the activities myself. I just put up Barricade Housewrap and had vinyl windows installed. I am currently installing HardiPlank siding and my question is on the windows and doors. Is it necessary to put up metal galvanized strips over the top of the windows and doors before the sideing go on? I had planned on using Weyerhauser 1 x 4 trim and caulking around those areas but don't know if the metal need to also be above the doors and windows...thx..

 

Galvanized door and window tops haven't been used for 30 or 40 years.

 

lefty,we always use drip caps over windows and doors i live on the beach in nc and once in awhile get a call back when one of the help forgets to put one in and the rain run into the peoples house.usually aluminum or copper but some sort of metal anyway

 

See, that's just one of the many differences between East Coast and West Coast construction. Out here, our rains are very rarely pushed by a wind in excess of 70 MPH, so drip caps have become obsolete. The 1X4 trim and caulking, plus the house wrap, a kraft paper flashing, and the nailing fin on the window, would be sufficient to prevent leaks.

 

I have been checking with siders in this area and they do indeed put on the metal fashing over most of the windows that are not protected by a substantial roof overhang.

 

Hi jkonrath, I live in the UK and yes we get all weathers here, if the windows are set back by a 1" you can batton the top of the windows and bring the sidings down over the top to form a dripper but a waxed paper water proofing under this or a metal dripper to the heads should also be included, in new constructions there is always settlement as the house settles down into position over the next few years, at this stage its wise to include the drippers you can also use a lead dripper that can be molded to the windows and trimmed back on completion, sometimes we may go overboard on what we include when fitting windows in different areas of a house or an area of a country but its better to be over rating than under rating and will save any worries wether you have done the right thing over the next few seasons, also with the global warming changing the earths weather patterns as we see already Lefty may fnd that they may need to start reinstalling these type of weather trims in his area again one day hehehehehe......