Zip Tape

March 27

TEMP: 60°/ Sunny

The last part of the Zip System.

ZIP System Tape is an advanced acrylic adhesive, that delivers an airtight and watertight seal, made to withstand any harsh weather. It was super easy and quick to put on. Basically you are sealing all the seams and corners and flashing around the bottom of all windows and doors. 

It was important to remember to overlap from the top down, similar to doing roofing shingles for example. You want to have roughly 2 inches on each side of the seam and on each vertical surface at corners. Once applied, roll the tape with a roller to firmly compress the acrylic backing of the tape into the Zipboard.  


Windows

Everything else was pretty straightforward but we did watch a youtube video from the Zipboard manufacturer on how to seal the windows. Because the sill of windows and thresholds of doors are horizontal surfaces where water can puddle, the application of the tape is critical and a bit more complicated. That too is pretty easy.

All the Zip Tape is intended to stay flush with the interior space.

  1. Cut two 6-inch strips of the 3 3/4" wide tape. Split the difference of the lower corner of the window's rough opening, adhering half of the width along the side and half on the bottom. The remaining 2" will extend outside the window. While firmly pushing down diagonally from the corner, attach the tape to the Zipboard. It will stretch and wrinkle. That's expected. You want to be sure to roll each section you add.
  2. The next step is to cut a piece of 6" wide Zip Tape that is 4" longer than the width of the window. Two inches will extend up each side and the additional width of tape will be wrapped firmly onto the face of the Zipboard. Make a small vertical cut at each corner and fold the tape around the corners.
  3. Cut two 8" jam strips and add one to each side of the window. You will want 6" on the vertical or jam side and 2 on the bottom or sill side. Again stretch the excess 2 inches of width firmly onto the face of the Zipboard.