The Trick to Flashing an Inner Corner

Before I first started applying flashing and ice & water shield, I was warned to be careful how I applied it because, once it touched something, that was where it was going to stay.  Initially, I didn't have this problem because I ended up applying most of it during the winter months. Not only was it not exceptionally sticky, but I usually had to use a heat gun to heat it up enough to get it to stick.

Using these materials during the summer months is a different experience. When flashing the inner corners of the east end bumpout, I learned the hard way that a special technique is required in order to not end up with a tangled, stuck-together ball of flashing. If you peel the backing off and try to stick the flashing in the corner, it ends up sticking fiercely to the housewrap before you can push it all the way into the corner. If you manage to wrench it off to try to re-stick it, it ends up sticking to itself. Frustrating, messy, and ends up wasting a bunch of expensive material.

Out of necessity, I devised a different approach. After cutting a piece of flashing the correct length, I peel the backing off it.

Then I cut the peeled-off backing into strips and re-apply it to the sticky side of the flashing, leaving a sticky gap in the middle.

I fold the flashing in half, sticky side out, and push the sticky middle part into the inside corner.

One side at a time, I peel the strips of backing off and seal the flashing against the housewrap.

Voilá! It takes a little time to use this technique, but it actually saves time and material (and headache!) in the end.

After I applied the flashing to the inner corners of the west end bumpout, I installed the corner trim.

My sweet George.

Bear is fine. He's been carousing at night and sleeping during the day, so he hasn't been around for photos. George used to hide all summer long--to stay out of the heat. Maybe he's not minding the heat so much in his old age. This summer he's been sleeping in the yard all day--sometimes directly in the sun. Lots of photo opportunities!