Exterior Framing Checklist: Wood Walls and Flawless ZIP System Install

 

Exterior Wall Construction Checklist

 

 

 

 

 

1. Verify all framing is plumb, secure, and ready for sheathing

Protecto Wrap Sill Plate Installation Instructions

2. Ensure to use a self-adhering product like the Protecto Premium Energy Sill Sealer under the sill plate is a great way to create a continuous air and moisture barrier between the concrete foundation and the wood framing.

 The purpose of this installation is to eliminate air and moisture infiltration through the cold joint between the foundation wall and the wood sill plate.

 

3. Application of Sill Sealer

A. Peel and Stick: Start at one end of the foundation. Peel off the paper release backing from the adhesive side (the bottom).

B. Adhere the Product: Begin rolling or pressing the adhesive bottom onto the top of the foundation wall.

C. Anchor Bolts/Rebar:  Make an "X" cut in the foam material's adhesive backing. Slide the material over the protrusion, and then press the membrane firmly into place around the bolt.

4. Installing the Sill Plate

A. Set the Wood: Immediately following the application of the sill sealer, place the pressure-treated wood sill plate directly on top of the installed material.

5.  Fasten: Fasten the sill plate to the foundation using the anchor bolts or other required connections as per local building codes. The thickness of the closed-cell foam will compress to form a gasket seal, conforming to all gaps and voids between the two surfaces. This process ensures a proper gasket seal, preventing air, moisture, and insect infiltration beneath the sill plate, which is crucial for the building's energy performance and longevity. Ensure to use a Simpson Strong Tie BP 5/8-3, 3"x3" anchor plate. This gives 980 lbs of uplift force. 

 

6. Connection from the top plate to the wood truss and the stud to the bottom plate.

Ensure to use the Simpson Strong-Drive SDWC Truss Screw. It is a highly versatile structural wood screw, most commonly used for connecting trusses/rafters to the top plate, or for securing studs to the top and bottom plates (vertical wall framing connections).

 Force Ratings (Allowable Loads)

General Load Values (Examples for Stud-to-Plate Connection)

The following values are provided only as illustrative examples for the most common model, the 6'' SDWC15600, connecting a vertical 2x4 stud to a 2x4 top or bottom plate. Always consult the current Simpson Strong-Tie technical data for the specific model, species, and connection geometry you are using.

Connection Type	Load Direction	Reference Allowable Load (lb.)
Stud to Single 2 x Plate	Uplift (Withdrawal)	325 to 400 lbs.
Stud to Single 2 x Plate	Lateral (Shear)	190 to 235 lbs.
Rafter/Truss to Double Top Plate	Uplift (Withdrawal)	400 to 475 lbs.

Installation Geometry: The values above are based on the required edge distances, end distances, and the specific installation angle (22.5 °). Deviations must be analyzed by an engineer.

7. Exterior Structural Wood Frame Wall Construction

 

Check the location of your structure for compliance to the particular wind and/or seismic loads.  

 

This example shows a 110-mph wind load and a structural wood design with the required structural components.

 

Shear wall detail withholds downs and anchor bolts.

 

8. Ensure that the panels are installed with the printed WRB side facing out.

9. Ensure you maintain a 1/8-inch gap at all panel butt seams for expansion. (Not required for ZIP-R panels with the foam edge overlap feature).

10. Ensure you fasten with code-approved nails (e.g., 8d common) at the manufacturer's specified spacing (typically 6" o.c. at edges, 12" o.c. in the field).

11. Ensure nail/fastener heads are flush with the sheathing surface; do not overdrive or pierce the integrated barrier.

12. Ensure to apply ZIP System Tape (or approved flashing tape) centered over all horizontal and vertical panel seams.

13. Ensure to roll the tape firmly with a J-roller to ensure full adhesion and activate the pressure-sensitive adhesive.

14. Ensure to overlap tape splices by at least 3 inches.

15. Ensure to Tape all inside and outside corner seams.

16. Ensure to flash and tape around all window and door openings (rough openings) using ZIP System Flashing or Stretch Tape, following a shingled water management approach (sill first, then jambs, then head).

17. Ensure that you roll tape during the window flash installation.

 

 

 

18. Ensure that the ZIP tape is installed on the window jambs, head, and sill after installing the window. 

 

 

 

19. Ensure to seal all the wall penetrations (plumbing, electrical, HVAC) with flashing tape or approved sealant.

20. Ensure that each wire has its own hole.

21. Ensure that metal flashing is installed above the windows.

 22. Ensure liquid flashing is installed at the exterior of the base.

23. Ensure that the brick ledge receives the proper flashing as shown. Determine if you need copper flashing.

 

24. ZIP System Rainscreen Installation Guide

A. Determine the Gap Depth

Ensure that there is a gap between the cladding and the Zip wall board. The depth depends on the cladding material, but a minimum of 3/16 inch is standard, with 3/4 inch being common for heavy or thicker sidings to promote better airflow.

B. Choose Your Furring Method

Ensure that you attach furring strips or a proprietary product to the ZIP sheathing to create the gap. Common methods include:

1.    Pressure-Treated Wood Strips (Most Common): Typically, ¾”x 1-1/2” to 1” x 3” material.

2.  Fiber Cement or Plastic Strips: Used for better durability and moisture resistance.

3.  Proprietary Rainscreen Mat: A woven plastic mat that creates a continuous gap across the entire wall.

Phase 2: Installing the Furring Strips (Drainage Cavity)

Ensure that furring strips are installed that define the drainage and ventilation path.

1. Vertical Strip Placement (For horizontal siding)

• Ensure that the strips run vertically from the foundation to the soffit.
• Ensure that the strips are nailed over every structural stud location. This ensures the strips are fastened into the wood framing beneath the ZIP panel, providing structural support for the heavy cladding.
• Joints: If strips must be spliced, ensure the joint lands directly over a wall stud.

2. Horizontal Strip Placement (For vertical siding)

• Purpose: The strips must run horizontally to provide a vertical drainage path behind them.
• Spacing: Follow the siding manufacturer's nailing schedule for fastener support.
• Drainage Breaks: You MUST ensure a vertical drainage and ventilation path is maintained. This usually means installing horizontal strips at the bottom and top of the wall but keeping them short to allow vertical water flow and ventilation. Many installers use vertical strips even for vertical siding to ensure maximum drainage.

3. Fastening the Strips

• Ensure that you use corrosion-resistant fasteners (e.g., hot-dip galvanized or stainless-steel screws) long enough to penetrate the furring strip, the ZIP sheathing, and at least 1-1/2” into the structural wall stud.
• Example: For ¾” furring and 7/16” ZIP sheathing, your fasteners need to be at least 2-3/4” long.

Phase 3: Ventilation Gaps and Termination Details

Ensure that there is proper ventilation at the top and drainage at the bottom as it is crucial for the system to work effectively.

A. Bottom Termination (Drainage)

• Insect Screen: Ensure that a rigid, corrosion-resistant insect screen (often called a bead or bug screen/mesh) is installed at the base of the wall. This keeps pests out while allowing water to drain out of the bottom of the rainscreen cavity.
  
  
  
• Sill Pan/Flashing: Ensure the bottom of the rainscreen cavity drains onto a continuous flashing, which directs water away from the foundation and sill plate.

B. Top Termination (Ventilation)

• Continuous Airflow: Ensure that a gap is installed and open to the outside air at the top (under the eaves or soffit) to create the "chimney effect" for drying. This is achieved by stopping the top furring strip slightly short of the overhang or using an angled strip.
  
  
  
• Insect Screen: Ensure that an insect screen is installed here as well to maintain ventilation while preventing pest entry.

C. Around Openings (Windows and Doors)

• Continuous Flashing: Ensure all flashings and head flashings over windows and doors extend over the rainscreen cavity and onto the face of the cladding below, directing all water outward.
• Gasket/Seal: Ensure that around window and door perimeters, you use a sealant or gasket material to ensure the rainscreen cavity terminates cleanly without providing a path for bulk water to get behind the ZIP system.

Phase 4: Siding/Cladding Installation

A.  Install Siding: Ensure that the finished cladding material (siding, trim, stone veneer, etc.) is attached to the newly installed furring strips.

B.  Fastener Length: Ensure all cladding fasteners penetrate only the furring strip and do not unintentionally pass through the ZIP sheathing, which could risk damaging the continuous water-resistive barrier.

This entire assembly ensures that any water that penetrates the cladding is caught by the air gap, drains down the back side of the siding, and then exits the bottom weep holes, keeping the critical ZIP sheathing (your air and water barrier) safe and dry.

 

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