Zip system - tape all nails or just panel seams?

[Innovate1]

Using zip system and looked at another local job recently where they taped all the nails running a strip of tap down each stud. On my garage I saw they were greatly over driving the nails and said something to them about adjusting their guns, putting more nails in the shear wall around the garage doors (speced as every 3") and taping all the nails. They said they had been to training and only the seams are taped. I looked up the zip instructions and I didn't find anything on taping the center field, only the seams. If the nails are driving carefully and don't break the surface that seems ok but that doesn't seem realistic. Given that the studs vary in hardness they are going to want to set their guns to they all go in and that means most will be overdriven at least a little (unless I don't understand how the nail gun setting works which is entirely possible).

How do people address these issues?

 

[Toyomech]

They have a video out on this since its common..

The short version they say it doesn't need to be taped over unless it goes all the way through the panel. There is also a liquid flashing that can be used may be quicker than tape.

 

[ddurrett896]

Tape the seams and caulk the nails.

 

[MonzaRacer]

Yep get sausage gun and couple of tubes of Zip Flash and a spreader and after taping hit all the nails and also anything coming through walls like hose bibs., Vents

 

[Kaizen]

No proof of nails leaking air that would require sealing them. That tape is expensive. Never seen anyone using it to cover nails.


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[Innovate1]

It's not air sealing I am thinking about. The zip system replaces house wrap so should shed water. The nail holes are a path for water to get in and rot it. The caulking makes sense. Tubes of zip flash? They make special caulking for it? Guess I need to look it up...

 

[tonyciambrone]

I believe the membrane is selfhealing to a certain extent like ice and water shield etc.

If we had to caulk every nail to prevent rot, siding and shingles roofs would be out of the question.

 

[Innovate1]

I believe the membrane is selfhealing to a certain extent like ice and water shield etc.

If we had to caulk every nail to prevent rot, siding and shingles roofs would be out of the question.

If that's true it would save a bunch of work. Got any references to support that?

 

[ducatithunder]

I remember reading about not overdrivng the nails in the Huber literature. They mentioned sealing any damaged paper with either tape or the caulking sealant huber sells aka the sausage gun. It should be self sealing if not overdriven ... once over driven then you need to seal it. The caulk seems to be the better cheaper route. Little dab and smear over each nail that was over driven.

I was concerned about damage to the paper so i used advantech sheathing instead of zip.

 

[Kaizen]

It's not air sealing I am thinking about. The zip system replaces house wrap so should shed water. The nail holes are a path for water to get in and rot it. The caulking makes sense. Tubes of zip flash? They make special caulking for it? Guess I need to look it up...

It looks like tar. Don’t think it’s different gun. I had my zip exposed for almost two years. I overdrove plenty when I missed stud. No leaks. My roof was uncovered for months. No leaks.
The build show guy did a piece on this. Basically said it’s not gonna happen. Go buy the caulk if you are losing sleep over it


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[Innovate1]

Found this on zip system:

https://www.huberwood.com/assets/user/library/ZS_TT_ZIP_System_FAQs_V21.pdf

It states that fasteners driven roughly half way or more through the panel should be sealed.

It also talks about affect on shear strength and I need to keep good shear strength on the wall with OHDs - more of an issue there than on walls without large openings:

How do overdriven fasteners affect the structural integrity of the sheathing? The American Plywood Association (APA) and PFS TECO recommend either reducing allowable shear capacities or installing extra fasteners if any fastener is more than 1/8” overdriven or if more than 20% of fasteners are overdriven between 1/16” and 1/8”.

So just I went out and measured about a dozen nails with a dial caliper. Overkill, I know, but was an easy way to measure the depth. Most were around 0.25" deep or roughly half way through the 7/16 sheet. They ranged from about 0.175 to 0.290. I previously mentioned it to the framer. He hadn't put in the required nails every 3" for the portal framing around the OHDs so I asked him to adjust his gun before putting in the rest. He grumbled that he was going to cut the sheet in two with all the nails and ended up quitting the next day. Said the shingle instructions also had requirements not to overdrive the nails and he was worried I would look at those too. Looks like I will be going back to add some nails as the walls are 14' high with some tall doors and I don't want it to fold up. Better a little overkill now than an issue later.

 

[Mr onetwo]

We used 3M rubberized undercoating on every nail in the ZIP when I built my house.Worked well and didn't take long at all.

 

[thertel]

Get the sausage gun, and just hit every nail and other protrusion/intrusion. It goes surprisingly fast with 2 people, one applying dabs, the other spreading it with a putty knife.

 

[Bighead38]

Found this on zip system:

https://www.huberwood.com/assets/user/library/ZS_TT_ZIP_System_FAQs_V21.pdf

It states that fasteners driven roughly half way or more through the panel should be sealed.

It also talks about affect on shear strength and I need to keep good shear strength on the wall with OHDs - more of an issue there than on walls without large openings:



So just I went out and measured about a dozen nails with a dial caliper. Overkill, I know, but was an easy way to measure the depth. Most were around 0.25" deep or roughly half way through the 7/16 sheet. They ranged from about 0.175 to 0.290. I previously mentioned it to the framer. He hadn't put in the required nails every 3" for the portal framing around the OHDs so I asked him to adjust his gun before putting in the rest. He grumbled that he was going to cut the sheet in two with all the nails and ended up quitting the next day. Said the shingle instructions also had requirements not to overdrive the nails and he was worried I would look at those too. Looks like I will be going back to add some nails as the walls are 14' high with some tall doors and I don't want it to fold up. Better a little overkill now than an issue later.

Really?

 

[BFBOB]

Really?

Yeah, REALLY.
Do the math --- never mind, I've done it for you. A 7/16" panel is .4375" thick. Half of this thickness is .21875". Nails were overdriven up to .29" deep. .29 is greater than .21875, therefore MFR recommends caulking.

Even the shallowest of the nails is more than a third of the way through the panel.

 

[Innovate1]

Yeah, REALLY.
Do the math --- never mind, I've done it for you. A 7/16" panel is .4375" thick. Half of this thickness is .21875". Nails were overdriven up to .29" deep. .29 is greater than .21875, therefore MFR recommends caulking.

Even the shallowest of the nails is more than a third of the way through the panel.

Actually over driven up to 0.31 - I missed that number when I typed them in and noticed that later. Only found one at 0.171, most at around .25, two at .290 and 1 at .31 out of about 8 I checked. There were a few that were shallower that I didn't include but those may have been added after I complained. I will try to wait until it has been dry for a couple days and then caulk them.