i wonder

[Larry McCully]

Howdy all, i need your help. I am having some reno done on a gararge. I am turning it into a office. It had a wrought iron gate previously, but we got the builder to install a alum slider. The total opening is about 4mt wide. The slider is about 3mt wide. so their is a panel on both sides to fill in the difference.He made up pine frames and installed weathertex to the exterior side. My question is, should he have installed sisalation prior to installing the weathertex and also some sort of of flashing at the bottom plate. He just sat the bottom plate on the slab with no weather protection. What is the required practise in this application.

Thanks blokes

[pawnhead]

As a minimum, sarking is mandatory for habitable rooms, but not AFAIK for a garage (that's being turned into an office on the sly). Whatever happens, you've got to keep the water out. You don't usually install a flashing under the bottom plate, but the plastic under the slab is supposed to be turned up to stop the slab getting damp. Then I'd run sarking down the wall and over the top of the plastic. Then I'd cover the bottom with some Hardiflex or a length of Hardiplank that extends above ground level. Then I'd fix the weathertex down past the bottom of the frame, with the bottom plank overlapping the fibro, but clear of the ground.

It depends on your situation, but if you need to rely on sealants between the bottom of your weathertex and the slab, then it will break down eventually, and things will get damp and start to rot. Likewise if the slab gets damp, then a flashing under the bottom plate would be advisable.

[Larry McCully]

Thanks for that.

[pawnhead]

If the boards do just butt onto the slab, then I would have used a 9" grinder with a diamond blade to cut a slot about 20mm deep, flush with the outside of the framework. Then I'd insert a length of 110mm Alcor, silicone it into the slot, and nail it to the face of the frame at the bottom before installing the weathertex. He could probably still do this by removing the bottom board, but he won't be able to get a flashing under the frame now without rebuilding it.
By doing this, there would be a lot less chance of any water getting in, even if the sealant breaks down.

[Larry McCully]

Thats a good idea. thanks mate. Are you a chippee ?