Rubberized coatings seemed like a good idea when I tried them, but honestly, after two summers, most of it started peeling where the sun hit hardest.
Yeah, I’ve seen that happen too. Those coatings just don’t hold up under direct sun, especially if you’re in a spot that gets hammered all summer. I get why people try them—seems quick and cheap at first—but it’s a pain when you’re scraping off flakes a couple years later. Heavier aluminum’s not fancy, but it does the job. You ever try doubling up the flashing in the worst spots, or is that just overkill?
- Tried doubling up flashing once where the gutter always overflows—didn’t look pretty but stopped leaks for a while.
- Not sure it’s overkill if you’ve got a spot that’s always catching water or sun.
- Honestly, I’d rather mess with extra metal than scrape rubber flakes every spring... way less messy.
- Anyone else notice the thicker stuff is a pain to bend around weird corners though?
Anyone else notice the thicker stuff is a pain to bend around weird corners though?
Yeah, that’s been my headache too. Tried saving a few bucks by using leftover heavy-gauge flashing and nearly lost my mind trying to get it to sit right around the chimney. Honestly, sometimes I wonder if just patching with sealant every year would be less hassle... but then again, that gets pricey over time. Guess it’s a trade-off between ugly but dry, or neat but leaky.
I hear you on the heavy-gauge stuff—tried wrestling some around my skylight last fall and it felt like arm-wrestling a car hood. I get tempted by the “just slap some sealant on it” route too, but every time I’ve done that, I’m back up there a year later scraping off the old gunk. For me, biting the bullet and doing it right (even if it’s a pain in the neck) has saved me more headaches in the long run. Still, I totally get why folks go for the quick fix—sometimes you just want to be done with it.
That’s the story with sealant—works for a bit, then you’re back up there scraping and redoing. I always tell folks if the flashing’s bent or corroded, it’s usually worth pulling it off and replacing instead of patching. A lot of times, water finds its way under even the best sealant jobs, especially around skylights where things shift with temperature. If you do go the full replacement route, don’t forget to tuck the new flashing under the shingle above and overlap the joints. Makes a mess now, but saves you from chasing leaks later on.
