- Used Eternabond on my gutters last spring, thought it was a miracle fix at first.
- Held up fine through summer storms, but once winter hit... different story.
- Cold temps made it brittle; edges started peeling before I realized.
- Ended up doing a proper flashing replacement anyway.
- I'd say trust it temporarily, but don't count on it long-term.
"Cold temps made it brittle; edges started peeling before I realized."
Interesting... haven't had Eternabond fail on me personally yet, but your experience makes me wonder—is this a common winter issue or maybe just a bad batch of tape? Did you prep the aluminum surface thoroughly before applying it? I've seen cases where even a tiny bit of moisture or dirt can cause adhesion issues, especially once the cold sets in.
Also curious if anyone's tried reinforcing the edges with a sealant or primer beforehand to prevent peeling. Seems like Eternabond's great for quick fixes, but maybe not the best bet for harsh winters. Makes me rethink recommending it as a long-term solution in colder climates.
Out of curiosity, how much trouble was the full flashing replacement compared to your initial quick fix? Always seems like these quick fixes end up costing us double the effort down the line...
I've had similar issues with Eternabond in colder weather. Seems like once it gets below freezing, the adhesive just isn't as forgiving. I did prep my aluminum pretty thoroughly—cleaned it with acetone and everything—but still had some peeling at the edges after a harsh winter. Ended up reinforcing the edges with a bead of sealant, and that seemed to help quite a bit.
"Always seems like these quick fixes end up costing us double the effort down the line..."
Yeah, learned that lesson the hard way myself. I eventually bit the bullet and replaced the flashing entirely. Honestly, it wasn't as bad as I expected—just took a weekend afternoon and some patience. Plus, knowing it's done right and won't peel up again next winter is worth the peace of mind. Sometimes spending a bit more upfront saves money (and headaches) down the road...
I've noticed Eternabond can be finicky in colder temps too, even with proper prep. Acetone cleaning is usually solid, but aluminum flashing expands and contracts a lot with temperature swings, which can weaken adhesives over time. Reinforcing edges with sealant does help temporarily, but like you said:
"Sometimes spending a bit more upfront saves money (and headaches) down the road..."
Curious if anyone's tried using primer specifically designed for cold-weather adhesion before applying Eternabond? Might improve long-term results...
I ran into similar issues last winter with Eternabond on aluminum flashing—thought I'd done everything right with acetone cleaning, but the edges started lifting after just a couple months. Like you said:
"aluminum flashing expands and contracts a lot with temperature swings"
Never thought about using a cold-weather primer beforehand though...makes sense. Curious if that'd actually hold up better long-term or if it's just another temporary fix?