Pre-folded flashing systems and method

A flashing system for flashing a building window opening having a sill portion, header portion, and a pair of oppositely spaced jamb portions interconnecting said sill and header portions, said flashing system comprising:

• a plurality of pre-folded clay coated polyethylene sheet flashing components including four left-hand components and four right-hand components;
• each of said pre-folded flashing components including a horizontal portion with an end corner portion at one end thereof and a rear upwardly extending flange portion and a front downwardly extending flange portion extending from said horizontal portion;
• said left-hand components having said end corner portions located on the left side thereof with said right hand components having said end corner portions on the rightside thereof;
• a first pair of said left and righ-hand flashing components placed horizontally in overlapping relation on said sill portion with said end corner portion placed in the lower corners of said rough opening;
• a second pair of said left and right-hand flashing components positioned vertically against said jamb portions with said end corner portions placed over said end corner portions of said first pair of flashing components;
• a third pair of said left and right-hand flashing components placed vertically with their end corner portions positioned in the upper corners of said rough window opening;
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• a fourth pair of said left and right-hand flashing components placed horizontally in overlapping relation with their end corner portions located in the corners of rough opening and overlapping said end corner portions of said third pair of flashing components and sealing means applied to selected areas of said flashing components both before and after their installation in said rough window opening whereby said rough window opening is totally and completely flashed against water and air intrusion therearound.

A method of forming a flashing component for a window opening prior to installation of a window therein comprising the following steps:

• a. providing a plurality of pre-folded clay coated polyethylene sheet components;
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• b. marking a series of lines on each of said plurality of flashing components;
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• c. providing a single cut along one of said series of lines;
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• d. creasing and folding said sheet flashing components along said series of fold lines to form a flashing component with an end corner dam portion at one end thereof;
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• e. stapling said end dam corner portion to retain the folds in said completed flashing component whereby a plurality of like and opposite hand components can be used for the complete flashing of a rough window opening to prevent water and air intrusion after the installation of a window therein.

A method of flashing a sill portion, lower left and right corners and the lower half of the jambs of a rough window opening comprising the following steps:

• a. providing a plurality of pre-folded clay coated polyethylene sheet flashing components of opposite hand with end dam corner portions and a rear upwardly turned flange portion;
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• b. installing a first pair of opposite hand flashing components in the lower corners of said rough window opening with said end dam corner portions of said flashing components seated therein and the remainder of said flashing components extending horizontally over the sill portion with an overlap of their ends;
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• c. installing a second pair of opposite hand flashing components in said lower corners of said rough window opening with said end dam corner portions of said second pair of opposite hand flashing components overlapping said the end dam corner portions of said first pair of opposite hand flashing components and the remaining portion of second pair of flashing components extending vertically and in contact with the window opening jambs whereby the lower half of said rough window opening including the lower corner portions, sill portion and half of said jambs are flashed against water and air intrusion therearound.

A method of completely flashing all four sides of a rough window opening in a building comprising the following steps:

• a. providing a plurality of pre-folded clay coated polyethylene sheet flashing components of opposite hand with end dam corner portions and a rear upwardly turned flange portion;
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• b. installing a second pair of opposite hand flashing components in the lower corners of said rough window opening with said end dam corner portions of said flashing components seated therein and the remainder of said first flashing components extending horizontally over the sill portion with an overlap of their ends;
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• c. installing a second pair of opposite hand flashing components in said lower corners of said opening with said end dam corner portions of said second pair of flashing components overlapping said end dam corner portions of said first pair of flashing components with the remaining portion of said second pair of flashing components extending vertically and in contact with the window jambs;
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• d. installing a third pair of opposite hand flashing components such that said end dam corner portions reside in each of the corners formed by the jamb members and the header with the .remaining portion of said flashing components extending downwardly along the jambs;
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• e. installing a fourth pair of opposite hand flashing components such that the end dam corner portions of said fourth pair of flashing components are received in said end dam corner portions of said third pair of flashing components and the remainder of said fourth pair of flashing components extend horizontally in overlapping relation across the header member;
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• f. providing elastomeric adhesive sealant to all areas of contact between said opposite hand flashing components;
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• g. providing additional elastomeric adhesive sealant to the overlapping exposed edges of said flashing components in said sill area whereby said rough opening is completely flashed and ready for installation of a window therein.