Everything You Need to Know About Roof Flashing

Certain parts of a roof are particularly prone to hidden leaks and subsequent water damage. These include roof valleys, chimneys, and skylight perimeters—pretty much any area where there is a lot of runoff or two surfaces meet. These spots need special protection that only properly installed flashing can provide.

Below is a compilation of articles, videos, and tips on roof flashing from the Fine Homebuilding archives. We’ve got you covered on everything from vent flashing to common errors in the process. Learn from experts like builder Mike Guertin, who shares his best tips and methods. These curated articles and videos will give you the tools you need to ensure that your roof performs at its very best, keeping you dry and preventing water damage.

For more information, read the following article: Preventing Construction Defects Through Pan Flashing of Windows

	How-To Installing Step Flashing to Prevent Roof Leaks The first rule of roof flashing is water runs downhill; the second rule is that the first rule isn't without exceptions
	Tools & Materials A Guide to Better Boot Flashings Use a better plumbing vent pipe boot flashing to last the lifetime of a new roof.
	How-To Edge Flashing for Roofs Q: Metal rake-edge roof flashing is treated as a commodity product. It’s sold by every building supplier without labels or instructions. I always wonder, though, if I’m detailing the flashing…
	How-To Bending kick-out flashing If the bottom of a roof where it meets a wall is not flashed properly, the siding will be kept wet, leading to peeling paint and rot. In this "Building…
	How-To Plumbing Vent Boot Flashing Repair: Method 1 Repair a boot flashing without doing a full replacement.
	How-To Plumbing Vent Boot Flashing Repair: Method 2 Repair a boot flashing with Perma-Boot.
	How-To Video Vault: Direct Water Into Gutters With a Kickout Flashing Diverter A proactive approach to flashing one of a roof's most vulnerable intersections
	MEMBER-ONLY How-To Four Steps to Flash a Dormer This leak-free approach begins with an impenetrable corner detail.
	MEMBER-ONLY Tools & Materials Chimney Flashing What's the Difference: Lead vs. copper
	How to Repair a Roof Flashing Boot (in a Flash) Here's a quick and trouble free way to repair a vent pipe roof flashing when the rubber seal part has failed from UV damage. Sure beats tearing out the whole…
	How-To Back Up Your Vent Pipe Flashing Use flashing tape and additional underlayment to backstop your flashing boot.
	Tools & Materials Better Boot Flashings Last Longer, Seal Better If ordinary boot flashings are not durable, shouldn't we use better designed and manufactured ones?
	MEMBER-ONLY How-To Flashing a Chimney Installing the flashing along with the bricks makes for a more secure and much better-looking job.
	MEMBER-ONLY How-To Vent Flashing Done Right Back up roof vent boots with flashing, counterflashing, and proper shingling to prevent leaks.
	How to Bend Copper Chimney Flashing Roofing project manager Dyami Plotke demonstrates how to fabricate complex pieces of flashing with a sheet-metal brake and describes the various pieces needed to make a chimney-to-roof connection watertight
	MEMBER-ONLY How-To Roof Flashing Installation details can make the difference between a trouble-free roof and an expensive callback.
	MEMBER-ONLY How-To Time-Tested Approach to Chimney Flashing Proven methods and durable materials keep out water for decades.
	How-To Valley flashing Successful valley flashing is one of the fine points of making a wood-shingle roof weathertight. I favor the old-fashioned method of nailing shingles into 1x3 horizontal stripping; fixing shingles to…
	MEMBER-ONLY How-To Flashing Anticipate the flow of water to keep it outside your house, where it belongs.
	MEMBER-ONLY How-To How to Avoid Common Flashing Errors Building paper and adhesive-backed bituminous tape are vital ingredients in protecting a building from water damage.
	Tools & Materials Video: Using a Sheet Brake A professional roofer demonstrates ways to use a stationary brake to bend flashing.
	MEMBER-ONLY How-To A Smarter Way to Flash Removable two-part counterflashing allows access to roof flashings without digging in to the wall.