We stopped by the Fasco America booth at the 2009 International Builders Show (IBS) and got a look at Windstrips – one of the most innovative, time-saving solutions we’ve seen for drying in roofs. The product has been developed to install easily and quickly while still providing the best wind protection for drying-in with 30 lb. tar paper. A standard 1-1/8″ wide, 350″ roll will protect approximately 800 sq. ft. of roof area.
Windstrips can be installed with a standard staple hammer tacker, but we preferred the Fasco pneumatic rapid fiire staple gun they were showing off. It uses, as a minimum, 3/8″ crown, 3/8″ long galvanized staples and fires them off at about 6000 staples per second. OK, not quite that fast but it was so fast that they had to include a way to dial it down for more practical use.
The Windstrips are designed to be installed everywhere there is an exposed edge of tar paper. This includes all eaves, ridges, rakes, hips, valleys, and horizontal field seams. We watched a video of the pneumatic stapler making quick work of securing tar paper – the installer laid a “W” pattern down in about 10 seconds flat.
The Windstrips really do seem to allow a much faster dry-in, and all while doing a lot to prevent wind from getting a hold of the edges of a row of tar paper and lifting it up from the roof.
Plans are also underway to combine the Windstrips product with the Fasco nailer for an even more convenient solution.
