Types of Roof Flashing Used in Steel Detailing
Roof flashing plays a vital role in protecting a building from water ingress, especially at junctions and penetrations in a roof structure. In steel detailing using tools like Autodesk Advance Steel, modeling these flashings accurately is essential to ensure precise fabrication and installation.
What Is Roof Flashing?
Roof flashing refers to thin pieces of metal, installed at vulnerable areas of a building to prevent water from entering the structure. In steel construction, proper flashing design ensures:
- Structural durability
- Water-tightness
- Easy fabrication and assembly
Modeling Flashings in Advance Steel Using User Sections
In Advance Steel, flashings can be created using folded plates or User Sections. We recommend using User Sections to detail metal flashings. The main advantage of this is that once User Section has been created, they can simple be run along the ridge, eaves etc without extensive modelling. Further, the details of the User Section can then be used in the Bill of Materials. Finally, they can be used in other projects if stored as a Library item.
For a quick tutorial, “How to create Roof Flashing as User Sections,” click here.
Common Types of Roof Flashing in Steel Detailing
Flashing Types in Steel Detailing – white background
1. Ridge Flashing
Function: Covers the apex of a dual-pitch roof to prevent water ingress.
Advance Steel: Bent folded plate with equal legs or User Section
Steel Detailing – Ridge Flashing
2. Eaves Flashing
Function: Guides water into the gutter.
Advance Steel: L- or Z-shaped user section with drip detail.
Steel Detailing – Eaves Flashing
3. Standard Barge Flashing
Function: Caps the end of the roof where it meets the gable wall.
Advance Steel: User Section shaped to roof pitch.
Steel Detailing – Standard Barge
4. Shadow Line Barge Flashing
Function: Aesthetic finish with a shadow gap.
Advance Steel: Recessed folded plate or User Section
5. Door Head Drip Flashing
Function: Diverts water above doors.
Advance Steel: Small folded plate above door opening or User Section
Steel Detailing – Door Head Flashing
6. Door Jamb Flashing
Function: Seals vertical sides of door openings.
Advance Steel: L-profile or or User Section
Steel Detailing – Door Jamb Flashing
7. Drip Flashing
Function: Prevents water seeping under cladding.
Advance Steel: Folded plate with downward kick or User Section
Steel Detailing – Drip Flashing
8. Corner Flashing
Function: Covers external corners of cladding.
Advance Steel: Folded plate with equal or unequal legs or User Section
Steel Detailing – Corner Flashing
9. Abutment Flashing
Function: Used where roof meets a vertical wall.
Advance Steel: Bent flashing for roof-wall intersection or User Section
Steel Detailing – Abutment
Advance Steel Tips
- Create a dedicated layer or group for flashings.
- Use smart numbering for efficient tracking.
- Export flashing profiles to NC or DXF files.
- Store common flashings in a reusable User Section Library.
Conclusion
Flashings may seem like small components in the steel detailing process, but they play a crucial role in protecting the building envelope. With Autodesk Advance Steel, creating accurate flashing models using User Sections ensures precision, minimizes errors, and facilitates efficient fabrication and installation.
