PVC Termination Bar

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Author Message Brian Payne Senior Member Username: brian_payne Post Number: 292 Registered: 01-2014 Posted on Friday, February 03, 2023 - 03:02 pm:    Anyone ever spec PVC termination bars? Besides maybe cost, what would be the benefit over stainless? Brian Payne Senior Member Username: brian_payne Post Number: 293 Registered: 01-2014 Posted on Friday, February 03, 2023 - 03:09 pm:    I'm specifically thinking for thru-wall masonry conditions rather than roof or other exposed locations. William C. Pegues Senior Member Username: wpegues Post Number: 997 Registered: 10-2002 Posted on Friday, February 03, 2023 - 03:23 pm:    PVC that is run above ground and exposed to sunlight can break down faster than it normally would. The ultraviolet rays from the sun can actually break down the structure of PVC material and make it brittle and breakable. William C. Pegues, FCSI, CCS, SCIP Dave Metzger Senior Member Username: davemetzger Post Number: 812 Registered: 07-2001 Posted on Saturday, February 04, 2023 - 07:33 am:    What William said. If you wouldn’t use PVC through-wall flashing due to its history of turning brittle, the use of PVC termination bars, directly exposed to UV, is equally imprudent. The only advantage I can think of for PVC as a material for termination bars is that it could be colored to match the brick—but that’s not much when balanced against long-term performance. John Bunzick Senior Member Username: bunzick Post Number: 1907 Registered: 03-2002 Posted on Sunday, February 05, 2023 - 03:31 pm:    Perhaps the thinking was in a brick cavity? There I wouldn't be concerned about UV breakdown. But, I can't imaging that PVC could be as rigid as metal, thus not holding the flashing as tightly to the substrate. Plus, some plastics have suffered from plasticizer migration over time, independent of exposure, leading to brittleness. This is more well understood by manufacturers nowadays, but it still makes me cautious. Brian Payne Senior Member Username: brian_payne Post Number: 294 Registered: 01-2014 Posted on Sunday, February 05, 2023 - 05:56 pm:    Yes, inside the brick cavity to attach through wall flashing was the intention. Interestingly, HB sells a plastic version, but requires the metal term bar to meet the Air Barrier Full System Warranty that they have. That was evidence enough not to use PVC for me. Brian E. Trimble, CDT Senior Member Username: brian_e_trimble_cdt Post Number: 135 Registered: 08-2005 Posted on Tuesday, February 07, 2023 - 10:14 am:    We tend to like the metal term bar since it is more rigid and won't buckle between fasteners. If the material buckles or warps, there is a higher likelihood of water getting behind the flashing, or making it more difficult to seal along the top edge.