Patent Publication Number: US-2012042604-A1

Title: Slip sheet for construction

Description:
This patent application is a divisional application of a U.S. patent application having Ser. No. 12/201,723, filed Aug. 29, 2008, which is a continuation-in-part of a U.S. patent application having Ser. No. 11/482,597, filed Jul. 7, 2006, and claims priority thereto. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND ART 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to creating vapor barriers behind siding boards of a building. More particularly, the invention relates to a device to prevent water and water vapor from seeping between the ends of siding boards that abut each other. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     When siding board is secured to a wall of a building, it is necessary at times to reinforce a vapor barrier at the joints where siding boards meet. Such protection further facilitates the function of the siding boards to shed water. 
     Typically, a hard material is inserted behind the siding board and secured to the wall at locations where siding boards abut. The use of these hard materials is cumbersome and time consuming. The time consumption is involved in affixing the hard material to the wall at a proper location and at a proper height. The added thickness created by the application of these hard materials to the wall also must be taken into account. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A method for preventing water from reaching a wall covered by siding boards using a plurality of slip sheets includes the step of positioning a first siding board on the wall. A slip sheet is slid between the siding board and the wall. The slip sheet is adhered to the wall. A second siding board is positioned on the wall in abutting relationship with the first siding board. And the siding boards are then secured to the wall. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Advantages of the invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a building, partially cutaway, showing the use of one embodiment of the invention; and 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of the invention secured to a wall behind siding boards. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the Figures, the invention, a slip sheet, is generally indicated at  10 . The slip sheet  10  provides a vapor barrier at a location where two siding boards  12 ,  14  abut. Although not shown, the slip sheet  10  may be used at a location where two siding boards  12 ,  14  meet at a corner  16  of a building, generally shown at  18 . In the Figures, the slip sheets  10  are, however, shown to be secured to a wall  20  against which the two siding board  12 ,  14  are secured. 
     The slip sheet  10  includes a sheet of moisture impervious material  22 . In the embodiment shown, the sheet of moisture impervious material is shaped in a rectangle. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the sheets  22  maybe cut in any shape desired for a particular wall  20  or siding board  14  configuration. The sheets  22  have a predetermined thickness. This thickness is approximately three mils. In one embodiment, the thickness is approximately 4.5 mils. Therefore, the sheets  22  are thin enough such that they will be able to be slid behind siding boards  14  before or after the siding boards  12 ,  14  are secured to the wall  20 . In the preferred embodiment, the sheets of moisture impervious material  22  are fabricated from polypropylene copolymer black surface and a gray corona treated EVA copolymer surface. Other materials that may be used include, but are not limited to, polyethylene or other synthetic plastic materials having a thickness four mils or less. The sheets  22  may be fabricated out of this material, sold by Raven Industries, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, under the trademark Raven F450BD. 
     The slip sheet  10  also includes a strip of adhesive  24  (best shown in  FIG. 2  with a corner of the sheet  22  pulled back). The strip of adhesive  24  extends along a portion of this sheet of moisture impervious material  22  to temporarily secure the sheet of moisture impervious material  22  to the wall  20  until each of the siding boards  12 ,  14  is secured thereto. In the preferred embodiment as shown in the Figures, the strip of adhesive  24  extends along a top edge  26  of the sheet of moisture impervious material  22 . Because the strip of adhesive  24  extends along a portion of the sheet of impervious material  22 , it extends only along the top edge  26 . The strip of adhesive  24  is approximately one inch wide and extends across the entire top edge  26  of the sheet  22 . The strip of the adhesive  24  is strong enough to hold the sheet  22  against the wall  20  during the finishing of the wall  20 . Once the siding boards  12 ,  14  are secured to the wall  20  using fasteners  28 , it is the fasteners  28  that continue to hold the sheet of moisture impervious material  22  in place against the wall  20  over the duration of the life of the siding boards  12 ,  14 . 
     The slip sheet  10  defines a length  30  which is great that the width of the siding boards  12 ,  14 . In operation, the slip sheet  10  is used to prevent water from reaching the wall  20  covered by the siding boards  12 ,  14 . A method for using the slip sheet  10  includes the positioning of a first siding board  12  on the wall  20 . The slip sheet  10  is then slid between the siding board  12  and the wall  20 . The slip sheet  10  is then adhered to the wall  20  by pressing the strip of adhesive  24  thereagainst. A second siding board  14  is then positioned with respect to the wall  20  and the first siding board  12  such that they abut one another. Then, the siding boards  12 ,  14  are secured to the wall  20  using fasteners  28 . The fasteners  28  are also used to secure the slip sheet  10  thereto by positioning the fasteners  28  at a location where the siding boards  12 ,  14  overlap the slip sheet  10 . If necessary, the slip sheet  10  is then cut so that any portion thereof that would hang over the bottom of the siding boards  12 ,  14  is exposed would be removed. 
     The invention has been described in an illustrative manner. It is to be understood that the terminology, which has been used, is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. 
     Many modifications and variations of the invention are possible in light of the above teachings. Therefore, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described.