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Introduction

An “overdriven” fastener is any kind of mechanical fastener like a nail or a screw that’s been driven into a material a little too far so that the head of the fastener has broken the surface of that material. In the context of fasteners through exterior wall sheathings many people worry that unsealed overdriven fasteners are a problem from a water management perspective. This short course explains how much of this concern is misguided — walls with drained and ventilated claddings can tolerate the occasional overdriven fastener. We also discuss why the thousands of other unsealed cladding attachment fasteners don’t cause our walls to fail. About Building Science Fight Club

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Video: Do Overdriven Fasteners Cause Buildings to Leak

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Quiz

To earn AIA Continuing Education Units (CEU), you must complete the quiz below and get all 3 questions correctly. Feel free to retake the quiz if needed. To keep learning, check out more courses in Building Science.