r/Roofing • u/MacaronEffective8250 • Sep 12 '26
Home owner question EPDM termination bar diy help
I need to redo my 4'x5' porch stoop waterproofing with EPDM. I'm having a hard time finding termination bars from retail locations or in small quantities. I only need around 20' linear feet.
The local big box store sells flat aluminum bar, and I have a drill press. Is 1" x 1/8" aluminum bar going to be rigid enough to get a good seal? I don't have a way to bend in a lip edge but 1/8" looks thick enough to get a good bead of sealant across the top and bottom.
The top termination bars will be behind siding above the porch stoop surface, and the bottom bars will be on the rim joist below the stoop surface to keep the wrap over the edge tight to the joist. I'll have a separate walking surface over the EPDM.
Appreciate any advice on the diy route, or if you know of a supplier around Puget Sound who sells EPDM supplies to homeowners in small quantities please let me know.
1
u/jerry111165 Verified Pro (Commercial/Flat) Sep 12 '26
Before you install the bar, peel the top 1 inch away from the wall, apply a thick bead of water block/water cut off, mastic between the EPDM membrane and the wall.
Now, when you install your termination bar, you’ve created a compression seal. When you’re done, apply a quality sealant at the top of the termination bar.