Free checklist
Rainscreen claddingRainscreen cladding rough-in inspection checklist
Rainscreen cladding rough-in is the last time the work is fully visible. Once the cover inspection passes and the walls, ceilings and slabs close, every defect left behind becomes a demolition bill. This checklist walks the rough-in in the order the work goes in, with the photo each item needs before it gets buried. Work is commonly verified against the applicable building/energy code, manufacturer's published instructions. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
- Items
- 3
- Photos required
- 5
- Built for
- Subcontractors
Who runs it
The cladding crew setting the sub-framing, or the GC's superintendent walking the wall before the drainage cavity is closed by panels.
When in the schedule
After the WRB is on the sheathing and clips and furring are laid out, before the first panels go up and cover the cavity.
The checklist
Every item, and the photo that proves it
The photo count on each row is what RTI would require before the item can be submitted. Copy the list as is, or load it into RTI and let the gate enforce it.
Water-resistive barrier tie-in
- 2 photos
WRB continuous and shingle-lapped into openings
Barrier lapped over the sheathing in weatherboard fashion, tied into window and door flashing, no reverse laps or open seams behind the sub-framing.
Clips, girts and furring
- 2 photos
Clips and furring anchored true to plane and on layout
Clips and girts fastened to structure on the specified spacing, furring shimmed to a true plane, thermal spacers where the detail calls for them.
Fastener penetrations
- 1 photo
WRB penetrations at fasteners sealed per the detail
Fasteners through the barrier sealed or gasketed where the assembly requires it, no unsealed punctures left in the drainage plane.
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Clips and fasteners driven through the WRB with no sealing detail, so every fastener becomes a leak path into the sheathing.
- Furring set out of plane so the finished panels wave, telegraphing every high and low clip across the elevation.
- The WRB left unlapped or untied at window and door openings, so the drainage plane dumps water behind the sill instead of out.
Run it with the Photo Gate
A checklist nobody can submit half-finished
Load this list into RTI, stick a QR tag on the area it covers, and the submit button stays locked until every mandatory item is answered and the 5 required photos exist. Approved walks roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper-evident record behind every line.
Submission state
The gate is enforced on the server, so it holds even if the phone is offline when the walk happens.
Common questions
- What does this rainscreen cladding rough-in checklist cover?
- 3 items across 3 sections, covering water-resistive barrier tie-in, clips, girts and furring, fastener penetrations. Each item spells out what the person walking the job is actually looking for, not just a box to tick.
- Who should run this inspection?
- The cladding crew setting the sub-framing, or the GC's superintendent walking the wall before the drainage cavity is closed by panels.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- After the WRB is on the sheathing and clips and furring are laid out, before the first panels go up and cover the cavity.
- Why does every item ask for a photo?
- 5 of the 3 items call for photo evidence. A checklist answer without the photo is a claim; the photo is what makes the record worth something in a dispute and lets a reviewer approve work without re-walking the job.
- What most often fails a rainscreen cladding rough-in inspection?
- Clips and fasteners driven through the WRB with no sealing detail, so every fastener becomes a leak path into the sheathing. Furring set out of plane so the finished panels wave, telegraphing every high and low clip across the elevation. The WRB left unlapped or untied at window and door openings, so the drainage plane dumps water behind the sill instead of out.
- Can I use this checklist in RTI?
- Yes. Start a free RTI workspace, build this list as a checklist, and the Photo Gate holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and its photos are attached. Approved inspections roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper-evident audit trail.
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