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I never see seams taped on housewrap. Should I take the trouble to do it. Does taping reduce air infiltration enough to warrant the effort?
Thanks
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We tape rips but not always overlaps....I do tape the window flanges to the wrap...
Not always wrapping though, near the stream,
aj
*John, we are required to tape all seams in the sub we are working in. I thought it was foolish too until I was co-erced into attending a tyvek seminar. I then learned that the building wrap was more than just an air barrier. The tyvek system is an underlying waterproofing system. Done correctly it provides a substantial last ditch effort to keep minor intruding amounts of moisture from getting to the frame, insulation and drywall. The tape itself is the key. It chemically bonds to the paper, metal, vinyl ane of course, itself. It doesn't bond to wood however.There are several problem areas in the building process that warrants the use of this taping system. For instance, a round top window is a tough case to flash. By cutting the flanges on the drip cap, you essentially have destroyed the waterproofing features of the component. Tyvek tape to the rescue! By layering it over the cuts and bonding it to the metal, it again becomes effective. I'm sold on it's use behind brick (moisute condenses) and vinyl (everything can get around those poorly designed j-channels). Incidently, the tyvek literature does not require vertical seams to be taped.blue
*Do go ahead and tape those seams. Have a house under construction that just got hit by winds. Nothing to stop the wind but the housewrap. Had vapor barrier on inside walls covering the insulation. Stripped of siding and drywall I got to watch the vapor barrier move with the wind. Not a lot but after the seams were taped the vapor barrier did not move during the next storm. The tape will add two hundred dollars to the 2000 square foot home. Not a bad price to pay to stop those drafts.
*New to this board. Master plumber and GC for,well, when Nixon resigned.Have a remedial project- Large home, 3 yrs, major water infiltration.Frame construction, vinyl nail on windows nailed to bare osb sheathing, MDO or MDF exterior trim applied to bare sheathing. Tyvek applied after trim under siding only, up to edge of exterior trim with j channel or a feeble excuse for sheet metal flashing to seal seam.Plan on using Carlisle 40 mil 705 rubberized asphalt(self adhesive, various widths ((also using primer))) around doors and windows.Anyone tried this. Please note that the house is on the Chesepeake Bay and gets the brunt of northeast storms.Three years old and the osb, some of the parallam columns and the bottom flange (LVL) are gone.Any comments welcomed.Tom Saggau
*Tom - For this application, i (on the Chesepeake Bay and gets the brunt of northeast storms) you need to practically consider the wall as a structure that needs to be as watertight as a roof.I know that Mike will post on this and give you some good recommendations, including using felt not Tyvek, plwood not osb, avoiding lightweight aluminum flashing (in salt environment) etc.PS - LVL = Laminated veneer lumber (Microllam) and has no bottom flange. If they are wood I-joists and the bottom flange is gone, collapse can occur. I've never used parallams for columns, only horizontal applications. They do make a PT (CCA) version.JeffPS - You are technically 'stealing the thread' and should post your own original message.
*I wouldn't give any sort of warranty on your efforts to save what has been a disaster-in-waiting since the moment it was so poorly built.Have seen the same vinyl flanged windows nailed on bare OSB, trim on bare OSB and then J-channel and vinyl on bare OSB, all in the tracts in Northern VA. Have acquaintenances in a house in one of these neighborhoods. It's disintegrating after less than two years. I had hoped it would last perhaps five. At least your poor client got some tyvek, even if it's not doing much good.Your approach sounds good for what you've got to work with... Steve
*Thanks for the fast responses. Jeff Truss-Joist and Lousiana Pacific use LVL for their flanges on I Joists. Sorry I wasn't clear on that.When I talked to GP regarding the MDF or MDO (not sure which) trim board, was told it was great stuff with a (??) 10 (??) year warranty. What a deal.The Parallam columns are the same material (again Truss-Joist) as parallam beams. Unfortunately not CCA treated.Met today with Truss-Joist rep at the site. Very helpful in terms of specs for repair/replace material, including a written recommendation which will be needed for the insurance presentation.Called Friday, he was there today at 10 am.Called Louisiana-Pacific on Friday (they made the I joists)and today and am still waiting for a call back.For 10% more, Truss Joist gets my business everytime.
*I just used Tyvek on my new house and am taping the seams (with 9' x 150' rolls there aren't many). Small cost and a little time, so why not?I have "nail-on" windows and the flanges were nailed right over the Tyvek. I checked them all and any that weren't tight to the sheathing got caulk all around if needed. On the tops I had my vinyl siding guy make a flashing that comes down the sides 6" or so. This is slipped into a slit in the tyvek across the top, which was then taped. This is surely not the "best" way, but I think it will be adequate.
*Just as an aside...This thread made me think of something...I used to doubt the longevity of that Tyvek Tape - I mean it appears to be little more than scotch tape.Well, on a house that I was building about a year ago, I covered the deck steps with some scrap strips of 3/4" OSB as a temp cover to protect 'em from muddy feet - one of the steps got 2 strips, so I guess I had some Tyvek tape handy and taped the seam between the 2 pcs of OSB. Anyway, for some reason the 2 taped pieces of OSB never made it to the trash pile - I took 'em home with some other scraps. Today, I noticed a couple of strips of OSB lying on the ground - where I had thrown them several months ago to cover a mud puddle. You guessed it - they are still taped together with Tyvek tape after lying around and being walked on for over a year!Not exactly a scientific test in a controlled environment, but hey - it makes you think! :)
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We're building our own home and are using cedar shingles and trim. We have the house covered in typar and have just read an article in THIS OLD HOUSE about how "soapants" in the cedar destroy the house wrap.
Has anyone heard of this? We're considering using a second layer of 15# felt (over the typar) just in case this article has some merit. Does anyone see any problems with this?
As things always seem to go, the siding project is planned to start in a week or so.
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Alkyd primer on the cedar and put it up...or put up strapping strips of wood and go to it...
b Do not put felt and typar on house together...Call Typar and they will confirm....
near the stream,
aj
*Phil:I read an article in JLC that agrees with what you heard about chemicals in some sidings degrading the house wrap. As AJ says, back-priming will cure the problem.
*The trim boards were primed using a solid stain and the shingles were stained all sides with a transparent stain. ok? would you remove typar and use felt?
*I read of carpenters siliconing around or behind the nailing flanges of windows on a Tyveked house. My question is, does it work? Silicone does not stick to Tyvek, try peeling some of after it is cured, it comes of very easily. Does it work similar to a gasket rather than an adhesive sealant? The company I work with uses silicone too, it strikes me as redundant. What am I missing? Much to learn, Jason K.
*Crusty - the window install you relate is fine. Lstiburek OK's nailing the fins into the Tyvek and taping the fin to the tyvek as the sole flashing! If he OK's it, it must be alright.Phil - the oils and such in the wood coat the wrap and destroy the surface tension of the water. The water no longer beads and just wets out the surface.Home energy this month summarizes a study by the CMHC (Gabe's friends in Canada, eh) that also says you better tape over the staples if you want it to work as an air barrier.I think this might be a crutch for a crutch though...-Rob
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I never see seams taped on housewrap. Should I take the trouble to do it. Does taping reduce air infiltration enough to warrant the effort?
Thanks