Image Credit: Fine Homebuilding
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At the Passive House job site in Falmouth, Massachusetts, architect Steve Baczek specified a mudsill gasket.
But to make sure that the gap between the top of the foundation and the sill plate didn’t leak, Baczek took a belt-and-suspenders approach by also specifying the use of Tremco acoustical sealant. Sold in tubes at specialty retailers and online, the black sealant installs easily with a caulk gun. It’s exceedingly sticky and highly elastic, and unlike construction adhesive, it never cures.
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Here is the link to the “Airtight Mudsills” video.
To see Episode One of the series, click here: “Passive House Design.” (The first episode is available to all GBA readers, including non-members.)
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4 Comments
Hi Steve:
I ended up building cape in Chatham, and used the same approach as in the video you presented. I did end up with 8-12" of poly underneath the sill on the exterior of house. Is this something that should simply be trimmed off or did you incorporate some type of a finish with this extra poly on the outside?
Steve Kreisher,
I'm not sure whether Steve Baczek will answer. In the meantime, here's my advice: Trim away the protruding polyethylene with a utility knife.
https://www.tremcosealants.com/markets/commercial/sealants-adhesives/specialty-sealants/acoustical-curtainwall-sealant/ Is this the Tremco acoustical sealant everyone uses? Acoustical Curtainwall?
It is, but it stinks and is full of nasty ingredients. This is an almost-zero VOC product that performs similarly: https://foursevenfive.com/contega-hf/.
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