2019 peel-and-stick WRB options
lance_p
| Posted in Energy Efficiency and Durability on
Climate Zone 6A, Ottawa, Ontario.
I’m looking for peel and stick WRB options at the more affordable end of the price spectrum. I know there are some really nice imported products, but the prices are out of my budget. This is to be installed over plywood sheathing.
I did some searching around but can’t seem to find an up-to-date list of options and want to make sure I don’t overlook something.
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Replies
I see Soprema products used on commercial building in Quebec all the time. Don't know how much it cost though. Might worth checking it out since you are in Ottawa.
Yes, I will look into Soprema’s offerings. Merci!
Lance,
Just to be sure we're all on the same page, can you clarify two points?
1. I assume you are using this product for a wall, not a roof. Correct?
2. I assume that you want this product to be vapor-permeable. Correct?
1. Yes, only for vertical walls.
2. Yes, vapor permeability is important.
Thanks Martin, I should have indicated those items.
You could check into Blueskin. I believe they have different products, and the one you'd be interested in is the VP100. It's self adhering, vapor permeable and is a good air barrier. Not sure where it stands against other products in terms of price
In general, peel and stick membranes are expensive. If you are choosing peel and stick for its superior air-sealing abilities, there are alternative methods that provide similar performance and could save you a fair amount of money.
For example, taping the seams of the plywood will do a good job of air sealing, and will allow you to use a much cheaper housewrap as your WRB. This option might not be as quite as robust or foolproof as peel and stick, but done properly it will perform very well at much lower cost.
Another option that could be worth investigating is a spray applied WRB -- they may or may not be cheaper depending on prices in your area.
Fine Homebuilding recently ran an article looking at WRB options and prices. See:
https://www.finehomebuilding.com/2019/03/11/water-resistive-barriers
By there estimation, using a fancy tape and housewrap costs about $0.30/sqft, while fully adhered WRBs cost between $0.64/sqft and $1.08/sqft. The spray applied WRB costs $0.65/sqft and $1.00/sqft, but the spray applied WRB includes labor ,giving it an extra edge over peel and stick
I think just as important as your selection of WRB is including a ventilated rainscreen. All of our tests for the water-resistance of WRBs do NOT include liquid water sitting against the WRB in tension with the cladding right up against it.
The free-draining space and air movement of a ventilated rainscreen takes an awful lot of pressure off of the WRB, regardless of the type: sheet good, self-ahdered, fluid-applied.
Peter
Lance,
I've used Vycor enV-S by Grace (the pioneers in self-adhered roofing membranes). It is pretty easy to work with, cuts well with a knife or scissors, and has a split seam in the release paper so you can pull half off at a time. It has a nice cloth feel (unlike their other products it's not a modified asphalt product), sticks well but does allow for a bit of correction, air seals, is vapor permeable (15 perms), and water resistant. It cost us around $0.62 per square foot - and you can order it online through Home Depot.
igrigos, thanks for the suggestion. Blueskin VP100 pricing is a little tough to find online but seems so far to be at the lower end of the price spectrum. I'll definitely give it a look.
Aedi, thanks for the link, good reading. VP100 is mentioned there as well. Delta Vent SA is also mentioned, though being imported it's likely on the pricier side. Yes, plywood with taped seams should work well as an air barrier, though I'm still a little leery about the long term durability of a taped plywood joint. As well, the airtightness (and quality) of plywood should always be suspect; I've read several cases where the builder had to pull plywood sheathing after installation because it was damaged or otherwise of poor quality.
Peter, yes, a ventilated rain screen is part of the plan. A combination of fiber cement and steel siding will be used on our house, both of which go well with strapping.
Nathan, great suggestion! Though I didn't see enV-S on their Canadian website I'll definitely look into it. Thanks!
Lance, I was recently given quotes on a couple different peel-and-stick products for a home remodel in central California. Blueskin VP100 came in at $0.77 per square foot and VaproShield RevealShield came in at $1.23 per square foot (including, presumably, tax and shipping).
I can't offer any personal experience with either product, unfortunately.