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Air barrier under wood paneled wall

askeena7 | Posted in General Questions on

Hello I have slowly been remolding a small sized home in New Orleans and am finally at the point of insulating and putting up wall covering. My walls from the outside in are :

1. Cypress siding primed on all six sides
2. 1/4 vertical plywood strapping 
3. 30 # tar paper 
4. Osb

now I am thinking about installing

5. Rouxul bats
6. Some type of air barrier (any thoughts on something like delta vent s stapled onto studs with seams taped in lieu of drywall?
7. 1/2 Reclaimed heart pine wood sheathing original to the house with a Shiplap joint.

im getting tripped up on the air barrier! I really don’t want to install drywall under the wood paneling as I have seen so much moldy drywall down here! 

Thanks so much for any advice! It’s been a learning process.

frankie

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Replies

  1. Expert Member
    BILL WICHERS | | #1

    You likely need something vapor open here. I’m thinking you could just use housewrap under your paneling, but I’d wait to get some other opinions here before you commit since you have a bit of an oddball wall assembly and you’re in a cooling dominated climate too. Most of us on here are more used to heating dominated climates and there are some differences between the two when it comes to vapor barrier locations.

    Bill

  2. askeena7 | | #2

    Thanks bill! Yes definitely an oddball approach. Sort of an experiment of the rain screen wall on a budget while trying to stay true to the structure! Haven’t had any water intrusion/ condensation anywhere yet in the two years since the sidings been up. Each time I’ve cut into the siding for plumbing and electrical everything seems like it’s in great shape. My big worry is what ac might do to the walls! Originally I was thinking about going no ac but my tune has changed after a few summers!

    And yes! I was definitely thinking vapor open but air tight Housewrap was a good alternative to drywall. Any suggestions on types that would hold up would be awesome!

  3. askeena7 | | #3

    Another approach I was thinking about was a detail for old walls with no wrb. Essentially poly iso set on 1x for an air gap-“cut and cobbled” into the stud bay. The polyiso would take care of my air barrier issue and I love the idea of the sheathing having drying capacity to both directions. Is this a silly idea?

    Any input is greatly appreciated!

    Frankie

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