GBA Logo horizontal Facebook LinkedIn Email Pinterest Twitter X Instagram YouTube Icon Navigation Search Icon Main Search Icon Video Play Icon Plus Icon Minus Icon Picture icon Hamburger Icon Close Icon Sorted

Community and Q&A

Board sheathing air-wash?

mrbreadpuddin | Posted in General Questions on

I am remodeling a Victorian house with board sheathing in Vermont, I have added a second row of studs making my wall about 8″ thick. I am going to do airtight drywall.

The cellulose guys want a LOT to insulate, but I am concerned that if I use fiberglass, air-wash will get through the board sheathing into the fiberglass. Can I Tyvek the inside of the sheathing? (Tearing off the clapboards is not an option. It would clearly be labor-intensive, but I would do the work myself.

The attic is going to be really well sealed inside and out, so I’m less concerned about using fiberglass there.

Thoughts?

GBA Prime

Join the leading community of building science experts

Become a GBA Prime member and get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.

Replies

  1. GBA Editor
    Martin Holladay | | #1

    William,
    There is no practical way to install Tyvek on the inside of the sheathing.

    To improve the airtightness of your sheathing layer, you have several options:

    -- dense-packed cellulose;
    -- Owens Corning Energy Complete system or the similar Knauf system (Ecoseal);
    -- Flash-and-fill, using 2 inches of closed-cell spray polyurethane foam.

    Johns Manville claims it's possible to dense-pack blown-in fiberglass: "Dense-pack JM Spider for drill and fill" for retrofitting existing walls:
    http://www.specjm.com/files/pdf/BID-0108.pdf

    I don't know if this is marketing hype or a good approach.

Log in or create an account to post an answer.

Community

Recent Questions and Replies

  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |