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Choosing Sheathing

eng251ine | Posted in General Questions on

I am in the beginning phases of a small addition to our early 1900’s home in zone 4a non-coastal Maryland.  With this addition, I am planning to add exterior insulation to the existing structure and new siding.   The existing interior walls are a mix of plaster and drywall, 2×4 dimensional studs (balloon frame), no insulation, 1×6 dutch lap siding, tar paper, fiber cement shingle siding.  What I am considering is removing and properly disposing of the existing siding shingles, adding blown in cellulose to the stud cavities, installing new exterior sheathing over the original wood dutch lap, a wrb,  adding 2” roxul comfortboard 80, ventilated rainscreen, Boral true exterior siding.  My questions are:
1. For sheathing options, would I get better or more preferable performance from plywood with taped seams and a wrb, or zip with taped seams?
2. If plywood with taped seams is best, should I consider a higher performance vapor open wrb like Deltavent or Blueskin or is this overkill?

Thanks in advance for your input

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Replies

  1. Expert Member
    MALCOLM TAYLOR | | #1

    eng251ine,

    My own preference would be to go with plywood and a sheet WRB. It makes the flashing a lot more forgiving relying on laps and not tape.

    While I see the benefits of expensive interior variable-perm membranes, I'm not convinced the high performance WRBs add much that a good conventional one like Tyvek Commercial doesn't give you.

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