17 different WRB’s being tested for durability & exposure
The simulated window flange on the Tar paper sample is looking t…
The simulated window flange on the Tar paper sample is looking terrible.
The tar paper is not faring well after a long exposure. I don’…
The tar paper is not faring well after a long exposure. I don’t see this as a viable option for a high exposure building.
StoGuard sample board
Ouch. StoGuard looking terrible
Not a good showing for StoGuard
Next on the naughty list is Prosoco’s Cat 5. It’s not peelin…
Next on the naughty list is Prosoco’s Cat 5. It’s not peeling, but the mottled coloring and crazing of the surface looks like a failure is eminent.
There were several others that were faring quite well. I’ve st…
There were several others that were faring quite well. I’ve started to use Polyguard’s Alum-A-Flash peel & stick and it looked really good after 2 years in the sun.
I like Polyguard’s Alum-A-Flash because the aluminum face has …
I like Polyguard’s Alum-A-Flash because the aluminum face has basically unlimited UV resistance. The manufacturer says to cover in 1 year but this sample looks great after 2 years in the sun.
Alum-A-Flash details look perfect still. I must say the installe…
Alum-A-Flash details look perfect still. I must say the installer did these with precision.
Fluid Applied Tyvek is faring well so far.
Grace VPO Fluid Applied Looks good after 2 years exposure
Tremco ExoAir 230 looks very good.
Brick Tie with Tremco detailing
Tremco ExoAir 230 is a very strong competitor in the Fluid Appli…
Tremco ExoAir 230 is a very strong competitor in the Fluid Applied race for #1
Carlisle Fluid Applied WRB looking good.
Huber Zip System is being used alot in Texas and I must say that…
Huber Zip System is being used alot in Texas and I must say that I’ve been skeptical of their tape dependent system. However, the testing at the Durability Lab is showing the Zip tape to be really good. After 2 years of exposure the Zip System looks great. Nothing on the tape looks like it has any failures whatsoever. Very impressive.
The Tyvek Homewrap sample is looking pretty faded by the sun aft…
The Tyvek Homewrap sample is looking pretty faded by the sun after this long exposure, but the butyl based tapes look like they are still stuck well. This test shows why I like the longer exposure rating of Commercial Tyvek. Otherwise, it’s not faring too badly.
Cosella Dorkin’s Delta Vent SA is looking good. All the tapes …
Cosella Dorkin’s Delta Vent SA is looking good. All the tapes are stuck well and the whole assembly looks like it’s taking the Texas sun just fine except for a slight wrinkle in the middle of the sample.
This is a companion blog post to the video I shot at the University of Texas Construction Durability Lab. Please watch the video before reading this post. Next, here is the link to the official results published in the trade journal Construction Specifier.
OK, you’ve seen the video and you are asking, who’s the winner? First, a disclaimer: I’m not an official member of this team, and this post is simply my observations and my inferences.
So, who is the winner? There is no clear winner here. I think the takeaway from this video and the experiments at the UT Durability Lab is that you choose your WRB based on your exposure.
Houses with lots of exposure need more-robust WRBs. If you are building a commercial building, that likely means a thick-mil Fluid Applied WRB. I’d pick one that is faring well in this test. I would personally stay away from the thin-mil WRBs; the fact that the team didn’t even test the thin versions tells you something.
If you are building a single-family residence with 2-foot overhangs and little exposure, then the more “basic” housewraps will work for you if you detail them and install them correctly.
Stay tuned for my “Nail Sealability Testing” video—that I also shot at UT with the grad student who tested all these products—to find out how well they sealed around nail penetrations. I should have that video on my channel this week and a blog post about it next week.
Thanks for reading, and be sure to comment below. I’d love your feedback and opinions.
Risinger Homes is a custom builder and whole house remodeling contractor that specializes in Architect driven and fine craftsmanship work. We utilize an in-house carpentry staff and the latest building science research to build dramatically more efficient, healthy and durable homes.
To read this original article click here. Be sure to check out my video blog on YouTube.
