Whether you’re a home builder or not, we’ve all seen it before:  The typical paper or plastic house wrap bedecking unfinished new homes going up all around us. If you’re not familiar with the home building process, you might wonder what purpose this serves, and if you are a home builder you might already know that this house wrap is used to keep air penetration to a minimum, which means a less drafty finished home. Air penetration isn’t the only thing you need a house wrap for though, you also need it for weather proofing against driving rain and protecting your building’s structure. Low-cost wraps can often fall short in these areas. Read on to learn about why these three high performance weather resistive barriers are a better choice for your next build.

1. Low-cost coverings are less of a barrier and more just a “wrap”, SIGA Majvest provides better coverage and a better barrier.

While most wraps are said to be a weather barrier and to resist rain penetration, some builders have experienced issues with this aspect of these popular product. Problems arise in the way that you apply and hang lesser grade wraps. When you use hundreds of staples or nails to apply a weather barrier, you leave just as many penetrations. These penetrations leave places for air and water to get inside your building’s structure where they can cause problems. Other brands have addressed this issue in smart and easy to implement ways. SIGA’s Majvest is a sturdy and rainproof membrane which provides for permanently windtight facades on the outside. SIGA-Majvest is highly tearproof and flexible, so it is easy and safe to lay. The material is diffusion-open and permanently protects the wall construction from condensation build-up. Majvest has proper overlap and stapling sections clearly marked on the printed side of the barrier, making installation a breeze, and allows for easy sealing of fastener penetrations with matching SIGA Wigluv 60 tape.

2. Unsatisfactory durability under weather conditions before siding is finished. Henry VP-100 endures the wind, rain, and sun.

Another issue that arises with cheap wraps is that they can tear and rip in the wind before siding is done, meaning you need to reinstall. Even afterwards they can sag in sections which leaves unprotected areas under the siding that you can’t see. When you’re building a house that needs to be airtight and you want it to last, you want to use a weather barrier that you won’t need to worry about once you can no longer see it. Some of the best performing and easiest to install weather resistive barriers are those that are self-adhering. With a self-adhering barrier like Henry VP-100, you don’t have to worry about strong winds ripping it off the walls, or rain penetrating behind the seams before siding is finished. What’s more, Henry VP-100 can be left exposed for up to 150 days before being covered with siding, giving you ample time to finish your building without worry. When properly installed and gone over with a roller to ensure adhesion, VP-100 can be expected to remain stuck to the most common substrates such as OSB and wood. Adhesion primer can be used to apply to metal and other building materials as well. Once siding is ready to be installed, there is no need to worry about fastener penetrations allowing air and water to get through thanks to VP-100’s property of self-sealing around penetrations, something that entry level wraps definitely can’t do 

3. Entry level wraps are like a cheap commuter car compared to the high performance of premium tier weather barriers like Prosoco R-Guard CAT 5

Entry level wraps have one thing going for them, they’re cheap! But if you’re building something that you want to last a long time, do you really want to be using a low tier product? Especially if you’re building to the high standards of Passive House or Net Zero, you want something you know you can trust once you can no longer see it in the walls. Prosoco R-Guard CAT 5 is a fluid applied weather barrier that has been researched and tested to the highest degree. CAT 5 goes on wet, using either a roller or a sprayer applicator, which can drastically reduce labor time versus self-adhered and mechanically fastened barriers. With Prosoco’s liquid applied weather barrier, you can be assured that every nook, cranny, and inch of your sheathing is protected from the elements and stays airtight thanks to the seamless barrier provided. CAT 5 can go on a wide variety of building materials including concrete. Like with the previous product, CAT 5 has the property of self-sealing fastener penetrations, allowing for an easy and worry-free installation of siding once you’re ready to finish the exterior, and can be fully exposed to UV and weather for up to a year. CAT 5 is truly the luxury performance car of weather barriers, providing a single component solution that bonds and cures in wet weather, allows for crack bridging during application, doesn’t contain any solvents, isocyanate, or phthalate, therefore meeting Red List free requirements. With Prosoco’s full R-Guard line up for weather barriers and rough opening flashing, never worry about shrinkage, staining or yellowing, and have a weather barrier that will last the lifetime of the building.

Next time you’re starting a building project, consider these alternatives. Small Planet Supply carries each of these weather barriers and provides a team that can aid you in choosing the best one to fit your needs. Whether you’re building to passive house standards or not, the air and weather barrier is one of the most important parts of the building for longevity and energy savings. Build it right the first time and enjoy a comfortable worry-free home for years to come.