Which is better tar paper or Tyvek?

Tar building paper has a major advantage of self-sealing around nails provided these are driven in straight. Tyvek House Wrap is a synthetic material made by Du Pont. It is permeable to water vapour, but impervious to water. Hence it allows a building to breathe to an extent.

valiantexteriors.com - Traditional Building Paper Versus Tyvek What's Best - Valiant Exteriors

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The weather-resistant envelope under siding performs three important roles. In the first instance, it protects the building interior during construction and cladding renewal. When the job is complete it insulates the home although the family inside may be unaware of that. Finally, it acts as a moisture barrier if a storm damages the siding covering it. Hence, the right choice of envelope materials is a major decision point.

Introducing Building Paper and Tyvek House Wrap

Building Paper is saturated with waterproofing asphalt. Asphalt has been around for a century, and we also use it on pavements and roofs. It prevents wind from reaching the rooms inside, while being last-resort waterproofing under the cladding. Building paper suppliers Hal Industries Inc. recommend installing two layers. The outer one may become damp, while the inner one keeps the building dry behind. Tar building paper has a major advantage of self-sealing around nails provided these are driven in straight. Tyvek House Wrap is a synthetic material made by Du Pont. It is permeable to water vapour, but impervious to water. Hence it allows a building to breathe to an extent. This can be desirable under certain circumstances, although the convenience does come at a cost. Tyvek is a non-woven product comprising spun synthetic fibres bonded by heat and pressure. These fibers are approximately ten times thinner than human hair. After manufacturing the product since 1967 Du Pont claims the light-weight material has a Class 1 flammability rating, with chemical and tear resistance. Although it does cut easily with a knife. Large sheets of Tyvek are used as house wrap, where they must be joined together using acrylic pressure-sensitive tape, hot glue, or solvent-based single component polyurethane. This make them somewhat more time-consuming to install compared to asphalt building paper.

Wrapping It Up and Comparing the Two

Many contractors in the construction industry have returned to traditional building paper, because they know it well, it is tried and trusted, and not ‘rocket science’. We tend that way ourselves, especially as Tyvek has tiny microscopic holes that allow the structure to breathe, and potentially admit moisture. However we do recommend using Tyvek in exceptionally cold, exposed locations because it remains flexible and is therefore less likely to tear. Valiant Exteriors is a small, friendly family-run Calgary business focusing on siding, eaves-trough gutters, soffits and fascia. Please call 403 829 1661 during business hours if you are interested in using our services, or send us an email anytime it suits.