Types of House Wraps

As we’ve been talking about house wraps in the blog, today, we are going to learn more about the types that are on the market, which one to choose for your home, etc.  

The original WRB was asphalt-impregnated or with tar paper, the same material commonly used as a base to roof shingles. Nowadays, the term house wrap is used to describe the WRBs made from plastic fabrics. 

• Asphalt felt (tar paper) – This meets the standards of ASTM D 226.

• Grade D building paper – This one is commonly used under stucco siding and is made of asphalt-impregnated paper. 

•  Polyolefin fabric – These house wraps are usually made of woven polyethylene or polypropylene fibers.

• Liquid WRB – This one is applied with a paint roller and can serve as an air barrier. 
• Rigid foam – Some types of rigid foam can be used as insulation boards when they are well installed. 
• WRB sheathing – This type has to be installed with the manufactured tapes that come with it. Sheathing panels made of oriented strandboard (OSB) with special coating can serve as sheathing or WRB. 

Today, we learned a little bit more about the types of house wraps that are on the market. However, if you are still confused with all the technical terms, don’t worry! When the professionals do it for you, they know exactly what they are. So, hire a professional to help you in case you cannot do it by yourself!