An Ounce of Prevention is the Best
Medicine: DuPont Tyvek and
Glass Fiber-Faced Gypsum
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Building Science Bulletin
As professionals in the building industry, why do we want to use DuPont Tyvek
with glass fiber-faced gypsum board?
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The straightforward, simple
answer is protection. Protection
against wind driven rain,
protection against imperfect
installation, protection against
callbacks, protection against air
infiltration, protection when
buildings settle and shift, and
protection against various
liabilities resulting from building
envelope failures.
The bottom line is DuPont Tyvek and glass fiber-faced gypsum should be used
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together to protect the bottom line.
The above factors along with many others can significantly impact the overall costs
absorbed by the owner, architect, and contractor.
In a recent article, “10 Lessons from Building Failures,” written by Richard Rivin, CSI,
CCS, AIA, and published in the September issue of the CSI’s Construction Specifier,
Rivin writes “Redundancy in building envelope design helps to reduce failures. Most
agree that there is no such thing as a perfect set of construction documents, as there is
no perfect on-site installation. Given this, the building team must acknowledge the need
for redundancy in the design of the building envelope systems.”
It’s a fact that several variables can come into play, and have a
Using materials that perform similar functions is simply
negative impact on any exterior wall’s ability to withstand
acknowledging that failures will occur in spite of the best
significant or even limited exposure to water and moisture.
intentions of design and construction professionals. We need to
Products working together to provide a ‘redundancy’ that
be prepared by anticipating possible failures and taking
enhances a wall’s ability to manage water and moisture makes
preventive measures. An ‘ounce of prevention’ attitude is more
good building sense.
productive and more cost effective over the life of the building.
When water infiltrates the first line of defense, for example a
Budget pressures during the design phase may result in a
typical brick veneer wall system, the next protection comes
decision to ‘value’ engineer the wall system by eliminating a
from an air space free of mortar. Behind the air space should
secondary weather membrane. Relying solely on glass fiber-
be the secondary line of defense, DuPont Tyvek
faced gypsum decreases a wall’s ability to manage the bulk
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CommercialWrap , which can withstand the equivalent of a
water and moisture that inevitably will penetrate the primary
280 cm. vertical column of water (when tested in accordance
weather barrier.
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with AATCC-127). In this case, DuPont Tyvek would be
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considered the secondary weather membrane.
The photos below and on following pages clearly demonstrate
how the use of DuPont Tyvek CommercialWrap provides a
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‘redundant’ layer of protection against water and moisture
intrusion, enhancing the wall’s overall long-term performance.
Borders Bookstore, Mt. Prospect, Illinois
PFDA Inc.—Chicago, Illinois
Eliminating redundancy seems an easy choice, particularly
when glass fiber-faced gypsum sheathing alone will satisfy the
minimum building code requirements.
Medical Building, Orland Park, Illinois
Marshall Erdman & Associates—Madison, Wisconsin
There may be a temptation to cut corners when products that
are chosen provide warranty protection. However, cost
effective building is best served by not having a problem at all.
If for some reason, incidental water does get behind DuPont
Therefore, a belief that protection is gained solely through a
Tyvek CommercialWrap , the glass fiber-faced gypsum with its
building product warranty is misplaced even if the warranty is
glass mats bonded into a water-resistant treated gypsum core
fully honored.
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provides additional protection against water intrusion. Finally,
since DuPont Tyvek and glass fiber-faced gypsum boards are
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both moisture vapor permeable, any incidental moisture that
gets into the wall system will be able to escape to the exterior
of the wall.
It is unrealistic to expect any company, regardless of the
product quality, to warrant against every situation. Variables
such as improper installation, handling, or damage to building
materials due to wall or foundation distortion, building
settling, or movement of the framing members are all
situations that could lead to potential water intrusion
Examine the photos at
problems. These ‘non-warranted’ situations are precisely why
the right. It is easy to see
redundant systems are the wisest choice to help ensure long
how incidental water and
term building performance.
moisture could easily
infiltrate the cracks in the
seams, joints, exposed
Typical Wall Section
corners, or damaged
Brick
sections of glass fiber-
Tie
faced gypsum wall
Air Space
systems. Equally clear is
the fact that these
Tyvek® CommercialWrap®
projects represent typical
Glass Fiber-faced Gypsum
installations. These are
Steel Studs with Insulation
not unusual job-site
Vapor Barrier
conditions, but rather
Drywall
typical examples of
current construction
practices. The exposed
corners, joints, and seams
seen here would benefit
from a redundant element of protection, such as DuPont
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Tyvek CommercialWrap .
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Clearly, using DuPont Tyvek over glass fiber-faced gypsum
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improves the redundancy of the overall wall system under
normal construction practices and operational service. This
product combination can potentially reduce unbudgeted,
unexpected costs resulting from below standard construction
and installation practices.
Good Shepard Hospital, Barrington, Illinois
PSA & Associates—Naperville, Illinois
Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio
Architect NBBJ—Columbus, Ohio
Burnham Station Chicago Illinois • Tigerman McCurry Architects—Chicago Illinois
For more information about DuPont Tyvek Weatherization
Systems please call 1-800-44-TYVEK or visit us on the web
at www.Construction.Tyvek.com
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Copyright © 2007 DuPont. All rights reserved. The DuPont Oval Logo, DuPont , The miracles of science , Tyvek , and CommercialWrap are registered trademarks or trademarks of
E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company or its affiliates. Rev.03/07 K-05001
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