Air Barriers

Air barriers are the hot new item in the construction industry. Massachusetts was one of the first states to require air barriers on all new construction due to building envelope failures allowing conditions for mold to grow inside wall cavities. Robert A. Aird, Inc. is at the forefront of learning the air and weather barrier systems, and is actively aiding Owners and General Contractors learn the importance and design of barrier systems in new construction.

Air barriers have passed through various stages in evolution. The most basic form of an air and weather barrier is black tar paper, which is usually seen beneath stucco, and siding on older homes. Felt paper is mechanically attached to the sheathing on a building (stapled into the sheathing usually), and as such is prone to tearing off in high winds, as well as possibly rapid deterioration.

The second step in the evolution of the air and weather barrier was building wrap, or Tyvek. This white plastic-type buildling wrap is similar to felt paper in that it is mechanically attached to sheathing on a building, however it is more durable compared to the felt. Tyvek is still the top used weather barrier in residential construction, but liquid applied barriers are starting to make more of an appearance in private homes. It is still prone to tear-off, however.

The recent boom in liquid applied air and weather barriers is where the construction industry stands today. Liquid applied barriers are rolled and/or sprayed directly onto the sheathing, and onto framing in rough openings, on new construction, creating a STRUCTURAL enevelope seal (with the correct sealing of windows, doors, and other penetrations). Henry, Grace-Vycor, and Sto are some of the leading manufacturers of liquid applied air and weather barriers. Sto Corp's liquid applied barrier system, called Sto Guard, can be tinted to match most color choices, but standardly comes in an orangish-yellow color (slighly darker than the color of standard GP Dens Glass Gold sheathing).

A wealth of information on Air Barriers can be found at ABAA's website, here. Our Manufacturer Links page has links to Sto, Grace, and Henry websites. In addition to the individual manufacturers, our in-house ABAA certified specialist is Jeff Kemp, who can be reached from our Contact Us page. We look forward to working with you on your next project involving this wonderful new development in construction!