Masonry Magazine January 2014 Page. 32
AIR BARRIER S
Today's progressive contractors are installing a wide range of building enclosure materials, which allows them to "own the wall." By adding air barriers to the work that you already complete, you can offer better coordination of trades, increased quality of final wall assembly and increased profitability.
Types of air barrier materials
TH ERE ARE MANY different types of air barriers on today's market, includ�ing fluid-applied, self-adhered, mechan�ically fastened building wraps, spray polyurethane foam (SPF), insulating boardstock, flexible interior membranes and factory-bonded membranes to sheath ing. Each of these materials has benefits to use within a building design and should be evaluated based on the design professional's familiarity and the performance of each system.
Vapor Retarder/Barrier Building Products
Strong Man Building Products Corp., a manufacturer of nettings and tarps for debris and weather enclosures, is expanding its product line with the addition of VaporBlock. The vapor retarder/ barrier products are manu�factured by Raven Industries and meet or exceed ASTM E-1745 requirements for water vapor retarders used in con�tact with soil or granular fill under con�crete slabs.
VaporBlock is available through all Strong Man distributers. The building products supplier will offer VaporBlock in the 10, 15 and Plus-20 fonnulas, as well as the product's accessories.
VaporBlock sets a high standard for vapor retarders/barriers. The product is manufactured from high-grade raw materials that are consistent in quality, unlike common construction grades of four-, six-or 10-mil. polyethylene that are produced with a high percentage of ~post�consumer" recycled materials that cause inconsistencies in physical strength and penneabil�ity. In addition, the product's high puncture resistance and tensile strength provide attributes vital in a vapor retarder/ barrier.
For more information, visit www.StrongMan.com.
Pre-cast concrete and masonry preparation ers. Materials that adhered to the substrate (fluid-applied, THE PREPARATION of masonry is critical to the self-adhered and SPF) need to be installed on substrates installation of fluid-applied, self-adhered or SPF air barri -that are clean, dry, and free of contaminants that can affect
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the adhesion.
Air barrier installers need to be aware of the requirements for installation and the manufacturer's requirements for moisture content of the substrate. Moisture co ntent ca n be checked by using a moisture meter or with the plastic-sheet method described in ASTM D4263. \-\Then substra tes have high moisture content, you may run the risk of having the material not adhere properly and/or moisture forming voids and pockets. On the face of the building as well as building corners, all masonry should be tight, interlaced and secure, with no gaps or openings.
CMU should have the joints tooled flush with the face of the block, and excess mor�tar scraped off. Brick ties have to be secure and have the mortar smooth around the tie. AH blocks should be tight, secure and flush.
Pre-cast concrete shall be free of release agents from formwork as adhesive type of air barrier materials may not bond. Concrete slur�ry should fill in any voids, honeycombing or cold joints that are not flush on the pre-cast concrete or masonry to ensure the air barrier
(616)454-3100 r708)8r,:,...:.1.1U;$ materials can be well-bonded to it.
www.rodenhouse-inc.com www.heCllmam analOr""._u,,, Air barrier install ers have to be aware
that each material has strict installat ion
30 MASONRY � January 2014 � www.masoncontractors .org The Voice of the Masonry Industry