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Tape for OSB in Hot-Humid Climate

sleaton | Posted in Energy Efficiency and Durability on

Ok, I have given up on finding much local.

I can get Sega Wigluv 100 2 1/4 for about $60 a roll

or

I can get Zip tape for $26 a roll 3.75 x 90

In the Texas A&M outdoor exposure tests the Zip tape was looking quite good, and I think it performed well in martin’s backyard test of tapes also.

I know wigluv is really really good stuff, is it worth ordering online and paying a bit over twice as much ? Or is Zip tape going to get me a similar result.

Note, this is not on zip, but on OSB, in Austin Texas.

Also I was thinking of using the Carlisle blue tape stuff from the foundation to the osb if I can find it anywhere, or would you just use the real wide siga tape there also ?

Thanks in advance.

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Replies

  1. sleaton | | #1

    sorry there is no option to delete a post. I found some more info Tescon Vana is available at 475 supply from a cross post, and also the 3m on amazon for $17 something a roll.

    Zip seems kind of the middle of the road. It seems that 3m is the cheapest, and has had mixed good and bad results. Tescon is quite reasonable at $36 a roll. Zip at the $26 a roll for a wider tape seems like a great deal to me.

  2. user-2994765 | | #2

    I am in the midst of a new build in Louisville, KY, climate zone 4. Had the same issues on sheathing tape. Read all the backyard and academic tape test articles. Narrowed my choice to 3M 8067 and ZIP tape. Test results for both on OSB were promising and cost was reasonable. Had used Siga Rissan for interior uses before and it sticks tenaciously but cost is quite high.

    I decided to do some tests on my own. I took two pieces of OSB and put both 3M 8067 and ZIP tape on the seam and left it outside for a month. Both stuck well with ZIP tape being superior. Key is to roll the tapes very well to promote adhesion. Then I read the literature on 3M 8067 and found that 3M 90 contact adhesive is recommended to improve adhesion to marginal substrates. I repeated the test using 3M 90 under both tapes. Adhesion improved dramatically. ZIP tape was again superior. I repeated the test over concrete and the ZIP tape/3M 90 was the clear winner.

    I ended up using ZIP sheathing rather than OSB/house wrap and ZIP tape for the joints. But I did use the 3-¾" ZIP tape/3M 90 on the ZIP sheathing/poured concrete wall joint with terrific results, no failure anywhere after two months of weather exposure.

    I am so glad I decided to use ZIP sheathing rather than OSB/house wrap. The results are far superior and using ZIP tape was a joy.

    1. beedigs | | #6

      Hi Tom,

      In a rush to make a decision, we opted to do regular OSB on the walls dividing our attached garage from the insides of the house. So we will need to tape over the OSB seams with Zip tape, but wondering if this was the route you're headed, that would you stop there or apply something over the OSB from the garage side for airtightness. We are wanting to achieve a good barrier between attached garage and rest of the house to keep away from toxic fumes and such.

  3. GBA Editor
    Martin Holladay | | #3

    Tom,
    Thanks very much for sharing the results of your backyard testing! Much appreciated. This is the kind of information that benefits the entire GBA community.

    1. beedigs | | #7

      Hi Martin,

      In a rush to make a decision, we opted to do regular OSB on the walls dividing our attached garage from the insides of the house. So we will need to tape over the OSB seams with Zip tape, but wondering if this was the route you're headed, that would you stop there or apply something over the OSB from the garage side for airtightness. We are wanting to achieve a good barrier between attached garage and rest of the house to keep away from toxic fumes and such. Unfortunately I did not see your article "Is OSB airtight" until after we already put on the OSB sheathing. The exterior sheathing is Zip R3 (climate zone 2) and we will have spray foam as whole house insulation with an unvented attic.

  4. NormanWB | | #4

    Great info, Tom. A quick follow-up question... was the 3M 90 used in lieu of primer on the sheathing or in addition to? I suspect with ZIP there was no need to prime. In my situation I plan to use OSB and Tyvek, and was planning to prime the OSB seams before applying the tape. Hence my question.

  5. SIGA | | #5

    Hi Sleaton.

    I'm the SIGA rep responsible for Texas. The Wigluv 60 is a good fit and it's less expensive than the Wigluv 100.

    Please don't hesitate to reach out to your SIGA rep if you have questions.

    Cheers

    Patrick
    [email protected]
    360 338 1689

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