Tyvek house wrap installation for new homes

Where Tyvek fits in the wall

Tyvek HomeWrap is a water-resistive barrier and air barrier that sits on the outside of the sheathing, behind the cladding. It's vapour-permeable, not a vapour barrier: it sheds bulk water and stops drafts while letting moisture in the wall dry outward. On many GTA homes it's paired with Blueskin at windows and transitions, and with exterior insulation where the energy design calls for it.

Why installation quality matters

House wrap performs only as well as its laps, tape and fastening. A reverse lap at a window head, an untaped seam or bare staples that tear in the wind can let water and air behind the wrap, where nobody sees it until there's a problem after closing. We install every elevation the same way, whether it's a single custom home or the fortieth house in a phase.

Laps, tape and cap fasteners

• Laps: installed from the bottom up so upper courses lap over lower ones, shingle-style, with vertical seams lapped as the instructions require.
• Tape: seams sealed with a compatible tape so the wrap works as an air barrier, not just a rain screen.
• Cap fasteners: fastened with cap nails or cap staples at the spacing DuPont specifies, rather than bare staples that tear under wind.
• Corners and edges: wrapped past corners and terminated at the foundation and roof line so water can't get behind.

Window and door flashing

Window openings are where most leaks begin. We prepare each rough opening, cut and fold the wrap so it laps correctly around the frame, and integrate it with sill pan and head flashing so water is directed out and over the wrap below. Where your detail calls for self-adhered membrane at openings, we use Blueskin; see Blueskin air barrier installation.

UV exposure window before cladding

House wrap isn't designed to sit in the sun indefinitely. DuPont publishes a limit on how long HomeWrap can stay exposed before it's covered (commonly cited as 120 days; check the current DuPont data sheet for your product). If your cladding or masonry is running late, tell us early. We can phase the wrap by elevation so it goes on closer to when cladding follows.

Getting ready for inspection

We install to the manufacturer's instructions and your drawings, tape seams and detail openings before the inspector arrives. If you'd like, we'll walk the elevations with your site super beforehand so any touch-ups are done while the crew is still on site.

Tyvek is part of our Tyvek and Blueskin building envelope service. We install it across the GTA, including Newmarket, Vaughan and Toronto. For a side-by-side comparison, read Tyvek vs Blueskin.

Tyvek FAQ

Is Tyvek a vapour barrier?

No. Tyvek HomeWrap is vapour-permeable. It's a weather and air barrier that lets the wall dry outward.

Do you tape every seam?

Seams are taped as the manufacturer's instructions require, so the wrap performs as an air barrier.

Why cap fasteners instead of staples?

Cap fasteners hold the wrap without tearing under wind load, and DuPont's instructions call for them.

How long can Tyvek stay exposed?

Check the current DuPont data sheet; the limit is commonly cited as 120 days. We schedule wrap so it isn't left exposed past it.

Can you install Tyvek in winter?

Yes, with the scaffold tarped where needed. Tape performance depends on temperature and surface condition, so we follow the product limits.