Patent ID: 8387336
Filing Date: 2013-03-05
Classification: B32B,E04B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method of assembling an exterior wall of a building with a water-resistive barrier, comprising the steps of: covering a surface of an inner sheathing member of a wall structure with a series of partially overlapping courses of water-resistive sheet material, the water-resistive sheet material in each of the courses being a vapor permeable building wrap material and having an inner face confronting the inner sheathing member, an opposite outer face facing away from the inner sheathing member, an upper longitudinally-extending edge, and a lower longitudinally-extending edge, and said covering step including forming a barrier layer from a foundation to a roof of the building on all exterior walls of the building such that the barrier layer includes an alternating array of overlapping sections of the courses of water-resistive material and non-overlapping sections of the courses of water-resistive material; fastening the courses of water-resistive sheet material to the inner sheathing member with fasteners; and bonding each overlapping section of the courses of water-resistive sheet material with adhesive carried integrally on the water-resistive sheet material to form air-tight seams for all seams of the barrier layer; the inner face of the water-resistive sheet material in each of the courses having the integrally-carried adhesive in a form of a narrow continuous strip of adhesive extending longitudinally on the inner face closely spaced to the lower longitudinally-extending edge, less than 10% of the surface area of the inner face being covered by the integrally-carried adhesive; the outer face of the water-resistive sheet material in each of the courses having the integrally-carried adhesive in a form of a narrow continuous strip of adhesive extending longitudinally on the outer face closely spaced to the upper longitudinally-extending edge, less than 10% of the surface area of the outer face being covered by the integrally-carried adhesive; and said covering step including arranging the series of partially overlapping courses of water-resistive sheet material such that the strips of adhesive on the inner and outer faces are sandwiched between the overlapping sections of the courses of water-resistive material and such that all the integrally-carried adhesive is located only between the overlapping sections of the courses of water-resistive material to maximize vapor permeability at the non-overlapping sections of the courses of water-resistive material.