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Okay - so now we have moved from maybe to bloody heck it's happening we need to start to source the important materials, such as the air-tightness tapes, etc.
I have read as many of the previous postings as I could and are planning to use Tescon No 1 to seal the internal vapour barrier as the air-tightness layer. Much as I would like to follow Viking House's use of contained silicon mastic, our wall details don't give that option. From your experiences should I also buy the Tescon Profil for the junction of windows to vapour barrier or just keep using the No 1 tape? I was looking at around 18 rolls to do the whole interior - has anyone done a two storey house around 170 sq m and needed that much?
Also, I will be fitting the external breathable membrane and was looking to seal the joints with a double sided tape, such as Duplex from GBS - any experience or guidance please? It is cheaper than the Tescon No 1, but is it necessary?
Strangely our daughter and son-in-law live in Huddersfield so we can see them and gather in the necessary materials from the GBS unit nearby - sorted!!
I am building similer size house, 170 spm external dimension, plus attic space and used about 30 rolls I think. They do a cheaper tape (the green coloured one) that is not water proof or flexable like the number on. I will have to look through photos to find the exact amount (builder bought the tape before going bankcrupt on me). I used the no.1 tape of the windos and stuff. I discovered that a long batteren of planned wood, (long steel rules would be good) was good enough to take half or 2/3rds the backing off. I could fix the tape to the wall/window reveil. The take the remianing backing off the stick it to the window frame. The profile tape would be easier but I only had the no1 to hand.
Tapes on the exterior membrane are very important, you are trying to create a wind tight (not airtight) layer and open laps or unsealed edges won’t achieve this. Try Jaffa tape (it’s orange if you couldn’t guess) cheap and very sticky i have tested it and so far in wind, rain and sun it has performed very well. I use corvum 12/48 angle tape for window junction a very easy to use but it depends on your wall construction to window junction. Sealing other airtight layers i use "Venture house wrap” A polypropylene sheathing tape coated with an aggressive acrylic pressure sensitive adhesive, designed for use as a closure system and vapour seal on all interior and exterior sheathing materials. The advanced technology adhesive system allows application at temperatures as low as -14°C. Ideally suited for use with Tyvek® interior and exterior “house-wraps”. The material is coloured red to allow visual inspection of joints prior to construction closure.(sorry for cut and paste above couldn’t be bothered to retype) Available from tapes direct. Cheaper I expect that you’re tescon no1
It may be slightly OTT but I have applied a thin seam of Proclima Orcon F to the overlap before taping. This mastic is exceptionally tacky (and appears to remain so) but quite expensive, hence the THIN seam. It is available in 600ml sausages which make the price more reasonable but you then require a specific gun. Tescon 1 is the tape is the one tape I have used so far and appears to be very effective but again is expensive, an02ew's alternatives look interesting. If this link works it may be of interest, it's a USA site but certain of the products are available here and in some cases are products imported from Europe. www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blogs/dept/musings/air-sealing-tapes-and-gaskets
Jonathan, my advise would be not to buy a big quantity of tape to begin with, but buy a few rolls of different types of tapes and see which suits you best.
Siga have a top class range of tapes that would be worth having a look at. They do some pre-folded tapes with one side of the backing strip already removed which will greatly speed up some aspects of your taping such as around your roof trusses and joists.
I was doing this a few weeks ago with the normal (fully backed flat) tape my TF supplier included and found it very time consuming to fold and half strip the backing myself.
For many other taping jobs this won't be an issue and the normal tape is fine but for that job if I had had the choice I would have happily paid the extra for the pre-folded tape.
Likewise around the windows and doors it is good to have the tapes which are specially designed for the job.
Check with Siga as they may have some free training workshops convenient to you so you can get some practice in before you start and pick up some tips and tricks.
The tape my supplier delivered is called LUP.san exact I think I got 25 rolls for a 200m2 house and I bought an additional 5 rolls of Siga tape for around the windows and doors and also a tube of Siga dockskin primer for use when taping the membrane to the concrete floor.
Thanks Chris - I will get some pre-folded tape as I have to sort out the first floor ceiling barrier around the internal partitions (included in the frame erection) and appreciate the benefits for the windows / doors.
Not sure about just buying a few rolls as we are based in Normandy and just popping back for extra materials is slightly pricey!! I need to make a decision on which tape and get enough in!
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