Using House Wrap for Wood Pile? Tyvek Barricade Zip Everbuilt

Hi everybody!

Wouldn't using house wrap as a top cover for stacks allow water vapor out and keep water drops from coming in? What do you think?

I searched - didn't find this as a topic, and I sense that a lot of us are using some nice weather to get started on 2025 and beyond. Price is right on leftover on roll.

Buzz




Below are last years piles top covered with re-used plastic from a greenhouse that was destroyed. These will go in the barn at the end of summer.

 

I used some of that protective wrap that is used for shipping bundles of lumber. It deteriorated pretty quick. I think it is very similar to house wrap, no?

 

Dunno about house wrap, but have have luck with that reused green house plastic for top cover. Some used for 7+ years and now finally deteriorating past usefulness.

 

Tyvek or similar house wraps supposedly degrade from UV fairly quickly. My neighbors house is on a generic tyvek wrap only for the last 4 months. Tyvek actual brand is supposedly only good for 4 months exposed to uv. I suppose it helps if you pay your contractors and don't pizz them off.

 

Pretty sure “wrap” is to code in Maine!

 

Yeah it is...and I had the same results...not a long term thing.

Are you wanting to completely cover the stack? No need to worry about letting water vapor out if the sides of the stack are open to the sun n wind...and that allows you to use any waterproof material on top then...which I know some don't even worry about that until the last year of drying

 

All I use is house wrap. I'm a building contractor though, so I always have lots of it. I just hospital corner my piles and hammer tack it down. If I wasn't a business owner, I'd use all the repaired trucking tarps.

 

I won't use tyvek as it is expensive and dies fast as a saint bernard compared to a healer. I framed a three story house for a guy named Ted. He wanted to side it as he was addicted to Diy, but never got it done. Been that way for 7 years. Tyvek is falling down, and sheathing is rotting. I now call him Tyvek Ted. Never work for him again. Very embarassing.

 

I know this answer Never tried it ona woodpile and wouldn’t ever bother.
Tyvek is not waterproof. It was never meant to be a water barrier. Today in this world it’s marketed as water resistant which has become misconstrued as waterproof. I even know how this became to be. Did the research once.
As a Mason I’ve seen the trade change dramatically over the years. The Tyvek company wanted to cash in on the water barrier business. All masonry cavities must be waterproof. So all those brick house veneers that became popular, all that stick on fake stone which became popular requires a waterproof membrane behind them. Old school was #30 felt, tarpaper. Tyvek wanted to replace that.
They began a campaign of laboratory testing failures,,,,eventually they passed. It’s called money. They spent a ton on federal testing but never changed the product. Eventually they got the participation trophy of water resistant. Then the slow campaign of changIng building codes to overlook the water resistant and consider it water proof. It’s worked in some areas.
A lot of that stuck on fake stone,,,,,pull it off and you’ll see the plywood behind it beginning to rot.

And then there’s the UV deterioration and wind, forget the wind. Every wrinkle from wind becomes a funnel for water to run through.

 

7 years out of a product that's not meant for weather exposure, I'd say you're doing pretty good.
To the op, for $25 give it a try. Keeping it on in the wind might be challenging. Like Camber said, lots of staples.

 

It marketed and supposed to be used as a vapor barrier, not a water barrier. But your right, people think is it melroe foundation water proofing. It absolutely isn't, but does work very well to cover firewood or lumber piles for a while. You musn't let it flap around in any application. Won't last more than a few months that way. It is a cheap fix for the unsophisticated like myself. As long as one doesn't expect it to be magic, it does the job no problem on wood stacks.

 

I use Tyvek at work sometimes and have thought of using it for top cover and decided against it. Makes a racket when the wind blows on it. Very slippery even worse when wet. Even though it rated for a certain amount of UV exposure i wonder how it would hold up. It comes in 3' & 9' rolls. Maybe some sheets of plywood/OSB on top then Tyvek over it?

 

Its similar to the cheaper woven types of housewrap.

 

house wrap can come in sizer from 8 to 12 foot. I am framing a 10 foot garage right now, and ordered it 12 foot to cover the energy heels on the trusses. If I'm on a step down foundation, I'll just cut the whole role on the chop saw to desired length. I probably have enough to cover a super walmart right now. It is loud and obnoxious if not stapled down properly. If you have hoarded enough wood not to have to play with it, then it will work more than fine for the OP. I bet he could get it free if he went by a few jobs with a good attitude. Shoot, I'd give him enough to cover 30 cord for free. If you do not use Tyvek brand but instead find some woven nylon type of housewrap and staple it down properly with a hammer tacker, it'll last over three years up here. Maybe not in Arizona, but it worked in South Carolina, and I know it worked near Hobart WA just fine.

 

Rather limited experience with it as im actually a roofer by trade. Big box stores carry the 3 & 9' rolls. Doing more small carpentry and siding as of the last several years. All i know is a three foot roll really tries my patience working alone off a ladder on a windy day...using a stapler and not a hammer tacker too. Gets it a lot flatter IME. Ill tape all the seams too.

 

I use the titanium UDL 30 year underlayment on my roofs. Plus Ice and water to boot. I've found that putting that or feltex down when it is hot seems to help flatten the underlayment. I don't miss tar paper at all. In fact, I won't take a job that requires 15 or 30 pound felt. Not worth the money anymore.

 

Man I miss my Aussie. Beautiful pups

 

No it’s marketed as water resistant. It’s original use was a vapor barrier that stops drafts.

what is Tyvek® | DuPont™ Tyvek® for Design

I’ve seen it approved as a protective barrier when doubled up for veneer stone installation. Nothing but trouble IMO

 

I stand corrected. I've been in the game too long without staying current I guess. I wouldn't use it for any stone work. That is the one use I still like real felt for. Around columns I couldn't imagine using doubled up tyvek either.