Just curious what everyone’s favorite vapor barrier material/brand was (in crawlspace or under slabs, etc)? Everyone just using 6mil polyethylene? I’m still considering trying Tu-Tuff for my current project. Or maybe since I’ve never used Tu-Tuff, I might put down the regular 6 mil poly first and then Tu-Tuff.
jt8
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Replies
Tu-Tuf is expensive, but incredibly durable. You can't tear it by hand. It's got surprising UV resistance. I 've used a couple of pieces outside to cover up firewood piles for six years. You still can't tear it by hand. Regular 6 mil would be dust by now. Under a slab, I'd go with 6 mil to save money. But if the plan was to leave it exposed, as in a crawlspace, Tu-Tuf would be my only choice.
Andy
Andy Engel
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig.
Other people can talk about how to expand the destiny of mankind. I just want to talk about how to fix a motorcycle. I think that what I have to say has more lasting value. --Robert M. Pirsig
None of this matters in geological time.
Is that Sto-Cote who makes that? Can't seem to find a website for them. Keep running into a NiceRink website.
I've seen multiple types of Tu-Tuf/Tuff listed (like Tu-Tuff, Tu-Tuf 4, Tu-Tuf XF). Any idea what is the preferred item in a crawlspace? Did you get your via mail order or locally?jt8
"Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first." -- Ronald Reagan
Good question. The stuff I've used is made by Sto Products and was just referred to as Tu-Tuf. Two totally terriffic Tu-Tuff sources are http://www.efi.org and Resource Conservation Technology in Baltimore.Andy Engel
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig.
Other people can talk about how to expand the destiny of mankind. I just want to talk about how to fix a motorcycle. I think that what I have to say has more lasting value. --Robert M. Pirsig
None of this matters in geological time.
Yeah, that site sells "4" and "XF". The 4 is more expensive, but is white, which could really help brighten up a dingy crawlspace. I'm not sure how translucent XF is.. probably still lighter than the black or clear poly I've been using.
jt8
"Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first." -- Ronald Reagan
Tu-Tuff
By the way, we sell Tu-Tuf as well at http://www.positive-energy.com. To JohnT8, Sto-cote Products also makes NiceRink which is a product for ice skating rinks.
Your irritating ads are replying to a thread that's 4 years old.
Did you tape seams on the Tu tuff? If so, what did you use?
http://www.positive-energy.com/pages/SealingAirBarriers2.html
Carries a tape, however they got it priced at $32/roll. That seems a bit steep to me.jt8
"Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do."-- John R. Wooden
OK, went ahead and ordered Tu-Tuff 4. And sheeeeeeze, nearly $40 for a 200' roll of seam tape!
All told about $400 for 2400sqft of coverage. A bit more than I'm used to paying for regular poly.
jt8
"Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do."-- John R. Wooden
Sounds like you figured the tape out...
You'll be happy you spent the money.
Andy Engel
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig.
Other people can talk about how to expand the destiny of mankind. I just want to talk about how to fix a motorcycle. I think that what I have to say has more lasting value. --Robert M. Pirsig
None of this matters in geological time.
I meant to address this to "All". Sorry.... (Well, kind of ... well, not really <G>)
FWIW, I get to "enjoy" a lot of crawlspaces; I don't think I've run into tu-tuff or any of the other high price spreads more than a couple of times.The biggest problem I see with crawl space VBs is that they can get dislodged by people working in the crawl. I suspect that's as true for the expensive stuff as the cheap.Unless you tape, of course.The only reason to tape in my opinion and experience is to keep them from being dislodged when people are working down there who are too lazy to push em back in place when done. The sheets don't move on their own (at least on flat ground, which all I ever see in crawls around here.)Just overlapping the seams 18" - 24" works fine in my area (NW Ohio) which has a mix of soils in different sections, ranging from expansive clays to sand.
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Sojourners: Christians for Justice and Peace
Edited 11/26/2005 9:03 am ET by rjw
In agreement with you Bob. That happens a lot when we don't get political. <G>Andy Engel
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig.
Other people can talk about how to expand the destiny of mankind. I just want to talk about how to fix a motorcycle. I think that what I have to say has more lasting value. --Robert M. Pirsig
None of this matters in geological time.
>>In agreement with you Bob. That happens a lot when we don't get political. <G>No it doesn't!
(Ooops, this isn't the tavern <G,D&R>) Talk about stuck in a rut!
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Sojourners: Christians for Justice and Peace
Edited 11/26/2005 9:06 pm ET by rjw
My 'beam' project got bumped back at least a week, so this weekend I was feeding my obsessive side... Scrubbing the 4-block high crawl with a course nylon brush and bucket of cleanser. Then hitting it with Drylok today. Probably overkill, but I figure it can't hurt.
Tu-Tuff will be in hopefully some time this week.
jt8
"Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do."-- John R. Wooden
>>feeding my obsessive side... Scrubbing the 4-block high crawl with a course nylon brush and bucket of cleanser. Then hitting it with Drylok today. Probably overkill, but I figure it can't hurt. Obsessive side? Nah. It would have been obsessive if you;d used a fine nylon brush. <G>>>Tu-Tuff will be in hopefully some time this week. How much exposure of the foundation outside? Unless there is plenty of exposure (say, 2 courses of so) for moisture to evaporate from, do not run the VB up the walls
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Sojourners: Christians for Justice and Peace
Positive Energy
Hi - I'm with Positive ENergy - we reduced our price on that tape by about $10, and we also carry the Tu-Tuff material. It is a grat product.
I did end up getting the Tuf Tuff, but I can't say I'm terribly impressed with it as a crawlspace liner. I bought a 4' roll and a 20' roll. Based on a scrap I took off the 4' roll: no, I couldn't tear it by hand, but it seemed to puncture fairly easy. Gravel, block/pad corners, etc seem to punch holes in it. IMO, the Tu Tuff seemed much easier to puncture than 6mil poly.
I was concerned enough that I swept the crawlspace with broom and magnet to try and eliminate potentially sharp objects (the loose ones, not the blocks/pads, etc) and then put down 6mil poly UNDER the Tu Tuff to act as a puncture-barrier.
Also, the 20x100' roll turned out to be about 19'8"x98'. Looked to be 4' wide rolls seamed together. Whereas the poly I buy is usually uniform, is right at 20', and often gives you a bit extra on the length (and only costs about 1/5 as much).
Considering what the Tu Tuff + poly cost, for just a little more, I could have EPDM'ed the entire crawl. Then there wouldn't have been a doubt about the moisture or durability.jt8
"Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success." --Albert Schweitzer
That's right.
be somebody ought to go kick thereazzesThe bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.