TECHNICAL BULLETIN ON AIR BARRIERS

TECHNICAL BULLETIN ON AIR BARRIERSTechnical Note 2Air Barrier MaterialsAbstract: This Technical Note lists the defining property of air barrier materials, listscommonly used air barrier materials and lists the ancillary properties that each type of airbarrier material must possess in order to function as an air barrier for the life expectancyof the air barrier system. Lastly, air barrier materials can possess certain properties thatdesign professionals need to know in order to properly asses the applicability of an airbarrier in a particular assembly.Air Barrier MaterialsAn air barrier material is a material that has a maximum air leakage rate of 0.004 cfm/ft2at a pressure difference of 1.57 psi [ .02 L/(s m2) ] at a pressure difference of 75 Pa )when tested in accordance with ASTM E2178.Types of Air Barrier MaterialsCommon categories of and types of air barrier materials are as follows:Adhesive backed commercial building wrapsBoard stock materials-Extruded polystyrene insulation 1 1/2” thick or greaterFaced expanded polystyrene insulation 1 1/2” thick or greaterGypsum board ½” thick or greaterOriented strand board 3/8” thick or greaterPolyisocyanurate insulation 1 1/2” thick or greaterPlywood 3/8” thick or greaterCement boardConcreteFlexible adhered sheet membranesFlexible fluid applied membranesFlexible mechanically fastened sheet membranesFlexible self-adhering sheet membranesDate of Issue: 05-September-2019ABAA – Technical Note #2 Air Barrier MaterialsPage 1 of 14

GlassMetalsNon-board stock insulation-Spray foam insulation 1” thick or greaterCellulose insulation 6” thick or greaterPlasticsRoofing membranesRubberSealant materialsWoodThe Air Barrier Association of America currently has acceptance criteria for many ofthese air barrier materials. These materials are:Boardstock air barrier – rigid cellular thermal insulation boardFactory bonded membranes to sheathingFluid applied membranesMechanically fastened commercial building wrapsSelf-adhering sheet membranesMedium density closed cell spray polyurethane foam insulationTorch applied membranesAncillary Properties of Air Barrier MaterialsDifferent types of air barrier materials require different properties to maintain their abilityto function as an air barrier and to do so for the expected life of either the air barriermaterials or the building enclosure assembly. If the air barrier materials can be easilyaccessed for maintenance or replacement, the expected life of the air barrier materialswould be the metric to be used in determining the required ancillary property of thematerials. If the air barrier materials cannot be easily accessed, this metric will be the lifeexpectancy of the building enclosure. Also, the air barrier material needs be able towithstand exposure to the outside environment for the expected exposure period to thisenvironment. This may be for the expected life of the air barrier systems or the durationthe construction process.Date of Issue: 05-September-2019ABAA – Technical Note #2 Air Barrier MaterialsPage 2 of 14

These ancillary properties are listed in the following tables and are to be used asacceptance criteria for air barrier materials.Table 1: Rigid Cellular Thermal Insulation Air ification C128912e1Material TypeTest StandardTitlePolyisocyanurate StandardSpecification forFaced RigidCellularPolyisocyanurateThermalInsulation BoardUnitRequirementMin. / Max.n/aAs defined bystandardn/aAs defined cation forRigid CellularPolystyreneThermalInsulationTable 2: Factory Bonded Membranes to SheathingProductPropertyPull AdhesionTestStandardASTMD454109e1Test Standard TitleStandard Test Method forPull-Off Strength ofCoatings Using PortableAdhesion Testers –Specify substrate andsurface 10)Declarefailuremodeor reportvalue atsubstrateDate of Issue: 05-September-2019ABAA – Technical Note #2 Air Barrier MaterialsPage 3 of 14

failurePeel Adhesion( of adjoiningboardtransitionmaterial tofactorybondedlaminatedmaterialASTMStandard Test Method forD3330 /Peel Adhesion of PressureD3330M – Sensitive Tape04 ( 2010 )Method FNailSealabilityASTMD1970 /D1970M13Standard Specification forSelf-Adhering PolymerModified BituminousSheet Materials Used asSteep RoofingUnderlayment for IceDam Table 3: Fluid Applied MembranesProductPropertyTestStandardTest Standard TitleUnitRequirementMin.Max.NailSealabilityASTM D1970 /D1970M 11Standard Specification forSelf-Adhering PolymerModified BituminousSheet Materials Used asSteep RoofingUnderlayment for Ice tandard Test Method forPull-Off Strength ofCoatings Using PortableAdhesion Testers –Specify substrate andsurface preparation.Psi16n/a(kPa)(110)Declarefailuremodeor reportDate of Issue: 05-September-2019ABAA – Technical Note #2 Air Barrier MaterialsPage 4 of 14

value atsubstratefailureCrackBridgingES-AC 212Acceptance Criteria forWater-Resistive Coatingsused as Water-ResistiveBarriers over 8Standard Test Method forCrack Bridging Ability ofLiquid AppliedWaterproofing Membrane– Report thickness andjoint treatment (158 for 2weeks )Table 4: Mechanically Fastened Commercial Building WrapsProductPropertyDry TensileStrength pePaper andfelt eStandardTest Methodfor TensileProperties ofPaper t tomachinedirection andcrossDate of Issue: 05-September-2019ABAA – Technical Note #2 Air Barrier MaterialsPage 5 of 14

direction.PolymericbasedASTMD882-12StandardTest Methodfor TensileProperties ofThin 9StandardTest Methodfor BreakingStrength andElongationof TextileFabrics (Grab Test )lbf/in35 cross(N/mm) direction(7.0machine/6.1 crossdirectionTest tomachinedirection a forWaterResistiveBarrier – thematerialdoes notcrack whenbent over a1/16” (1.6mm)mandrel at atemperatureof 32 F (0 C)n/aPassn/aOrDate of Issue: 05-September-2019ABAA – Technical Note #2 Air Barrier MaterialsPage 6 of 14

StandardAsSpecification receivedAllmaterialsASTME2556 /E2556M– 10StandardSpecificationfor VaporPermeableFlexibleSheet WaterResistiveBarriersIntended forMechanicalAttachmentn/aAs defined bystandardTable 5: Self Adhered trengthTestStandardASTME154-08aASTMD882-12Test Standard TitleStandard Test Method forWater Vapor Retarders Usedin Contact with Earth UnderConcrete Slabs, on Walls, oras round CoverStandard Test Method forTensile Properties of ThinPlastic f/in20 oruntilsubstratefailure(N/mm)n/a(3.5 oruntilsubstratefailure)Peel orStrippingStrength ofAdhesiveBondASTMD903-09(2004)Standard Test Method forPeel or Stripping Strength ofAdhesive Bonds – Specifysubstrates and surfacepreparation for glass fiberfaced gypsum sheathingand/or concrete masonrylbf/in5.0(N/mm)(0.875)n/aDeclareDate of Issue: 05-September-2019ABAA – Technical Note #2 Air Barrier MaterialsPage 7 of 14

units.LapAdhesionASTMD187608failuremode.Standard Test Method forPeel Resistance of Adhesives(T peel test) – Specifysubstrate preparation forglass fiber faced gypsumsheathing and/or concretemasonry owASTMTemperature D1970 /FlexibilityD1970M- 11Standard Specification forSelf-Adhering PolymerModified Bituminous SheetMaterials Used as SteepRoofing Underlayment forIce Dam Protection – Section7.6 Low TemperatureFlexibilityNailSealabilityASTMD1970 /D1970M– 11Standard Specification forSelf-Adhering PolymerModified Bituminous SheetMaterials Used as SteepRoofing Underlayment forIce Dam Protection – Section8.9 Nail SealabilityPullAdhesionASTMD454109e1Standard Test Method forPull-Off Strength of CoatingsUsing Portable AdhesionTesters – Specify substrateand surface preparation.-20 FPassn/an/aPass Pa)(110)(-30 C)Declarefailuremodeor reportvalue atsubstratefailureTearInitiationASTMD4073-Date of Issue: 05-September-2019Standard Test Method forTensile-Tear Strength oflbfABAA – Technical Note #2 Air Barrier Materials9.0n/aPage 8 of 14

and TearPropagation06Bituminous RoofingMembrane(N)(40)-15 FPassMachine direction / crossdirectionCrackBridgingASTMStandard Test Method forC1305-08 Crack Bridging Ability ofLiquid AppliedWaterproofing Membranen/a(-26 C)Table 6: Medium Density Spray Polyurethane Foam InsulationProductPropertyTestStandardTest Standard TitleUnitFlame Spread ASTMCharacteristics E84 –12cStandard Test Methodfor Surface BurningCharacteristics ofBuilding Materialsn/aThermalTransmissionStandard Test Methodfor Steady State HeatFlux Measurement andThermal TransmissionProperties by Means ofthe Guarded-Hot-PlateApparatusft2 F h/BtuASTMC177 –10RequirementMin.Max.n/a75Report(m2 e of Issue: 05-September-2019Standard Test Methodfor Steady State ThermalTransmission Propertiesby Means of the HeatFlow Meter ApparatusStandard Test Methodfor CompressiveProperties of RigidCellular Plasticsft2 F h/BtuReport(m2 C/W)psi15(kPa)(104)ABAA – Technical Note #2 Air Barrier Materialsn/aPage 9 of 14

208ASTMD162309ASTMD2126 –09Standard Test Methodfor Tensile and TensileAdhesive Properties ofRigid Cellular PlasticsStandard Test Methodfor Tensile and TensileAdhesive Properties ofRigid Cellular PlasticsStandard Test Methodfor Response of RigidCellular Plastics toThermal and a)(138)%n/a-4 F (-20 C)-4176 F (80 C) 8158 F (70 C ), 97% /3% RH 15WaterAbsorptionASTMD284212Standard Test Methodfor Water Absorption ofRigid Cellular Plastics%n/a4Open CellContentASTMD284212Standard Test Methodfor Water Absorption ofRigid Cellular Plastics%n/a10Pull AdhesionASTMD454109e1Standard Test Methodfor Pull-Off Strength ofCoatings Using PortableAdhesion Testerspsi16n/a(kPa)(110)or reportvalue atsubstratefailureCrackBridgingASTMStandard Test MethodC1305-08 for Crack BridgingAbility of CoatingsUsing Portable AdhesionTestersDate of Issue: 05-September-2019-15 FPassn/a(-26 C)ABAA – Technical Note #2 Air Barrier MaterialsPage 10 of 14

Table 7: Adhesive Backed Commercial Building est Standard TitleUnitStandard Test Method forPull-Off Strength ofCoatings Using PortableAdhesion TestersRequirementMin.Max.psi16n/a(kPa)(110)or reportvalue atsubstratefailureDryTensileStrength orDryBreakingForceASTMD882-12Standard Test Method ForTensile Properties of ThinPlastic Sheetinglbf/in20(N/mm (3.50lbf/in40machine/35crossdirectionn/aTest to machine directionand cross sectionOrASTMD503409Standard Test Method forBreaking Strength andElongation of TextileFabrics ( Grab Test )(N/mm)Test to machine directionand cross directionLapAdhesionASTMD187608Date of Issue: 05-September-2019Standard Test Method forPeel Resistance ofAdhesives (T peel test) –Specify substratepreparation for glass fiberfaced gypsum sheathingand/or concrete mm)(0.875)n/aDeclarefailureABAA – Technical Note #2 Air Barrier MaterialsPage 11 of 14

unites.mode.OrASTMD333010Standard Teswt Methodfor Peel Adhesion ofPressure Sensitive Tape –Method yASTMD197014Section7.6Standard Test Method forPeel Adhesion of PressureSensitive Tape – ion3.3.4Acceptance Criteria ForWater Resistive Barriers –use 1/16” (1.6 mm )diameter mandrel at atemperature of 32 F(0 C)Specimenexhibitsno visiblesurfacecrackingNon-Ancillary Properties of Air Barrier Materials to Be ReportedDesign professionals also need to know some non-ancillary properties of air barriermaterials in order to determine whether the air barrier material will function as intendedfor the expected life of the air barrier assembly and/or system. Also, many air barriermaterials provide other functions needed for the proper function of building enclosureassemblies in addition to the air barrier function. These are:-The water barrierThe vapor barrierThe heat barrier (insulation)If the air barrier material is also intended to be the water barrier material, the materialmust be tested to prove that it can perform the functions of the water barrier.If the air barrier material is also intended to perform the vapor barrier function, thematerial must be tested to prove that it can perform the functions of the vapor barrier. IfDate of Issue: 05-September-2019ABAA – Technical Note #2 Air Barrier MaterialsPage 12 of 14