TYPAR®

VS TYVEK®

The facts and figures you need to make an informed decision.There’s plenty of information (and misinformation) fl oating around

as it relates to weather-resistant barriers. As you can guess, Tyvek®

makes a lot of claims as to the superiority of their product, but many

of their claims are just misleading.

Typar® is a polypropylene nonwoven breathable weather membrane.

Its technologically advanced design reduces the risk of moisture

damage and mold growth in the wall cavity unlike any other product

on the market, and the facts support it.

FACT: Typar delivers the best balance of water holdout and breathability.

Yes, Tyvek delivers higher raw numbers for breathability—

it’s the balance of the water holdout and breathability that’s most

important. Tyvek claims that higher is better, which is not the case

in this particular instance.

Typar technical experts insist that the true measure of a

housewrap’s effectiveness is the combined performance of

water holdout and breathability (perm rating). Typar offers the

best balance in the industry, which helps prevent moisture—

and the problems associated with moisture—in wall cavities.

If breathability is too low, moisture vapor will not be able to

escape from the walls. If breathability is too high, moisture vapor

will be able to escape, but the housewrap’s ability to block water

from the outside decreases. Typar delivers a perm rating of 11.7,

which falls within the ideal range of 10–20.

Based on published results

according to ASTM E-96-95

Procedure A testing.

*Source: Fiberweb, Inc.

measured in permsBased on published

results according

to AATC-127 testing.

Based on published

results according to

ASTM D-5733 testing.

FACT: Tyvek has poor surfactant resistance. Typar holds up better over time. Conveniently enough, Tyvek doesn’t even mention surfactant resistance in its literature. That’s because it’s another

area where their product falls short. Once the siding is up and final inspection is complete, housewrap still needs to

perform. Soaps from powerwashing and oils from cedar siding can degrade many housewraps. Tests prove that soap

degrades the surface of Tyvek. And once there’s a hole in the barrier, water can easily penetrate the wall cavity,

which can lead to all sorts of problems. Typar will not degrade over time, which helps keep your wall cavities dry.

FACT: Typar’s UV exposure rating is 50% longer than Tyvek’s. Ultraviolet stability is vital to the performance of a weather barrier before it’s covered. Even limited exposure to

ultraviolet rays causes other weather barriers to deteriorate. UV inhibitors in Typar weather barriers’ coatings

and fibers provide the ultimate UV protection. In field and lab tests, Typar offers 180 days of UV protection

compared with Tyvek’s 120 days.

Now that you know the differences, which housewrap would you choose? The best known, or the best performing housewrap system? Choose Typar.

For more information, call 800.284.2780 or visit www.typar.com

Properties Typar® Tyvek®* What it means

Water Penetration >800 cm 280 cm Both products pass minimum requirements

MVT 11.7 perms 58 perms Tyvek is outside ideal rating between 10–20

Trap Tear 33/33 lbs 6/6 lbs Typar is 5X stronger than Tyvek

UV Exposure Rating 180 days 120 days Typar offers 50% longer UV protection

FACT: Typar’s tear strength is 5 times that of Tyvek’s. Tyvek would like you to believe that their product stands up to the rigors of the jobsite better than Typar.

But the facts prove Typar delivers tear strength that’s five times that of Tyvek. Grab strength is the preferred

testing method for tear strength, and Typar performs at more than twice the industry standard. This helps better

protect the integrity of your weather protection system, which keeps moisture from entering your wall cavity.

Based on published results

for tear strength according to

ASTM D-5733-99 testing.

Fiberweb, Inc.

70 Old Hickory Blvd.

Old Hickory, TN 37138 USA

www.typar.com © 2009 Fiberweb, Inc.

Typar®, Typar® Weather Protection System, Typar® HouseWrap, Typar® Peel & Stick Flashing with Quick-Peel, Typar® Flashing Flex and Typar® Construction Tape are registered trademarks of Fiberweb, Inc.

Typar® MetroWrap™, Typar® StormWrap, and Typar Flashing RA™ are trademarks of Fiberweb, Inc.

TYVEK is a registered trademark of E.I. DuPont.

B u i l d i n g W r a p s F l a s h i n g s C o n s t r u c t i o n T a p e R o o f W r a p L a n d s c a p e P r o d u c t s G e o t e x t i l e s

*DuPont published performance specifications