Eclipse WRB Provides Superior Tape and Panel Solution for Exterior Construction

November 6, 2018

Source: Products

When building a new home or commercial space, building contractors look for the best way to create a tight building envelope that provides a reliable air and moisture barrier.

RoyOMartin's Eclipse weather resistant barrier (WRB) is manufactured on to the OSB, combining house wrap and reflective insulation into a single panel. Unlike a traditional OSB and house wrap system, no extra wrapping or stapling is needed—simply tape the seams to complete the barrier. This tape and panel product means the air and moisture barrier is attained at the sheathing level.

"It eliminates the secondary process of wrapping with typical house wrap," said Steve Benge, owner of C. Stephens Construction. Because Eclipse WRB arrived on the job site already protected from the elements, there is not need to worry about trapping moisture in the sheathing.

When assessing a weather resistant barrier product, Benge said he looks for a waterproof product with sealed joints.

"I found the Eclipse WRB effective and priced below similar wrap systems," Benge said. "It is superior to house wrap fabric."

Russell Jones, CEO of Framing Square Lumber in Midland, Texas, has been selling the Eclipse products for more than a decade, and says he appreciates the ease of installation.

"It takes the same amount of time to install the non-foil board, but putting house wrap on in our area can be challenging due to the winds," Jones said. "If you get as much as a 15 to 20 mile wind, putting house wrap on is just not doable that day."

The Eclipse WRB has a 180-day exposure rating, which can be helpful in busy construction seasons.

"With labor being as hard as it is to come by, sometimes house wrap has to be on a house two to three weeks before a brick layer get there to cover it," Jones said. "By that time, you typically have tears, or it's blown off the substrate and it has to be tacked."

A product with a built-in weather barrier, however, eliminates that problem. Because the Eclipse board comes in 8-foot and extended lengths, Jones says it saves the framers time and money in installation, as the panels over the full height of the walls.

"(RoyOMartin) is the only one that does the 9 foot and 10 foot consistently, and it's a labor saver for the framer contractor," Jones said.

When used with brick construction, Eclipse WRB provides an added R-value. In the extreme Texas heat, Jones recommends Eclipse because of its insulation properties. He says that houses built with Eclipse are consistently cooler than those with regular house wrap.

"When you move into a house, you're going to be paying the electric bill from now until you move out," Jones said. "And the electric bill on the Eclipse houses are always smaller than the electric bill on the non-foil houses. The product is meant to cut electricity usage, and it works."