If you are in the process of building your home, you may benefit significantly from a quality house wrap. A house wrap can ensure both structures’ durability and improve energy efficiency.
By letting vapor pass through and preventing water from getting in, you can avoid issues such as mold and rot.
Tyvek has always been the go-to house wrap brand for years. However, if you make a trip to your local Home Depot, you may come across another popular option, Everbilt.
In case you are stuck between these two options, here is a comparison between Everbilt and Tyvek.
What is Everbilt?
You will mostly find Everbilt when you walk into your local Home Depot store. It’s a house wrap that is available in a wide range of measurements. However, the 9 ft x 150 ft is the most popular choice because it is much easier to install.
Everbilt is a house wrap that blocks water from entering your home while letting moisture pass through. It is UV resistant for up to 6 months. That gives you ample time to finish up your construction project.
Everbilt has a couple of remarkable features. For instance, it has a high permeability rating. The same applies to insulation.
Though water-resistant, Everbilt is not a vapor barrier. That’s something buyers should keep in mind. Once covered, the Everbilt house wrap will lower energy bills by preventing heating and air conditioning from leaving the house.
It is lightweight and, therefore, very easy to install. With a tensile strength of 56 lbs/in, the Everbilt house wrap should be resistant to tearing.
Even though it’s not as famous as Tyvek, Everbilt house wrap has received many positive reviews online. Many people have praised how expensive yet effective it is as a house wrap.
Some of the things that have been praised about this product are its durability, ease of installation, and effectiveness in keeping water away from a building.
On paper, Everbilt seems like an excellent house wrap brand. But let’s look at Tyvek and see if it’s equally good.
What is Tyvek?
Tyvek has been the industry leader in house wraps for years. When you consult any expert construction worker, they will choose Tyvek without hesitation. Why? Because it has been tried and tested.
Made by DuPont, Tyvek home wrap boasts impressive technology that allows it to protect the building from water damage while allowing the walls to breathe.
Tyvek allows moisture to easily pass through, ensuring your house is breathable. This is the main selling point of Tyvek house wrap.
Tyvek is made using a non-perforated, nonwoven, and continuous sheet. The fibers used to make these sheets are spun together and not fused, which may interfere with the permeability ratings.
The result of this advanced design system creates hundreds of pores that hold water from outside and ensure it doesn’t pass through. At the same time, it ensures the walls can breathe out moisture.
Water resistance and breathability are the key factors to consider when buying a house wrap. But you will be glad to know that Tyvek is also tear resistant.
It will withstand strong winds and any impact that may have an abrasive impact. It resembles paper. Therefore, it’s super light. That comes in handy during installation.
Tyvek is also recyclable that’s because it’s made using HDPE. If you care about the environment, this should be your top choice.
With Tyvek, you can glue, staple, or laminate it. This house wrap accommodates different types of installation. It can also withstand exposure to UV rays for an incredibly long duration.
How Are They Different?
• Water Resistance
Tyvek has a water resistance rating of ASTM D779 >60m.
Everbilt has a water resistance rating of ASTM D779 >90m.
Everbilt is built using polyolefin, which is more resistant to water than Tyvek, which is made using a nonwoven and non-perforated sheet. Therefore, when it comes to exposure to rain or water in general, Everbilt can hold its ground for much longer.
• Air Penetration Resistance
Using the ASTM E2178 method of testing air penetration resistance, Tyvek has a value of <.004.
Comparing the two, you can get better air resistance from a Tyvek house wrap than Everbilt. In case you reside in a windy area, this is a feature you should heavily consider.
• Vapor Permeability
Tyvek has a permeability rating of 56 US Perms, and Everbilt has a permeability rating of 11 US Perms.
Therefore, regarding breathability, Tyvek is the outright winner because its perm rating is five times higher than Everbilt.
If you are worried about moisture damage, rot, or mold, your building stands a better chance with Tyvek than its counterpart. Everbilt won’t let all moisture pass through.
• Durability
On a head-to-head comparison between Everbilt and Tyvek, the latter is more resistant to tear and wear. This is according to the reviews posted by property owners who have used both DuPont Tyvek and Everbilt.
• UV Exposure
Tyvek can withstand UV exposure for nine months. Whereas, Everbilt can withstand UV exposure for only six months.
If you anticipate finishing your home much sooner, you can go for Everbilt. But if you are interested in long-term protection against UV rays, Tyvek is your best option.
How Are They Similar?
Both Tyvek and Everbilt are;
• Lightweight
When you touch Tyvek and Everbilt, you will notice that both options resemble paper because they are lightweight.
Since they are not heavy, Everbilt and Tyvek are very easy to install. A pro tip when buying both house wraps, choose the bigger ones. That should make installation way easier.
• Resist Water but Allow Moisture to Pass Through
Even though Tyvek and Everbilt have varying moisture resistance ratings. Both work under the same mechanism. That is, they prevent water from passing through while ensuring moisture from the walls can be breathed out.
• UV Resistant
Another similar feature that we can’t overlook is that Tyvek and Everbilt are both UV resistant. However, it’s important to note that the UV resistance of each house wrap only lasts for a certain period.
Pros of Everbilt
• It is an affordable house wrap.
• It is easy to install.
• It is tear resistant.
Cons of Everbilt
• Its quality isn’t at the same level as Tyvek.
• It can’t withstand UV exposure for long.
Pros of Tyvek
• It’s recognized as the industry leader in house wraps.
• It is available in rolls which can be installed in an overlapping design to prevent water entry.
• Highly breathable.
• It is made out of durable material.
Cons of Tyvek
• It’s not resistant to surfactants.
Which is Better?
Many brands make house wraps. However, we can all agree that Everbilt and Tyvek are two of the most popular options in the market.
From a price point, Everbilt is an ideal choice. That’s because it is cheaper than Tyvek and the best part is that it’s available in all Home Depot stores.
Besides that, it is also highly resistant to water intrusion thanks to the presence of polyolefin. However, this material also makes it less breathable.
Quality-wise, Tyvek is the best solution. Tyvek house wrap isn’t your typical house wrap. It is built to keep water out of your home while ensuring minimal moisture passes through.
It is air, tear, and moisture resistant. It is super lightweight, which makes installation effortless. Between these two, Tyvek is the better house wrap option.