Attaching breather membrane?

[junglejim]

Looking for recommendations on how to attach the breather membrane beneath counter batten.

 

 I’m thinking staples but worried about compromising the fabric. 
 

any tips?

[nod]

Staples are fine

[junglejim]

I’ve read somewhere about using staples ands tape to attach membrane and mark stud locations. In struggling to picture this. Any ideas?

[Russell griffiths]

If your putting a counter batten on your going to be punching dozens of holes in the membrane 

the staples are only to hold it in place while you fit the counter batten. 
you can get a butyl tape that fits on the back of the counter batten to seal any penetrations. 
I’ve never seen anyone use it. 

[junglejim]

22 minutes ago, Russell griffiths said:

If your putting a counter batten on your going to be punching dozens of holes in the membrane 

the staples are only to hold it in place while you fit the counter batten. 
you can get a butyl tape that fits on the back of the counter batten to seal any penetrations. 
I’ve never seen anyone use it. 

Thanks. That’s interesting so should I be aiming to staple where the counter batten will be positioned? 

[Redbeard]

There are 2 schools of thought: 1. A hole with a fixing in it (a staple in this case) is not a hole at all and 2. (The more pessimistic one: A hole with a staple in might leave a residual hole). Both are valid! If you are at all concerned get a roll of suitable external-grade air-tightness tape (I know this is not an a/t issue, but some tapes are waterproof too) and stick a small piece over each staple. Tedious, but you can tick that off and proceed to the next issue. The butyl tape would work too - double-sided for pref. A mall piece wherever a nail is going through and Robert is your parent's sibling.

[junglejim]

1 hour ago, Redbeard said:

There are 2 schools of thought: 1. A hole with a fixing in it (a staple in this case) is not a hole at all and 2. (The more pessimistic one: A hole with a staple in might leave a residual hole). Both are valid! If you are at all concerned get a roll of suitable external-grade air-tightness tape (I know this is not an a/t issue, but some tapes are waterproof too) and stick a small piece over each staple. Tedious, but you can tick that off and proceed to the next issue. The butyl tape would work too - double-sided for pref. A mall piece wherever a nail is going through and Robert is your parent's sibling.

Thanks, that’s really helpful.

 Can you recommend a stapler… the manual ones I’ve tried previously struggle to go into osb.

[Redbeard]

38 minutes ago, junglejim said:

Thanks, that’s really helpful.

 Can you recommend a stapler… the manual ones I’ve tried previously struggle to go into osb.

 

I regret not, but there are compressed air staplers starting at under £50 in places like 'ToolFixstation'. Of course you'd need to buy or hire a compressor but they exist to buy at £100+, and presumably might be useful to you in the next stages of the job.

[Tosh]

1 hour ago, junglejim said:

Can you recommend a stapler… the manual ones I’ve tried previously struggle to go into osb.

Hammer tacker

[markocosic]

On 24/07/2024 at 11:50, Russell griffiths said:

you can get a butyl tape that fits on the back of the counter batten to seal any penetrations. 
I’ve never seen anyone use it. 

 

Common in Lithuania for what it's worth.

 

Not butyl tape, but a thin later of sticky back foam on the battens holding down membranes. 

 

Easier than aiming for a blob of sealant with the screw/nail.

 

Airtightness testing of all new builds is a thing for building regs signoff though.

 

It also helps mitigate roof rain noise when using (common here) metal roofing.

[saveasteading]

On 24/07/2024 at 12:24, junglejim said:

Can you recommend a stapler…

An old thread resurrected. But I have just bought a wickes stapler for about £15. Fixes membrane to osb nicely, also dpc to timber.

I would want something less manual if doing a very big area.

[joe90]

I used one of these, dead easy to use, one handed use, reasonably priced.

https://www.deubaxxl.co.uk/hammer-tacker-stainless-steel/105471/?gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAABwmGWKbaubbZFwbS5ukBqQXMrwoN&gclid=CjwKCAiAm-67BhBlEiwAEVftNncvbi3sDeqLHatNY5kZgG2DhlhNuZtZcHGEhPruJ4A0Kl6JqszWFhoCA8YQAvD_BwE

[jack]

19 minutes ago, joe90 said:

I used one of these, dead easy to use, one handed use, reasonably priced.

https://www.deubaxxl.co.uk/hammer-tacker-stainless-steel/105471/?gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAABwmGWKbaubbZFwbS5ukBqQXMrwoN&gclid=CjwKCAiAm-67BhBlEiwAEVftNncvbi3sDeqLHatNY5kZgG2DhlhNuZtZcHGEhPruJ4A0Kl6JqszWFhoCA8YQAvD_BwE

 

The guys who did our build used one of those. Super fast, easier to use over a wide area without having to move around so much, and waaay less stress on the wrists.

[saveasteading]

I decided against a hammer tacker because of the proximity of the hammer to the other hand, holding the membrane....my left thumb is virtually hurting even as I write the words.

[joe90]

I get that but mostly you can pull the membrane from a distance, 

[miike]

I got a DeWalt heavy duty stapler that has no issues going into OSB. It requires quite a bit of pressure to use though, which you can certainly feel after a few thousand staples. 

[junglejim]

I used a hammer tacker in the end… really easy and quick to use… found it invaluable.

[DownSouth]

https://arrowfastener.com/tool/t50/
 

our TF erection team had one of these, a cut above our Stanley’s one which was always jamming. Easy to use, very solid. 

[Alan Ambrose]

Tacwise, of course, have all sorts of cheap electric staplers and small nailers. I think manual, electric, battery and air driven. They have stainless staples also if you need them. I have a couple of the small electric staplers. They need a bit of downwards pressure. No safety nose on the ones I have so I’m careful with them. Useful for fixing into softwoods and can take small brads too.

Edited January 7 by Alan Ambrose