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Airtight membrane / Vapour Control Layer


bissoejosh

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Has anyone purchased VCL / airtight membranes recently and if so where from? I've been trying for several weeks to order through passive house systems but seem unable to do so as they no longer sell to the public direct.

 

If anyone has any recommendations for alternative suppliers that would be great, even better if they stock Gerband products as I'm a big fan of the 586 tape.

 

Many thanks

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Google, why didn't I think of that. 

 

Only £36.82 a roll delivered, bargain.

 

But more seriously a lot of people used passive house systems so I suspect there is an equivalent supplier out there that people have perhaps used recently?

 

Edited by bissoejosh
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  • 2 weeks later...
29 minutes ago, Triassic said:

Lots of suggestions for tape, any suggestions for the vapour control membrane?

 

I only ask as I need enough to cover 1000m3 house!

 

Every Pound saved counts!

vcl --goes on inside --thats the one you NEED to tape

do you you mean breathable membrane for outside?,that one most systems are happy just with big overlaps and stapled down  not taped ,as it has to breath not seal 

you need both 

Edited by scottishjohn
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  • 2 years later...
On 19/02/2019 at 08:32, Cpd said:

You mean the big plastic sheets of a roll that I use are not acceptable........  

 

Is there really any good reason that dpm can't be used? 40p/m2

It may be tricky to lift a wide roll into place but then is forever pinned onto joists and in the dark

There is a considerable premium for the stuff sold as wall vapour barrier (and with writing on it to prove it).  (£1.80)

 

500m2 at £1.40 difference? = a lot, if there is no clear advantage.

 

I know some experienced builders here use the fancy stuff, so there has to be  reason. Looking forward to the answer.

 

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For my vcl I just use light weight plastic sheeting designed for this purpose….. it’s really easy to handle and is a lot cheeper than DPM 

Edited by Cpd
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23 hours ago, Cpd said:

light weight plastic sheeting

 

Thanks. found it, I think,  at 10p/m2 which is 30p less than dpm and £1.70 less than the yellow make with writing on it.

Over 500m2 that is saving a lot.

Now if only I can get all the other materials at  1/18th of the advertised  cost.

 

But it is 32 microns, which is 0.03mm. This seems to be 3 times the thickness of clingfilm. is it strong enough?

presumably stapled into timber.

 

like this?

Shield General Purpose Builders Sheet (50m x 4m) (DPS504) Large 4m x 50m plastic sheets with a thickness of 32 microns providing a waterproof protective barrier during..

 
 
 
 
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Sounds grand, it’s all pretty straight forward and it’s easy to work with, tape the junctions and try to put them where they will get sandwiched between frame work and battens or plasterboard. I have seen it in both semi transparent clear and semi transparent green…… not sure what the difference is beyond the colour ! 

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  • 4 months later...
On 08/02/2019 at 21:15, dpmiller said:

They're using SIGA tapes on ours, over VC Foil Ultra. The window tape is superb, really easy.

@dpmiller how did you get on with the VC foil ultra? 

 

I was going to opt for the intello stuff, but locally 10 rolls of VC foil ultra have came up quite cheap at 600 quid and was maybe going to opt for that with some good tape. 

 

Don't know why I am holding back though on it and trying to talk myself into the intello from Germany. 

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3 hours ago, SuperJohnG said:

@dpmiller how did you get on with the VC foil ultra? 

 

I was going to opt for the intello stuff, but locally 10 rolls of VC foil ultra have came up quite cheap at 600 quid and was maybe going to opt for that with some good tape. 

 

Don't know why I am holding back though on it and trying to talk myself into the intello from Germany. 

 

I'd snap their hands off and have it away

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5 hours ago, SuperJohnG said:

@dpmiller how did you get on with the VC foil ultra? 

 

I was going to opt for the intello stuff, but locally 10 rolls of VC foil ultra have came up quite cheap at 600 quid and was maybe going to opt for that with some good tape. 

 

Don't know why I am holding back though on it and trying to talk myself into the intello from Germany. 


I was recently looking at this to understand the airtightness properties of my EPS roof. I was very surprised by how low the water vapour resistance rating was for Pro Clima Intello Plus. 
 

It made me realise I don’t understand this topic. Obviously the Intello allows the wall/roof to breath. Whereas DPM or TIMco DPS504 or VC Foil Ultra are practically air tight. But what is the outcome we are looking for?

Edited by Nick Laslett
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4 hours ago, crispy_wafer said:

 

I'd snap their hands off and have it away

Too slow....missed it! Bastard.

 

3 hours ago, Nick Laslett said:

I was recently looking at this to understand the airtightness properties of my EPS roof. I was very surprised by how low the water vapour resistance rating was for Pro Clima Intello Plus. 
 

It made me realise I don’t understand this topic. Obviously the Intello allows the wall/roof to breath. Whereas DPM or TIMco DPS504 or VC Foil Ultra are practically air tight. But what is the outcome we are looking for?

 

That is causing me the issue here - the price of the intello is I think around 40% more, not inconsequential when you need a lot of the stuff. Then I was trying to understand the differences and if I really needed the intello. 

But it makes perfect sense that you would want any vapour out the walls and back into the house in summer to stop condensation in there, but I assume the VC foil just doesn't do that. Only intelligent VCL's do. It especially worries me as I have a SIPS build and interstitial condensation would be a major issue. But similalry...im pretty sure hardly anyone in SIPS is using an intelligent VCL. Are the sales tactics preying on my overthinking? 

 

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