ZIP System Sheathing

I recently wrote about a new product, ZIP System Wall and Roof Sheathing, and today we finally installed some of the ZIP System wall sheathing on the new house we’re building that you can follow on Total House Construction Series – Foundation to Finish.

The ZIP System is an exciting new product that I’m very impressed with so far. I’ll be writing more about this product in future posts. However, I wanted to point it out again after we finally gave it a try. ZIP System sheathing is a 1/2 inch thick wall panel of Advantec sheathing with a vapor barrier laminated on the outside surface.

The vapor barrier replaces the need for Tyvek or a similar product. Once all the sheathing is installed all the joints get taped to create an airtight seal. The thing that I’m most excited about is this house is being pre-fabricated in a factory with the ZIP system sheathing. All of the walls (with the exception of the basement walkout walls that have already been framed) will be pre-fabricated. Pre-fabricated walls are not the same as a modular home. In fact, they are built exactly the same way they would be built in the field except they are done in a controlled environment and then shipped to the job site.

So be sure to come back in the coming days as we erect the wall panels and then set the roof trusses on this new home.