TYPAR® stands proudly beside its weather-resistant barrier (WRB) products and their performance—tear and tensile strength 5x that of the leading competition, permeability ratings in the 10-20 perm “sweet spot”, surfactant resistance, and up to 12 months of UV-resistance. So, when others try to challenge us or beat us down, we aren’t altogether surprised.
The biggest claim competitors make against TYPAR® building wrap performance is that its coating can be easily damaged in the field. The argument states that once a film break occurs in the coating, all of TYPAR’s claimed physical properties are impacted, ultimately making the product susceptible to bulk air and water intrusion. We’ve seen videos on YouTube filmed in a makeshift garage that show a knife, keys, or a box cutter being used to damage TYPAR’s microporous breathable coating. Other videos feature a stream of water being applied against that same damaged TYPAR wrap, and then showing the wrap leaking at the points where the coating was voided. The outcome is no different than if a piece of Tyvek® wrap was ripped, or if the woven scrim was broken on a perforated woven house wrap. Realistically, videos and pictures can be manipulated to show any desired outcome.
The larger question as it relates to TYPAR® BuildingWrap™ durability is just how much force or pressure needs to be applied to damage the coating, and is that force or pressure indicative of what would be observed on a typical jobsite?
We thought it was time to find out.
Scratch-Resistance Testing
In June 2024, we completed third-party testing exploring “scratch resistance” across two leading WRBs in the industry—ours and Tyvek. Conducted by an accredited facility—with ISO 17025, Miami-Dade, AAMA, and AABA certifications—the testing compared TYPAR BuildingWrap to Tyvek® HomeWrap®, using a common scratch test.
As evidenced in the third-party testing, TYPAR outperformed Tyvek in terms of scratch resistance. This should come as no surprise when the chemistry of both products is compared—polypropylene (TYPAR’s base substrate) is inherently stronger than polyethylene (Tyvek’s substrate) as proven by TYPAR’s superior industry-leading tear and tensile strengths.
But it’s important to remember that whether through transit, mishandling of materials, or even improper installation, building materials can get damaged on the jobsite—and even TYPAR is not immune to that reality. So yes, TYPAR could rip (though not easily), or its coating could be scratched, but is that really telling us much? If a window is improperly set, will it leak? If only one layer of stucco is applied, will it fail?
Let’s not forget some “common sense” principles on the jobsite—if TYPAR’s coating does get damaged, simply cover it up with one of our premium flashing and tape solutions, such as TYPAR® Butyl, TYPAR® All-Temperature, or our latest TYPAR® Clear Acrylic Flashing. Any of our heavy-duty flashings will repair rips, keep bulk water and air out, and ensure builders that their homes will remain covered under TYPAR’s leading lifetime limited warranty.
It’s critical to consider all factors when viewing makeshift YouTube videos promoted by our competitors. When you think of TYPAR wraps, remember all of the leading attributes—bulk air and water holdout, superior tear and tensile strengths, optimal breathability, surfactant resistance—and now add a new fact to that list: TYPAR’s microporous coating does not scratch easily with everyday jobsite abuse and is resistant to damage.
TYPAR WRB Results
Figure 1.TYPAR WRB results. No visible damage to the WRB was observed.
Tyvek Test Results
Figure 2.Tyvek WRB results. Grooves did appear within all four test areas, revealing damage to the outer layers.
