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Veteran
Posts: 254
 
Location: Dickinson, TX | I'm almost at a point where I'm ready to put roofer's felt over the insulation and metal studs in my trailer. Do I need to glue this stuff in place on the metal studs, or is it sufficient to duct tape at each end and top/bottom? The stuff is made from asphalt... seems like that would be not-so-good as far as breathing vapors from it when the trailer has been sitting for awhile. Comments? Should I cover it with heavy plastic after installation, before the furring strips, framing, etc. go in? What does #15, #30, etc. mean? What number do I need? Thank you, Mike
Edited by racesarabhorses 2007-01-01 8:44 PM
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Expert
Posts: 2953
 
Location: North Carolina | Why are you using Roofer's felt? Seems like poly film would be lighter and more effective as a vapor barrier. The 15 and 30 means the number of pounds per 100 square feet. Roofers use "square" to mean 100 square feet. |
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Veteran
Posts: 254
Location: Dickinson, TX | Roofer's felt has been suggested here several times, but I've not seen a thing about poly film till tonight. Where do I get it? I didn't see such a thing on the Lowe's website. Mike |
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Expert
Posts: 2953
Location: North Carolina | Any home / hardware store will have "Polyethylene sheeting". It's sold in rolls, used for many different applications... drop cloths, dust barriers, etc It comes in either natural (clear) or black. The various thicknesses are measured in mils. Each Mil is one thousandth of an inch. The greater mil is more resistant to tearing. For a vapor barrier the least intact thickness is enough. |
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Veteran
Posts: 254
Location: Dickinson, TX | Is this stuff just plastic sheeting? If so, I can see why it is not used... Moisture can still condense on the metal surfaces because the insulating properties aren't as good as an asphalt material's are. Just my hunch... you can tell me otherwise if your experience dictates such. Mike |
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Expert
Posts: 3802
Location: Rocky Mount N.C. | What about using a layer of Tyvex house wrap as a vapor barrier. Just install it between the insulation and what ever you use as your inside finish surface. Unlike plastic sheeting the Tyvex will breath and not accumalate moisture. I don't really know, just shootoing in the dark. My trailer needs the dressing and mid-tack walls insulated. The roof is already covered from the factory and I still have not decided what to use myself. Foam, bubble wrap, fiberglass, newspaper, horse hair clippings, chicken bones, mud, etc. DUH! Guess anything is better than what's on there now..........NOTHING! |
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Member
Posts: 23
Location: Pierz, MN | I would not recommend using roofing felt. I'm a commercial roofer and the felt does have quit an odder. I would definitely go with the tyvex. |
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Veteran
Posts: 254
Location: Dickinson, TX | Yeah... I looked at the roofer's felt, myself, and thought there HAD to be a better way. I'll look at Tyvek next time I'm at Lowe's... |
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New User
Posts: 3
Location: louisville ky | Tyveck would be the way to go. Its pretty costly since the rolls are 8x100'. If there are any homes being built in your town, you could probrably pick-up some scrap from them. Iam a commercial carpenter and use this stuff a lot. |
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Veteran
Posts: 143
Location: southeast U.S.A. | racesarabhorses, I'll just add to whats allready been said but with a twist. Several years ago I insulated our old trailer and used styrofoam insulation with a foil backing. The foil was glued onto the foam with what looked like a liquid tar substance and after getting hot in a closed trailer had the same oder as creosote. This smell was loud at times and would permeate anything left in the trailer for any lenth of time. We would leave jackets in the trailer for those times that it got chilly in the evening and that smell would get into the jackets and was hard to get out. I wouldn't use anything that contained any type of glue that gave off a oder like that (such as roofing felt). We insulated our new to us trailer with styrofoam but made double sure that this foam didn't have that type of glue on it! Just something to consider.
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Veteran
Posts: 254
Location: Dickinson, TX | Thank you... confirming some of my initial impressions. Mike |
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Roofer's Felt
