WOOHOO! Good weather = time to build

[doctorwayne]

Down here in the south, it seems typical to either use that sprayed on cellulose stuff in the walls, or they use fiberglass batting that is completely enclosed in plastic, sort of like a pillow in a pillowcase. I'll do the latter I think. I haven't seen anyone actually stretch a big piece of plastic across the studs. How is it typically done up north? They actually stretch a big sheet of vapor barrier on the inside and staple it to the studs before the sheetrock goes on?

Oops... Wayne... I misread your comments. You were talking about the ceiling. We usually use the fiberglass batting that has kraft (?) paper on one side which acts as the vapor barrier. It is installed with the paper down against the sheetrock. So again, up north, do they usually stretch plastic across the ceiling joists before the sheetrock?

At one time, the fibreglass with the tarred kraft paper was an acceptable vapour barrier here, but, as far as I know the building code now requires a continuous vapour barrier, including all interior surfaces of the exterior walls and ceilings of the living space. I used heavy-gauge plastic sheeting, but the sprayed-on foam is also acceptable as are the extruded foam sheets (who knew that they could use layout foam for building houses?). The next house will be 2"x6" framing, as is the current one, but with rock wool instead of fibreglass, then a continuous vapour barrier of 2" extruded foam on the inside face of all exterior walls. I also wrapped the outside walls with Tyvek-brand house wrap, which prevents water incursion, but allows water vapour to escape from the insulated walls.

You're making great progress, Gary. What do you plan on using for the exterior of the walls?

Wayne