Your contractor said he would use Tvek house wrap under the vinyl siding and the house has something called Easy Gard is this the same thing?

Answer 1

Answer easy GardEasyGard is not a DuPont product, unlike some apparent claims made at Home Improvement Stores. Qingdao G & E Bio-Polytex Company LtdA makes EasyGard (also known as G & E Houseguard), Comparing EasyGard to Tyvek (which seems to be the heart of the question): they both meet specification for keeping out moisture, though Dupont's Tyvek had more supporting documentation in this area (Tyvek data sheet had comparisons to other materials). Tyvek also meets industry standards for mitigating air flow (important for insulating purposes). EasyGard does make any claims in this area. That is not to say EasyGard doesn't mitigate air flow, but they make no claims. Common sense would say that some air flow would be mitigated by the application of any non-porous barrier, but just how well is not known. It seems fair to assume that if the product met industry spec for air flow mitigation that they would have the certification for it.

Both Tyvek and EasyGard have important requirements for getting the industry rated protection. The requirements for EasyGard can be found here: Note that from the web site above you can do searches for other EasyGard competitors (including Tyvek) and draw your own conclusions about equivalence of the housewraps.

From personal experience using both materials I can vouch for EasyGard being unable to qualify for airflow mitigation. It tends to be so porous that if you have wind-blown rain it will be driven through the material. Conversely, Tyvek is exceptionally good at reducing infiltration, especially when taping the edges as advised, as well as using an adhesive neoprene-type roll sealant around all door and window openings.

If installation of EasyGard is made during dry periods and siding is applied in a short time, with adequate flashing and caulking, it might be worth the reduced price. However, as I have found, if you have wind-blown rain prior to getting the siding installed do not be surprised to find your sheathing behind the EasyGard sufficiently moist so as to cause moisture problems with the siding further down the road. This is especially true if you use a cementboard siding, such as Hardieplank, and are not meticulous in making certain it is properly caulked (I advise using a flat piece of roofing flashing behind each joint due to the siding changing length with temperature changes (especially true if you use a dark house paint) to such a degree that even the best polyurethane caulk will eventually crack), and the bottom edge of the siding being fully painted.

I currently have a very large garage that needs siding, but I can not get to it until we have at least a week of warm, dry weather. The sheathing was bone dry at time of the housewrap application, but after the first rain the sheathing became fully saturated behind large sections of the EasyGard housewrap. On the same structure a portion done with Tyvek remained bone dry.

An additional item of note is that absolutely no staples are to be used with EasyGard. There are no exceptions. It simply is not strong enough to hold up to any wind if the only fasteners are staples. Ringshank nails with the round plastic caps are the only fasteners to be used. They work quite well, but I am one who is used to using the hammer tacker to put up Tyvek. That process does not work with this material.

A drawback of the plastic caps is that it is very likely you will drop some on the ground as you work. I found they have a tendency to land nail-side up, and are very adept at sinking the entire way through the sole of my shoe. For those who use anything longer that 3/4-1" long nails on the caps, you will find it very unpleasant when you step on one.

Bottom line is that EasyGard is about half the price of Tyvek. Tyvek is exceedingly good at stopping infiltration, can be left uncovered for years at a time, can be installed using standard staples in a staple gun or hammer tacker. Tyvek allows very little moisture penetration. The negative is that with so little moisture being transmitted through the material it would be best not to apply it over wet sheathing, especially oriented strand board (OSB) which has a tendency to swell when wet and does not return to its previous shape when it dries, the way plywood will.

EasyGard will save money at time of installation, like Tyvek comes in a standard nine-foot-tall roll, is very light and easy for one person to install. The nailing method can stand up to high winds prior to siding installation. The negatives are that a stapler is far faster and easier to use than the nailing method, sections that have not been fully nailed can start to unravel in as little as one or two days in moderate wind, and under no circumstances would I leave a structure covered in this housewrap without siding for even a single rainstorm. We had 75 degrees and clear skies, yet I am unable to install siding where I have used the EasyGard. When I press my hand against it my hand comes away dripping wet in spite of every section covered in Tyvek being as if there had been no rain storms. For my application here in Oregon I feel it is penny-wise, pound-foolish.