Solitex WA Breather Membrane - Installation Instructions

By Niall Crosson (Technical Engineer) M.Eng.Sc, B.Tech, MIEI

Solitex WA Breather Membrane - Technical Guidance

Key Features

• Breathable
• Waterproof
• Very strong even when wet
• High tear resistance
• Polypropylene micro-fibre fleece
• Flexible at very low temperatures
• Protects timber frame sheeting
• For manual and automated production
• Less roll changes
• Easy, safe and clean to handle

General Description

SOLITEX WA is one of the comprehensive range of pro clima products that help to maximise the performance of building structures. SOLITEX WA is a tough, breathable membrane specifically designed to protect and enhance timber frame structures in Ireland. It can be applied in the factory to the external face of pre-fabricated wall panels, or on-site to timber frame wall assemblies. SOLITEX WA is manufactured from a polypropylene micro-fibre fleece, which gives optimum protection for the structure against driving rain, snow and dust during construction. When the construction is complete, SOLITEX WA continues to protect the structure against excessive damp and any water ingress that may penetrate the outer cladding. SOLITEX WA contributes to an overall moisture control solution for a building but the risk of interstitial condensation within the wall will depend on the properties of the various materials that make up the wall combined with the effectiveness of the internal vapour check.

Applications

SOLITEX WA will protect the exterior sheathing material in a timber frame wall construction from excessive dampness and degradation which may otherwise be caused by water ingress, while at the same time allowing the sheathing material to breathe in order to prevent mould or other fungal growth.

SOLITEX WA can also be used behind timber cladding and other vertically hung cladding materials such as slate or tile to prevent water penetration to block work or other structural material substrates.

Installation

Horizontal and Vertical Joints

Figure 1

• Secure with austenitic stainless steal nails or staples at max 300mm centres.
• Upper layers should always overlap lower layers to facilitate the easier shedding of rain and water away from the sheathing material.
• Horizontal joints should overlap by 100mm minimum.

• Vertical joints should overlap by 150mm minimum and be staggered or offset wherever possible.

• It is advised to mark all positions of studs to facilitate fixing of wall ties.

Foundation Level

Figure 2

Allow for sufficient overlap at the bottom of panels to ensure the bottom timbers & sole plates are well covered. Solitex WA should extend at least 50mm below the top of the rising wall.

Treated timber cavity closers

At treated timber cavity closers a lap of Solitex Plus reinforced breather membrane or a dpc may be installed.

It is important to ensure that the Solitex Plus /dpc is installed correctly, with the Solitex WA breather membrane dressed over the dpc at the head of the window, which in turn is dressed over the vertical Solitex Plus /dpc (see Figure 3).

At Window Sills

Figure 4

At window sills a dpc should be folded on site to provide protection for the bottom, back and ends of the sill. A layer of Solitex Plus high performance breather membrane should folded over and inwards to cover all timber cavity barriers as shown in Figure 4.

At Cavity Barriers

Figure 5

Both vertical and horizontal proprietary polythene sleeved cavity barriers should be fitted in front of the Solitex WA breather membrane according to the manufacturers instructions.

Repairing Damaged Areas

Figure 6

Any damaged membrane should be repaired or replaced, (see Figure 6), ensuring that the laps are maintained and that the upper sheet laps over the lower. When repairing torn breather membrane:

• Cut a horizontal slot above the torn area to extend 150mm beyond the outermost edges of torn area.
• Cut a breather membrane patch to fit between the outer edges of the horizontal slot and to extend 100mm below torn area and 100mm above the horizontal slot.
• Slide the breather membrane patch through the horizontal slot so that the patch area above the slot is on the sheathing side of the torn breather membrane and the remaining patch membrane covers the torn area (i.e. the patch is on the cavity side of the torn area).
• Fix the patch with stainless steel staples. For additional protection in ‘very severe' ‘exposure zones' a self-adhesive tape approved by the breather membrane manufacturer (e.g. pro clima Duplex double sided tape ), should be applied over the horizontal slot.

Fixings

Breather membranes should be fixed with austenitic stainless steel staples or nails. It is essential to use pro clima Duplex or Budax Duo double sided tape in very severe exposure locations. If another system of marking is utilized this should be clear, indelible, and fade and tear resistant. Storage and Handling

Storage and Handling

Store on a clean level surface, above ground and away from water and contamination. Preferably store inside but always under cover and away from direct sunlight. Availability

Availability

Individual rolls supplied wrapped in the following sizes:

Technical Data