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ThermalBuck & ThermalTight installation through Leader Home Sales in Vermont, featuring MARVIN windows & doors.


Good Building Science  +  Ease of Installation

ThermalTight combines two essential building envelope materials into one: exterior insulation, and the weather resistant barrier.

When the WRB is exterior to the insulation, it manages bulk water at the outer surface – providing better protection for the wall assembly. But traditionally the WRB is installed first, up against the sheathing – because it’s “the way we’ve always done things,” and it was easier. Until now. 

 

ThermalTight makes it simple to build better, because the WRB is laminated to the exterior of the Neopor® exterior insulation panels, allowing for optimum performance AND ease of installation.

ThermalTight & ThermalBuck create a wall system that’s airtight, watertight, well-insulated, and designed to stay dry – while ensuring a simple, labor-saving installation process for the building envelope.

2″ flaps are sealed underneath with BRINC double sided tape, to prevent a “reverse lap”.

The WRB extends 2″ beyond the Neopor® GPS rigid foam board on all 4 sides. 

Once the flaps are sealed, the WRB acts as not only a water barrier, but a continuous air barrier. 

Patent-Pending Flap System 

Each panel of ThermalTight has a 2 inch “flap” on all 4 sides, where the self-gasketing WRB extends beyond the insulation layer. Once the panels are placed, flaps are removed from the top and side, so that the adjacent panel flap can overlap the first panel.

This patent-pending “flap system” allows for joints to be taped UNDERNEATH, preventing the “reverse-shingle” effect of traditional taped systems, allowing good drainage from top to bottom. Once the flaps are sealed, the entire ThermalTight system becomes a continuous air barrier. 

Designed to minimize waste, each panel has flaps on all 4 sides, so that as panels are cut and placed, 2 flaps remain on the leftover portion.

The placement of the air barrier on the outermost layer of the wall assembly (and the rigid insulation boards up against the sheathing), makes it easier to address air leaks that may be found when blower-door testing the completed wall assembly.

 

ThermalTight panels stacked and ready for installation.

Insulation and the WRB all in one. Panels can be installed horizontally, or vertically. 

Once all panels are placed, some flaps are removed so that the adjacent panel flaps can overlap to create the continuous air barrier. 

One Panel – One Trip Around the Building 

ThermalTight takes care of your continuous insulation requirement, and your water and air barrier all in one product. Each Neopor® insulation panel is 4′ x 8′ , 4′ x 9′, or 4′ x 10′, while the WRB overlap extends past the insulation 2″ on all 4 sides. Panels can be hung horizontally or vertically. It is important to consider the overall layout of the panels against the sheathing before removing any flaps. Remaining panel flaps are sealed to the adjacent panel with double-sided tape.

Flaps are removed around all rough openings. Bottom panel flaps are trimmed, folded underneath the panel and taped – then inserted into a Z-strip. Inside corners are sealed with flaps. Exterior corners are sealed with BRINC flashing tape.

Take a look at our Installation Guides below, to see how ThermalBuck & ThermalTight create the ideal high-performance building envelope system. 

Installation Guides

Detailed Installation: ThermalTight

Download the complete photo guide to show every step along the way, and see how ThermalBuck & ThermalTight integrate for an airtight, watertight, thermally broken building envelope. 

Download ThermalTight Installation Guide

 

Detailed Installation: ThermalTight with Strapping

Download the complete photo guide to show every step along the way, and see how ThermalBuck & ThermalTight integrate for an airtight, watertight, thermally broken building envelope. 

Download ThermalTight with Strapping