Product /
Feb 4, 2021

Benjamin Obdyke Releases the First Self-Adhering Drainable Housewrap

benjamin obdyke hydrogap sa housewrap

Building product manufacturer Benjamin Obdyke says its new HydroGap SA is the industry’s first self-adhered drainable housewrap on the market.

Offering air and moisture protection, HydroGap SA combines the original HydroGap air-sealing technology with an acrylic adhesive backing. The entirety of the HydroGap SA offers the adhesive, which adds additional sealing around fasteners to improve the air barrier’s performance.

“Part of our extensive product development was listening to contractors’ needs and getting the product into their hands to try it,” says Kaylen Handly, Technical Innovation Manager for Benjamin Obdyke. “The result of those efforts is a product that combines the water-shedding benefits of a drainable housewrap with additional air-sealing properties to further protect the wall cavity. HydroGap SA works as a system along with flashing accessories and building science-based installation techniques to create high-performing building envelopes that limit air and moisture intrusion.”

[ Read More: 9 HOUSEWRAPS THAT BLOCK AIR BUT ALLOW WATER VAPOR TO ESCAPE ]

benjamin obdyke hydrogap sa roll

With a perm rating of 12, the HydroGap SA works in all climates, according to Benjamin Obdyke. Although the backing offers an adhesive, residential construction professionals are able to reposition the housewrap before it adheres too strongly. 

Benjamin Obdyke says this release has been five years in the making and has been a top requested product from professionals. The product has been in the hands of dozens of professionals across the country, who each shared their quams and compliments while working with the product. The company made one change because of user feedback: the composition of the release liner.

Thanks to the split release liner, it’s easy to adhere the housewrap in different methods and ways and to peel the liner from the actual wrap. The wrap measures 80 feet long per roll and 4.75 wide. It also has a class A fire rating.

[ Read More: BENJAMIN OBDYKE INTRODUCES LIQUID-APPLIED FLASHING FOR CHALLENGING AREAS ]

 

HydroGap SA’s acrylic adhesive is UV-resistant and features an exposure rating of 120 days. It can be installed in temperatures dipping down to 25 degrees Farenheit without a primer. The acrylic adhesive makes the wrap more durable and tear-resistant when compared to butyl-based products, the company says, adding that butyl is rubber-based and can become brittle over time.

When compared to other self-adhered wraps—which often use gaps to provide vapor perm—HydroGap SA offers consistent sealability, says Benjamin Obdyke.

With a drain efficiency of 96%, HydroGap SA sheds water twice as fast as traditional flat housewraps, according to the company. The faster the moisture leaves, the less likely mold and rot can grow. The drainage space features 1-millimeter spacers, and the company says it removes water faster than any other drainable on the market.

[ Watch: SYMBI Duplex One: Matt Kulp Explains How Benjamin Obdyke fits Into the Project ]

HydroGap SA comes with a 15-year product warranty and a 20-year warranty when paired with the HydroFlash line. This new housewrap meets drainage wrap recommendations from some of the largest siding manufacturers such as James Hardie and BORAL.

Residential professionals can see the housewrap in action on Benjamin Obdyke’s newly revamped website. The site now offers educational videos and even virtual jobsite visits.
 

Caroline Broderick

Caroline Broderick is the associate editor of PRODUCTS.

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