How to DIY Tyvek House Wrap at the Fixer Upper Main House

We pulled off all the T1-11 plywood siding, replaced the wall insulation, and now it’s time to start putting this Fixer Upper back together, starting with the Tyvek house wrap. I should note that we will be replacing all the doors and windows, so we pulled those off too. With the rainy season quickly approaching, we need to get this house wrapped up! This post will show you how I installed Tyvek house wrap, what tools worked best, and tips I learned at the Fixer Upper Main House.

House Wrap Prep Work:

The Tyvek house wrap will begin the process of closing everything up. So, there are some preparation items and things we should address while we the framing and everything is exposed.

This is my recommended check list to do before you house wrap:

1. TAKE PHOTOS!!! You can see so much of the electrical, plumbing, and framing now that will be completely covered by the house wrap. Sometimes this information can be invaluable. You never know when it might come in handy to know where the electrical lines run in a wall or how the framing is arranged around a wall heater.
2. Install nail plates where wires run through the framing. These protect the electrical wires later when you nail on sheathing or siding.
3. Paint areas of the wood framing that are typically susceptible to rot with a mold-killing primer. This includes window and door framing, rim joists at panel siding joints, and framing that will later support an exterior deck ledger.
4. Consider adding blocking for house vents and/or house vents if they are appropriate with your type of construction.

This is a photo of the prep work done for our Fixer Upper house. You can see the primed rim joist and the blocking with vents in the cripple wall that I will flash around, similar to a window. You can click on the photo for a larger view.

Zinsser Mold Killing Primer

• Formulated to kill existing mold, mildew and odor causing bacteria along with an EPA registered antimicrobial to prevent future growth of mold, mildew and other fungal organisms on the paint film
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Why Tyvek House Wrap:

Tyvek house wrap is a particular brand of house wrap. I decided to go with Tyvek instead of cheaper box-store options after watching a great video comparing performances of the different types of house wrap. Matt Reissinger shares some excellent construction knowledge, so check out that link if you want the specifics. But to summarize, Tyvek is the best water barrier. Matt Reissinger shares his tests that show woven house wrap is not a true water barrier. Tyvek held up to his tests and did not allow water to pass through. Moreover, Tyvek still allows air or vapor moisture to escape. That’s exactly what you want in a house wrap.

How to install Tyvek House Wrap:

House wrap comes in a roll that you’ll need to unroll as you install it on the exterior walls. I opted for the 5 foot tall roll as that is more manageable than a taller sheet. Basically, what you want to do is start at one corner, staple the Tyvek in place, and start unrolling it along the exterior wall, stapling as you go. This is much easier than unrolling a long sheet and then trying to get it on the wall. It will just become a huge wind sail and get tangled and dirty, so I don’t recommend that, lol.

Here are some tips I picked up while doing this:

• It’s easier to install Tyvek with at least two people. But if you must install it yourself, stick a long pole, like the clothing rod from an old closet through the roll. That will help keep the roll upright and easier to unroll as you walk along the wall.
• Use a cap stapler. Just do it. It’s sooo much easier than trying to install plastic headed nails by hand. This is particularly true if this is a one-person install. I did the lower sections myself but got my husband to help me as I worked up the walls. It just got too tricky.
• Tyvek is easiest to cut with a sharp utility knife. It may be resistant to start the cut. You kind of have to puncture it to get it started, but once it’s going, it should be a smooth easy cut.

This is a photo of the cap stapler. It takes a few practice hits to get the hang of it, but once you’ve done a few, you’re up and running. The stapler makes the whole Tyvek house wrap job much faster.

House Wrap Overlap at Joints:

Just like with roofing, upper sections overlap lower sections. So start at the bottom of the wall. Go from corner to corner. Then install the next section of house wrap, making sure it overlaps the lower section slightly. Here is a progress photo of the Tyvek house wrap on a side gable wall. My overlap is more than needed here, but that’s fine.

You want vertical joints in the house wrap to overlap as well. Here is a photo of the house wrap at the corner where I have enough to overlap vertical sections.

Here is a progress photo of the front wall. We simply rolled over the windows for the time being. Actually, a rain storm was on the forecast and I was in hurry to get the house “water-tight” before then.

Taped Joints:

Tyvek recommend taping the joints of the house wrap to help keep it waterproof. Tyvek has a special tape that sticks to the wrap, so I’d recommend getting a few rolls. I needed at least 3 rolls for this house. The tape cuts easily with scissors or a utility knife.

This is a quick photo of the Tyvek tape. It is opaque and quite sticky on one side.

Here is the house all wrapped up! We made it just in time for that rain storm the next day. Don’t worry, we put a quick house wrap door cover on for the storm. If you click on the photo to enlarge it, you can see the joint lines are shinier due to the Tyvek tape.

Stay tuned for the next post where we’ll be installing doors and windows! Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions. Really, house wrap is fairly simple, but I hope this post was helpful.