Sometimes a product comes along that gets an instant reaction of  "What a great idea. Why didn't somebody think of this before?"

The new ZIP System(r)  roof and wall sheathing with a pre-applied water-resistive layer is one of those products. Introduced by Huber Engineered Woods in 2006, the ZIP System is described as revolutionary in its ability to eliminate housewrap, speed up construction and provide a long-lasting, high performance building envelope.

 The system is composed of ZIP System roof sheathing and ZIP System wall sheathing. Both parts utilize OSB panels with a water-resistive surface applied to one side. Seams between panels are sealed after installation with specially designed ZIP System tape. In roofing applications, the product eliminates the need for felt paper and H-clips; in wall sheathing, builders can forget about housewrap. This saves steps in the building process and reduces weather-related problems and delays at the building site.

 

Huber also manufactures AdvanTech(r), a weather-resistant subflooring panel widely used in house construction. When out in the field visiting construction sites, Huber people noted the headaches builders have with housewraps and felt paper.

 "Installation is difficult and often requires repair or rework," explains Brent Flotkoetter, associate product marketing manager at Huber Engineered Woods based in Charlotte, North Carolina. "The conventional products can rip and blow off in the wind. It's a problem we see a lot here in the southeast, especially in coastal areas. But that's the way it's been done for years, so builders adapted to it. We saw an opportunity to save a step and engineer  products with superior performance."

 Huber has an extensive R&D group that worked on the product line for at least two years before its launch. Development of the formulation and manufacturing process were tied in with focus groups, market surveys and on-site observation to analyze the true needs of the customer.

 

Huber's existing process for manufacturing AdvanTech(r) flooring and sheathing was readily adapted to produce ZIP System panels, thinner boards but essentially the same manufacturing process. All five Huber OSB plants have the capability to manufacture ZIP System panels.

 The ZIP System water-resistive layer consists of a resin-impregnated sheet material bonded to the OSB by heat and pressure to become a permanent part of the board. The overlays were developed for specific moisture management needs for roof and wall assemblies. In the wall sheathing panel, the moisture barrier, called Stormex(tm), balances the level of permeability needed to allow the building envelope to "breathe" while also keeping moisture from entering the wall assembly. The roofing moisture barrier, Precipitek(tm), is designed to keep water from entering the home.

 "This product is a response to the evolution of building," Flotkoetter says. "It's an advance in the way a building assembly manages moisture."

 To ensure a tight seal between panels, ZIP System tape, an essential component of the system, is applied when the panels are installed.

 "The tape is robust enough to provide coverage for the life of the product and is code compliant as flashing tape for roof and walls when used with ZIP System panels," explains Flotkoetter. "When you put it down, it's on for good."