House Wrap & Insulation
About House Wrap & Insulation
The building envelope performs as a system - and every product in this category plays a specific, non-substitutable role in air-sealing, moisture management, and continuous insulation that together determine whether a wall assembly performs to its design intent or fails early. Pro Materials supplies Tyvek® HomeWrap and HomeGuard housewrap, Airfoam AirBoard Aero and LevelWall continuous insulation systems, BlueScope self-adhered flashing tapes, Kop-R-Lastic fluid-applied flashing, Mulco air-barrier sealants, and Tytan Professional foam - the complete product set for a code-compliant, high-performance wall assembly. Building to OBC SB-12 in Ontario, the BC Energy Step Code, or targeting net-zero performance: we carry the products and specifications your project requires. Wholesale supply to contractors and builders across Canada.
House Wrap & Insulation Buying Guide
Key factors to evaluate when specifying house wrap & insulation for your project.
Building Envelope Essentials: Housewrap, Insulation, and Flashing
Housewrap selection
Tyvek® HomeWrap is the category benchmark - a spunbonded polyolefin that blocks wind and bulk water infiltration while allowing moisture vapour to escape from the wall assembly. Its 10 perms vapour permeance is well-suited to most Canadian climate zones. HomeGuard is a cost-competitive alternative with similar performance specs. Key installation requirement: overlap each course by 6" minimum, tape all vertical seams, and tape all window and door rough opening edges before installing the window.
Continuous insulation
Adding rigid insulation outboard of the structural sheathing is the most effective way to improve wall thermal performance. Airfoam AirBoard Aero (polyisocyanurate) provides R-6 to R-12 per inch and includes a reflective facer. LevelWall is a specialized furring-and-insulation panel system that creates a rainscreen cavity and adds R-4 to R-8 simultaneously. Specify continuous insulation on any project targeting Step 3 or higher in the BC Energy Step Code, or OBC SB-12 Part 5 compliance in Ontario.
Flashing and air-sealing
BlueScope self-adhered flashing tapes and Kop-R-Lastic fluid-applied flashing are used at window and door rough openings, foundation-to-wall transitions, and wall penetrations. Mulco sealants provide a durable air seal at trim junctions and penetrations. Tytan foam provides expanding polyurethane fill for gaps around window and door frames.
Installation sequence matters
The order of operations for air and water barriers is as critical as product quality: substrate prep → housewrap → seal laps → flash rough openings → install windows → seal perimeter → install cladding. No step can compensate for a missed earlier step.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need housewrap if I'm using rigid foam insulation?
In most cases, yes. Even when rigid foam is used as a continuous outboard insulation layer, housewrap (or a fluid-applied WRB) is required at the sheathing level to serve as the primary water-resistive barrier for the wall assembly. The rigid foam layer provides insulation but is not a code-compliant WRB on its own. Check your jurisdiction's building code for the specific requirements for your wall assembly type.
What is the difference between Tyvek HomeWrap and HomeGuard housewrap?
Tyvek® HomeWrap (DuPont) is the industry-leading housewrap - spunbonded polyolefin fabric, 10 perms, and proven 35+ year track record. HomeGuard is a polypropylene-based competitive product with similar water resistance and vapour permeance specifications at a lower price point. Both products are suitable for residential and light commercial applications. Tyvek has more extensive third-party testing data and is specified by name on many projects; HomeGuard is the choice when performance-equivalent value is the priority.
What foam sealant should I use for window and door rough openings?
Use a low-expansion window and door foam, not standard high-expansion foam, for window and door frames. High-expansion foam can bow PVC window frames and cause operational problems. Tytan Professional Door & Window foam is formulated to provide an airtight seal while exerting minimal expanding pressure on door and window frames. Fill the rough opening gap completely in one or two passes; do not overfill.
Is rigid foam insulation board fire rated?
Polyisocyanurate (polyiso) and expanded polystyrene (EPS) rigid foam boards are combustible and must be covered with a minimum 15mm (5/8") Type X gypsum board or equivalent thermal barrier when used inside conditioned spaces. On the exterior (outboard of sheathing, behind cladding), foam insulation does not require a thermal barrier as long as the cladding system meets the code requirements for exterior application. Always confirm with the local authority.