Bitumen building paper

Description Bitumen building paper

Bitumen building paper is Kraft and thick paper or card laminated with an infill of waterproofing material such as bitumen used in the construction of roofs, floor and walls as a moisture barrier. Bitumen building Paper is a breathable membrane where a layer of bitumen covered with building paper each side. It is used where the timber subfloor has a moisture content higher than the recommended 10-12% for installation.  Building Paper is saturated with waterproofing asphalt. Asphalt has been around for a century, and we also use it on pavements and roofs. It prevents wind from reaching the rooms inside, while being last-resort waterproofing under the cladding.

What is bitumen building paper used for

• It is thick tar paper that is frequently used between exterior wall sheathing and masonry / stucco siding. Building paper is also used for temporary home weather protection. Building paper comes in rolls of various widths, lengths and weights. Building paper is commonly used in stucco and masonry applications to prevent water from contacting wood and metal surfaces that can rot and rust, respectively.
• In addition, due to the fact that wood can expand and contract with variations in humidity levels, building paper can help prevent stresses on the stucco and masonry walls.
• By using building paper a separation layer is created between the stucco/masonry surface and the wall sheathing. This separation layer prevents water penetration and compensates for different coefficient rates of expansion between the wood sheathing and the masonry wall finishes.

Bitumen Building Paper Benefits

By preventing water penetration, wood expansion and contraction is dramatically reduced, and any wood expansion/ contraction that does occur is not transmitted to the masonry / stucco surfaces. As a result, building paper reduces the risks of masonry/stucco cracks. Many local building codes recommend the use of two layers of building paper for masonry/stucco applications, due to the fact that building paper can be easily damaged during the construction of the home.