EP 12 : VAPOR BARRIER INSTALLATION - DON'T MAKE THESE MISTAKES!

[@benmuirhead939]

Hugo I don't know how the youtube algorithm works but you have some pretty good stuff here. I've been watching from the beginning and your channel is definitely better than lots of other 'builders' on youtube with way more traffic. Maybe you should look into a small amount of advertising to get the ball rolling, I think you're just hard to find. Anyway, good stuff. I'm building my own house too this spring mostly on my own but my planning department wouldn't allow me to do anything contemporary like yours :( Keep up the good work!

[@HugoBuilds]

Hi Ben, thanks so much for the kind words. I did think about advertising but I do it more as a labour of love than anything. When I started the channel I thought it would just be cool to be able to look back at these memories and remember the build. From what I understand the KZbin algorithm takes a while to pick up anyone.. eventually, if it does work out - it should just start to snowball. If a few people, like yourself, enjoy the content and take the time to watch it, that's enough for me to keep making these! If you're interested, feel free to share your project. Again, thank you so much for watching, I hope you stick around. Have a good one!

[@Motosfourlife]

Clean install good job. Thanks for sharing.

[@HugoBuilds]

Thanks for watching!

[@brendanj1124]

A tip, use Tungsten Carbide knife blades for sizing insulation is a great idea, as normal ones will dull quicker on the ins fibers an fatigue your arms alot quicker, plus can use them on concrete for alot longer if your having to template cut a lot of areas on downstairs areas with concrete slab. also can use rakes instead of a ladder for ceilings again depending what weight material your using, snub the ends with your knife and away you go. a 200-300sqm house ,depending what batt material, proper quality install to code, all peripherals cut out, should take one full day to insulate one person with a few breaks. to retrofit or commercial residential type builds without a vapour barrier, a bit more for wall & ceiling strapping.. strappings good to reduce sag if your using heavy materials that wick moisture. Happy building!

[@HugoBuilds]

Thanks for your comment. Very informative. I'm sure that's true for someone with a lot of experience. Doing the batt's didn't take too long. there were some areas we needed to cut a lot that slowed me down a little bit and it was my first time doing this. The longest part was the vapor barrier and taping! I always use carbide blades but I compared those to the bread knife and I thought the serrated knife was much faster!

[@wafaadhannoon3058]

Is the attic needs plywood on its base, and if there are spaces between the windows and dry wall what should I HAVE TO DO?

[@HugoBuilds]

No plywood in the attic unless you plan on walking in there. Trusses aren't meant to take loads on the bottom chord though.

[@12vLife]

I wonder about using vapor barrier inside instead? I have this idea for an owner-builder small simple build in Florida. I want an overengineered steel frame with cross bracing, enough girts and strong enough to address any load and racking concerns. Then I want to screw in standing seam siding right over the frame (no sheathing no vapor barrier). By design allow the siding to have an escape for moisture on the bottom. On the inside Mineral wool up against the siding packed in. Over the frame on the inside a quality stick vapor barrier and tape job, followed by pine siding screwed into the metal frame. In Florida and will likely will need a structural engineer to do calculations , but will this pass ?

[@HugoBuilds]

I would do a bit of research on building science for warm climates. I know nothing about that really. In cold climates you want your vapor barrier on the 'warm side' of the house to prevent condensation. My hunch tells me in warm climates the vapor barrier is not on the inside.. I could be wrong tho - so look into it. Not to sure about the structural question, sorry! Good luck - hope that helps.

[@gjjb6662]

I was hoping to “see” what you talked about at connection points.. the folding, overlaps, stapling, taping… the details. Which is what KZbin is great for. Instead I heard you mention these things quickly, and then fast motion vapor barrier goes up in the distance. So I couldn’t really learn the details I was hoping for. Consider close-ups of the details. As a fellow Canuck, I was looking for Canadian code which you were doing, but not so much showing. Appreciate your effort however. I hope to find something somewhere, as this is new for me and I want to get it right.

[@HugoBuilds]

Thanks for the constructive criticism, always trying to make these videos better. Juggling between vlogs and instructional videos, not an easy rope to walk. thanks for watching!

[@simplelifebuilders2458]

Thanks Hugo... We are about to do our vapour barrier tomorrow! Thanks for the tips.

[@HugoBuilds]

Sorry I'm about a week late. I hope it helped! Good luck! Must be that time of year, I'm getting a lot of action on my vapor barrier video ;) g

[@simplelifebuilders2458]

@@HugoBuilds Thanks Hugo😊

[@wafaadhannoon3058]

Is it possible to put inside the attic vapour barrier because the contractor installed the dry wall in the ceiling

[@spanksk9198]

Great, informative videos! Thank you

[@HugoBuilds]

I do my best! Thank you very much :)

[@AP77432]

Hey, nice job. My main question is do i need to leave some air gap between this vapor barrier and gypsum? Or i can screw it strigh on it?

[@emilmalagic3889]

Hi I'm doing my attic and it has pink insulation and brown paper facing me, can I add this plastic vapor barrier to prevent bugs from coming in??? Making a walk in closet and we have bugs called silver fish !!!!

[@HugoBuilds]

I think it would be hard to seal it off properly. Not sure on that assembly! Sorry. Good luck.

[@Danglethefinisher]

Hey bro I'm doing a 2000sf 2 storey. It's a tour ! I should of done this ! Awesome work man, great drive I'm in the same boat

[@HugoBuilds]

Happy to hear you can relate. That's exactly why I started this series. Lagging a bit behind at the moment. We moved in a few weeks ago and I haven't set up my office. More videos coming down the pipe tho ! Thanks for watching

[@Danglethefinisher]

@@HugoBuilds how big is your build ?

[@HugoBuilds]

@@Danglethefinisher around 1800 sq.ft. And we will be taking on the basement soon!

[@beatch42]

Lmao cardboard baffles, I thought they were a myth 😂

[@HugoBuilds]

They're pretty common around here.

[@laurahall3094]

Your "pink foam" comment was of interest to me because I need to insulate my garage. Was this pink foam a faced batt?

[@nobodyinnoutdoors]

No not faced. Faced has vapor barrier facing the heat.

[@sweetpea732]

Do you use vapor barrier if the outside has tar paper on it?

[@oneill6291]

You always want vapour barrier. 90% of the moisture will come from the inside of your house (human activity). The idea of the barrier is to prevent that moisture from getting into your structure. Depending on when your house was built the idea is that there should be ventilation on the outside of that barrier to quickly vent any moisture that does happen to get inside the structure. This philosophy has changed recently, (not really time tested yet, so we'll see if the new system works, in time) but if your house was built like 10-15 years ago or more, that's the idea. the tar paper back then was really just a stop-gap measure to protect the structure from any moisture coming from the outside environment.

[@HugoBuilds]

This guy knows.

[@lionelp1944]

Got a few questions I'm insulating and want to do vapor barrier very soon. I'm doing a detached garage. How cold can it be for putting on the Black sealant. I see from your breath that it is freezing temperatures

[@HugoBuilds]

I would check the manufacturers website to be sure but it's supposed to stay flexible even in really cold temps.. I put it on at like -30c, just a lot harder to squeeze through the tube.

[@fd680]

I'm insulating my garage, and am ready to apply vapour barrier to the biggest wall. It's 25 feet ++ and 10 feet high. I'm doing it by myself, can I use multiple pieces of VB as long as I overlap a bit and of course tape it? Or does it have to be one continuous piece?

[@HugoBuilds]

Overlap and tape the seams and you should be good to go!

[@HugoBuilds]

Does not have to be one piece.

[@fruitsalad08]

Hi, thanks for your video on vapor barriers. I'm trying hard to understand. We have moved to a 1900's home in Vancouver BC. Part of the basement wall is not finished, in fact I can see daylight through the wall. It is just the siding exposed on the inside, there is no interior wall wood. There is no insulation, it's like being outside. Can I put foam board on the outside wall then put pink insulation over that? Should I then put plastic on the wall or just leave it with insulation exposed? I did fill some of the bigger holes with Great Stuff. This space is under the front hall and under the outside porch. If I put pink insulation on the ceiling under the outside porch should I put plastic over that? The other part is under the front hall (so inside the main floor). Should this part have no plastic? I appreciate any advice. The house is so cold I need to do something.

[@HugoBuilds]

Hard to say specially if you have a stone foundation. It's not new typical wall assembly so hard to say where the due point would be. In a home that age, probably best to let everything breathe and have a chance to dry out. Don't want to trap moisture. Vapor barrier probably isn't going to do anything if the rest of the house isn't done. I would say use spray foam to fill all the gaps you can - you really don't want to be seeing sunlight. If you want to go all out, you could frame a small wall on the inside and insulate that. Leave an air gap behind so that moisture has room to evaporate.

[@garusbooth]

This is fantastic! I have a question about the vapor barrier and the floor. I have a backyard studio build in progress here in Toronto and we used the rigid pink insulation between the floor joists and then put the subfloor down. We didn't tape between the pink insulation. Should we bring the plastic vapor barrier down the wall and across the top of the subfloor to create a continuous envelope or is it just needed in the ceiling and walls?

[@HugoBuilds]

Always good to create a continuous envelope. Sorry for the late reply.

[@John.Paulis]

What kind of sealant is that for the vapor barrier?

[@HugoBuilds]

It's called acoustic sealant. It's a pain to deal with.

[@DylAn-sp5rh]

Are you having any leaking problems yet , or visible mold in spots ? From the insulation job?

[@HugoBuilds]

Nop. Why would I?

[@DylAn-sp5rh]

You should always put your ceilings poly up first too prevent condensation from leaking down in front of your wall poly , now if their was ever a leak coming from the attic it would come down and leak all over the drywall, but nice job on the roxel , that stuffs a pain in the ass

[@ironDsteele]

I think a leak is unacceptable regardless of where the water lands. Nothing tells you that you have a leak better than wet drywall lol

[@HugoBuilds]

generally that's what I did. Thanks for the comment.

[@DylAn-sp5rh]

@@HugoBuilds if you ever have any questions you can send me a Gmail , I work for one of the best insulation/polys crews in all of Manitoba

[@DylAn-sp5rh]

@@ironDsteele forsure but a lot of leaks can happen from anybody from the roofer not sealing the roof proper,

[@DylAn-sp5rh]

Or drywallers missing studs but if you do a good job on the poly you should never have a leak coming through drywall

[@mucho1966]

I'm going to try to half finish my sister's basement. The house shell is siding with the pink board inside, then pink bat insulation with the paper facing me in the basement. I cleaned the light mold on the studs and I want to know, Can I use a plastic sheeting over the insulation as another layer of protection before the drywall??? Thanks in advance.......

[@HugoBuilds]

yes, you actually probably should. The only reason I didn't is because I have pink rigid foam insulation that acts as a vapour barrier. If you're just using fiberglass, you should have a vapour barrier in front before you install the drywall.

[@mucho1966]

@@HugoBuilds Thank you.

[@diveintothesky00]

Good video, though vapour barrier isn’t required on interior walls, only perimeter walls - at least here in Ontario anyhow.

[@HugoBuilds]

Yea, that's right. Only exterior walls. We didn't put any vapour barrier on any interior walls.

[@jaym.7045]

I really love these informational videos. Keep them coming!

[@HugoBuilds]

Happy to hear. I'm starting to develop a few shorter videos 2-5 minutes that are tutorials on some of the products we're using. Without all the vlog fluff for those who aren't interested. Thanks for watching.

[@johnjacobjinglehimerschmid3555]

How about vapor barrier accommodations for outlet / switch boxes. How do you improve the seal there?

[@HugoBuilds]

Hi John, they sell all sorts of products for that condition. We used the cheapest one which is just vapour boxes that are installed with the electrical box. It's essentially a molded piece of vapour barrier that's a bit bitter than your electrical box. The more expensive option is fully sealed boxes that come with rubber gaskets. Thanks for watching good luck with your project!

[@laurahall3094]

I used to use insulation between the box and the switch plate. It was an old house and wind used to BLOW out of gaps there. There's purpose made thin white sheets of poly insulation and you just cut them to size. Really cuts down on drafts. It looks like something you would line a drawer with frankly.

[@Maricela.amador]

Drywalling and taping is a job in its self I'm glad we don't have to deal with vapor barriers in California .. seems like a headache

[@HugoBuilds]

Huge headache. I'm about to do it on a new build. Check out or latest videos.

[@laurahall3094]

You should still insulate if you own a.c. or a furnace.

[@wafaadhannoon3058]

I am doing renovation , do I need this vapour barrier because the contractor install the dry wall directlysaid no need , please reply to my question.

[@HugoBuilds]

Don't know what climate you're in. might not need it.

[@vierka5967]

You should have a 16" wide vapor barrier installed between your interior wall to exterior wall intersection for barrier continuity. At 1:38 you do not.

[@HugoBuilds]

You're right, it was on the plans and contractor failed to do so. By the time we realized it was too late. Thanks for pointing that out.

[@Mike95431]

are you talking about the right wall where there is a T intersection between the interior/exterior wall? If so, would this be installed during framing between the joining point? Thanks

[@HugoBuilds]

@@Mike95431 It's at the ends of the floors, prior to the sheathing going on, a 16" strip should be attached so that you can have a continuous envelope from your first floor VB to your second floor.

[@bizzowizzo]

Plate poly

[@CanvasCreationsClips]

Hugo I noticed you left around a foot extra on the floor any reason why?

[@HugoBuilds]

Just to get a good seal at the bottom plate. The extra was cut off before the flooring.

[@sadiewatkins92]

Great video, At 12.25 you say about moisture forming between the vapour barriers. Isn't having 2 just an extra layer so it's a good idea? How would moisture get through either of them? Kind Regards

[@HugoBuilds]

It has to do with the due point of the wall assembly. It's pretty technical so I'd suggest you do a bit of research on google. But just to sum up, every wall assembly depending on thickness/materials has a different due point. In our climate, cold gets in from the outside and the heat from the inside radiates out. Where the 2 come together is your due point and moisture can form. That's why the tyvek of the outside is 'semi-permeable' it allows any vapour to escape outwards. You don't want to trap any moisture inside the walls and then it could build up on the backside of the vapour barrier and start rotting everything from the inside slowly but surely. Thanks for watching!

[@HugoBuilds]

@Donald Mayne haha yea sorry I don't know why I keep calling it moisture.. condensation. I'm sure I'll screw that one up again.

[@laurahall3094]

​@@HugoBuilds"in our climate " I'm assuming you mean American Midwest, but half the year the heat is on the outside. How does it not create a moisture problem?

[@derrickmiller3558]

Hey Hugo, nice videos! I'm looking at rockwool installation. Why didn't you use r30 rockwool above as well? Thanks and keep up the good work

[@HugoBuilds]

Thank you! In the ceiling we sprayed cellulose. It's a lot easier and you can add more if you like. On the 1st and 2nd floor walls. We put the thickest rockwool you can in 2x6 studs (r22) and we have an exterior foam layer of continuous insulation which adds about r8.

[@trayj57]

Do you have to use a vapor barrier if you use insulation that has a paperface?

[@andydaddy2009]

i see you have the black trim windows.. they canadian made?

[@HugoBuilds]

A bit late but yes - out of Quebec. Elite WIndows and Doors

[@Dollapfin]

I won’t be using a vapor barrier. They make it hard to dry also.

[@geographyinaction7814]

Depends on where you live, if you don't, your house will rot around you.

[@sawman88]

Its code in canada

[@chris-2496]

You wouldn't believe how much condensate you can get in your walls in cold weather if there are humidity sources (people, animals, kitchen, bathroom etc) indoors in cold climate. If the wall can't transfer that humidity outwards your house will rot away fast

[@HugoBuilds]

It's code aroudn here!

[@brendanj1124]

Using a breathable moisture barrier/membrain will mitigate this issue but still provide a decent air barrier at the same time letting humidity/moisture pass through

[@Pepe_rivas]

How to finish around windows and doors

[@HugoBuilds]

Ideally would be wrapped into your tyvek. Can also just be taped to the inside of your rough opening.

[@davea7265]

Thanks for this video! QUESTION about vapour barrier in the Toronto area. I have a 2 story townhouse with an attic space above the bedrooms, but old and useless insulation in the attic between the attic floor/bedroom ceiling joists. I would like to add R28 Rockwool in between these joists. How can I add the vapour barrier? Must the bedroom ceilings be torn down so that the vapour barrier is on the underside of the ceiling joists? Is this the only way?

[@HugoBuilds]

I think that would be the way. I assume it's an older house which wouldn't be properly sealed anyway.. let you house breathe and insulate it as well as you can!

[@acsbudapest]

Hey, Just found your videos, I'd like to ask you a question if I may. I love all the stuff you post, I have a channel i build houses as well, but on the other side of the world. I see you do the work withthe vapor barrier. I am located in an are that can be considered as COLD Climate as well. So vapor barrier in the inner side of the wall is suggested, however, I am wodering what material do you use on the extrernal side of the wall? Simple OSB? The reason I am asking is, because a few guys here busing my "neck" over and over again, with the moisture question, acording to them a closed wall can not breathe. In tjis case: We close from the internal side, and so do we close on the other side of the 2x6 what will happen? I am asking only to get an answer, compliments to your job, the vids and to your work! Thnaks, man, keep it up! All the best from Europe (Hungary) Peter

[@HugoBuilds]

I hear that from trades guys often as well but building science tells us otherwise. On the other side of the wall is an OSB with attached rigid insulation and tyvek which allows it to breath from that side.

[@fruitf7064]

Hi, i am a home owner in nyc, why do you need a vapor barrier on the inside of exterior walls?the benefits? And My house is old house and doesnt have these installed.

[@HugoBuilds]

Yes you would need a vapor barrier on the inside of the exterior wall. However, if your house does not have one, adding it to one section while renovating won't do much.. better to just let an old house breathe. Newer building science tells us to create a fully sealed enveloped so that no vapor escapes the interior.. it's a major source of heat loss. Thanks for watching.

[@gregwolf3296]

At the bottom of the wall the acoustical sealant should be applied at the junction of the bottom plate and the floor sheathing. There is always a gap between the two that allows a significant amount of air to move through and this needs to be properly sealed to prevent draft and condensation at that location. There is no point in doing it 90% when you can do it 100%. You didn't show doing it but the joint between the ceiling poly and the between plate poly should also be sealed with acoustical sealant as should all of the pipe and wire penetration of the plates into the attic through the top plates.

[@HugoBuilds]

Those were all done and vigorously inspected by the City. thanks for the comment!

[@regiscarrier996]

also sealant was done in zigzag in many cases while it should be done in the joint (between 2 planks)

[@altinaoutdoor]

Hi Hugo, I used R6 Comfortboard 80 between the basement framing and foundation to create continuous insulation but allow permeability. I’m not sure if your method or my method is better, just thought I would share!

[@HugoBuilds]

Sounds like a good plan. There's always multiple good ways to do things. t's been a while now since we did it but I think the 2" rigid foam is around r10 and it was super easy to install. We actually didn't want permeability in the basement so the rigid acts as a vapor barrier. thanks for sharing!

[@DaveChezick15]

Hey Hugo not to bash on ya but I’d definitely be caulking all you’re cracks on exterior walls and I recommend caulking your electric boots too before putting up vapour barrier. You don’t really need to worry so much about going down every stud. Oh and you always want your caulking going over wood for a solid seal. I can go on a bit more but those are some pointers! I hope they help

[@HugoBuilds]

Will know for the next house ;) Thanks! There's a lot of things I will do differently hah.

[@paulhutchings7606]

Wouldn't it make more sense to put vapour barrier in behind exterior wall,,? And I noticed no vapour barrier underneath board's?

[@HugoBuilds]

In a different climate maybe. Here is canada it's typical practice to have vapor barrier inside the wall. Depends on your wall assembly and where the dew-point falls.

[@5chp123456]

How cold is it there? UK here

[@HugoBuilds]

Ottawa is like -30c in the winter to 30c in the summer.

[@HugoBuilds]

Hey! I know it's been a while. It's been really busy since I've been doing a lot of this work myself rather than hiring trades. After the vapour barrier was done - it was just a lot of prep for drywall. Building a few little plumbing walls, tying up loose ends, etc.. didn't think it was going to take this long - I'll run through all those little things in the drywall video. But it did. Anyone here deal with vapor barrier or spray foam lately? Experience? Let me know what you guys are up to!

[@sparetimeincanada1725]

Hi Hugo! My basement wall has R7 foam against the concrete foundation. I noticed something on your foundation wall. What is it? Looks like some type of paper? Thanks Dawn

[@HugoBuilds]

No paper. 2" rigid foam was glued directly to the concrete foundation wall with PL foam glue. The seams were taped with tuck tape so the foam acts as a vapour barrier. Then the wall was framed with 2x10 and filled with 3.5" roxul. In some areas we installed vapour barrier plastic infront of that but soon realised it wasn't needed because the foam was doing that job.

[@sparetimeincanada1725]

Hey nice work! What did you mean about the foam in the basement? Cutting it up? I have foam on my basement walls and I've been wondering if I should put pink insulation over the foam. What are your thoughts on this? Also, I'm currently putting pink insulation on my knee wall. Should I put cardboard for ventilation through the eave-trough? I've just put insulation. Thanks from NB ;)

[@HugoBuilds]

Hey! Thank you, I appreciate that. For the foam in the basement, we have a 2" rigid foam against the concrete wall that is all taped up. that acts as out vapor barrier. In front of that, there is a 2x4 wall @ 24" o.c. that is filled with r12 Roxul insulation. I think it's the best wall assembly for a basement. It's really comfortable down there. As far as the eaves, you should always have ventilation from the eaves into the roof however you accomplish that. You don't want the insulation to be so tight against the eaves that it's blocking air flow into the attic. Your roofing will last MUCH longer is your attic is properly ventilated. The attic should essentially be an unconditioned "outdoor" space. good luck!

[@sparetimeincanada1725]

@@HugoBuilds Thanks! I'm currently installing rigid rafter polystyrene against the inner roof wall of the attic. I'm assuming the pink insulation still goes over-top this?

[@redsresearch]

not suposed to use vapor barior anymore suposef to use vapor retarter

[@HugoBuilds]

Still common practice. This isn't a building science channel. Just showing you what I did.

[@redsresearch]

@@HugoBuilds no.. we dont use vapor barriers anymore....

[@traviscourtt]

Your vapour barrier should to be on the inside of your insulation otherwise you don’t have a functioning barrier. Your dew point is now in between your roxul or any type of insulation you are using and foam board which would be wicking into your plywood and your studs; you want all seams to be overlapping from top down that way if you do end up with moisture for any reason it won’t pool in an upward flap (top of wall flap underneath the ceiling piece) acoustic each piece to the next and if there is no joining piece of poly to continue seal it to an inside structure ie. interior stud, floor or top plate and seal any gap leading to exterior. Your batts should look custom machined for the space they are in (perfect). If they look bad, they are done wrong. Any area with less insulation or gap even if you can’t see it will let more temperature pass and more temperatures passing means more condensation forming on top of a bigger heating/cooling bill

[@HugoBuilds]

good to know! Thanks!

[@phoenixpalazzo4089]

So you mean vapour barrier it behind the stud wall? How do you accomplish this?

[@shan-davidbeaulieu8751]

That really depends if you live in a cold or warm climate. Hugo showed how to do it in cold climate.

[@ro6721]

In a high humidity region that gets real cold, would it be better if the vapor barrier goes on foundation wall first?

[@whitneyjdodson]

Hugo, would you put a vapor barrier if you were renovating a home in the south (hot/humid climate)?

[@geographyinaction7814]

Absolutely. Humidity is something of a consideration, but you're forgetting the main purpose of the interior vapour barrier. Do you shower? Cook? Live in the space? If you do, you are creating moisture, vapour, and your breath as small as it is, will all contribute to moisture, condensation, and eventual rot, if you do not seal the wall and insulation from it. Remember that moisture attacks from within, as well as outside. Depends though, are we talking Louisiana, or Florida? You may not need it that far, but check your local codes.

[@traviscourtt]

Whit Dodson polyethylene barrier is also for air not just moisture. If your air inside the home leaks through to outside so will your temperature (hot or cold). Keeps moisture out and air (hot or cold) in

[@HugoBuilds]

Not sure in your climate sorry! Could always call your local building inspector for more insight.

[@metooo668]

Why wouldn’t you want the vapor barrier on the outside of the house? To keep everything from rotting I.e. studs and stuff

[@HugoBuilds]

condensation.. it would rott from the inside. You're holding it vapour from inside the house. Showers, cooking, heating.. would mould your insulation. You weather seal from the outside with a breathable material such as Tyvek so the insulation can breathe and dry out. Keep away moisture on the warm side.

[@nathonjepkema5357]

Good work! Was it a cost based decision to not spray foam the wall cavity’s too?

[@HugoBuilds]

That's right. Spray foam, at least in our area, is very expensive. Just to give you an idea, Rockwool insulation cost roughly 3500$ of material for an 1800$ house (walls only). Spray foam for rim joists only cost me about 2200$. I didn't get spray foam priced out for the whole house but I would assume it's almost 3 times the price. Although, if I factor in all the time I spent doing insulation and vapour barrier, I'll definitely consider it the next house I build! I've also read that spray foam performs great for the first 5-6 years and then starts to crack and lose some of its properties, might be something to consider as well. Thanks for watching, Nathon!

[@h3llblaz3r12]

@@HugoBuilds This is late, but spray foam should be cheaper than Rockwool (most expensive option) or Fibre Insulation, however I only use spray foam in small cavities like around holes drilles out for pipings or hard to reach spots behind ducts. Spray foam can easily be done improperly giving you thousands in repairs to remove the bad foam, this happens more often in extreme climates (really hot or really cold).

[@HugoBuilds]

@@h3llblaz3r12 that's not the case in our neck or the woods. Sprayfoam is really expensive if you want to do the entire wall cavity. It's also very hard to make any changes after the fact; since this video we've had a bunch of little things like plugs and what not to move which would have been a huge pain with spray foam.

[@Lyve613official]

Nice work bro wish you in ottawa i can come help out for free to learn something new

[@HugoBuilds]

Appreciate it! Thanks

[@nativecree1]

About your basement. I saw that you were framing against concrete. Why not use sprayfoam to get behind the studs and create a total vapour barrier? Unless it was a budget issue, then, pardon my comment. Good job!

[@HugoBuilds]

yea it's a budget thing. Sprayfoam is expensive. Also like having some airspace behind there for any moisture to dry it if it ever gets there.

[@phoenixpalazzo4089]

​@HugoBuilds I agree also static air space increases r value

[@andrewcarr2431]

If you add minimum 2" of rigid foam it is classed as a vapour barrier in some codes

[@HugoBuilds]

Yea as long as it's the proper foam and it's taped and sealed.

[@itsJoshW]

Sounds like you just needed a Tim's.

[@HugoBuilds]

That always keeps the spirit up!

[@frankgall6]

T least you caught it

[@HugoBuilds]

Indeed!

[@antoinesylvester3036]

Shout out to Mat Proulx

[@HugoBuilds]

yup! Super helpful. Shout out to everyone else who has helped me out so far too. Izza, Adam, Nick! My neighbour, Michel, has also been taking care of a bunch of the little things that need to be done before drywall so if for some reason he actually decides to get the internet, shout out to you too!

[@glennryzebol4472]

8 to 10 hours is kind of just a normal work day isn`t it??

[@HugoBuilds]

I suppose.. in -30C weather doing back-breaking work when you're not used to it in the couple of days of vacation you have from your full time job might amplify that a little. I'm sure legit trade guys are much tougher than me.

[@glennryzebol4472]

@@HugoBuilds Legit points. Sorry, i thought you WERE a legit trade guy. my mistake!

[@collinkuntz9604]

Shouldn't of went spray foam

[@HugoBuilds]

Should have?

[@collinkuntz9604]

@@HugoBuilds yes should have

[@Stinkwhisky]

That acoustic around the window and even on all those studs is wrong.

[@HugoBuilds]

It's not even required by code so it's all just extra. Will try to do some more research on the next house. ;)

[@andrewcarr2431]

One does all the work to minimise holes, then you go and nail/screw/attach a finishing material (such as drywall) over the top. Building codes states 48 screws per 4x8 sheet of drywall.....LOL *shakes head...*

[@geographyinaction7814]

The acoustic adhesive helps to mitigate the drywall screws. What are you implying, no vapour barrier?

[@HugoBuilds]

It's the code here.. you're right it does bring up some questions.

[@AllaroundNbackagain]

Rolls out VB then proceeds to walk all over it....

[@geographyinaction7814]

So, he wasn't wearing crampons!

[@HugoBuilds]

haha see this dude's respond. It's tough stuff.

[@AllaroundNbackagain]

HugoBuilds When you walk on it you risk putting pin holes in it from the debris on the floor. Those pinholes translate to a lot of condensation in the stud cavities, up to a cup of water over 24 hours. The proper way is to roll it out vertically along the wall face, then unfold it as you fasten it.

[@HugoBuilds]

@@AllaroundNbackagain I know! You're right.. I think we were just teasing! Always best practice to be careful.

[@rileytuplin269]

8 or 10 hour days are long? Are you 78 years old? Lol

[@HugoBuilds]

Sorry, tough guy. This isn't my full-time gig. 8-10 hour days are long when you have 2 weeks of vacation per year and you fill them with manual labour you aren't used to and work most evening after a desk job. It's also -20 to -30c which really takes a toll but maybe I'm just a pussy.. sorry!

[@andrewhigdon8346]

Dude these guys need to get a grip. I love how you noted the vigorous city inspection after the one guy instructed you on how it should be done. Apparently the people being so critical didn’t see what they didn’t want to see. Meaning, here’s the stereotype; professionals or maybe even weekend warriors who think they know everything are always gonna harass a DIY guy simply showing other DIYers what you did. You rock, you are real, you care about details, keep going!

[@thomassutherland5188]

Advice. Get out of the insulation biz. Its horrible for your lungs.

[@HugoBuilds]

I'm not in the insulation business! It was my first time doing an entire house. On the plus side, this rockwool is way less harmful for your lungs than conventional batt insulation. Thanks for watching!

[@stevencampbell6641]

Yeah, too much time waisted on how you feel, what your buddy was doing, etc... I'm out. Switching to another video on the topic.

[@HugoBuilds]

haha. Wasted even more time writing this comment! Thanks for watching.

[@dangerboy808]

I would never suggest covering insulation ever!! You will fully regret it when you find out your studs have rotted away from moisture rott coming from an unknowns leak, either from roof or siding. It happens all the time and wet drywall is the best way to find a leak before it gets worse.

[@HugoBuilds]

It's standard building code here. You might be in a different climate but in Canada, you can't pass inspection without it unless you provide engineering details showing your dew point and why you wouldn't need it.

[@t_4178]

trap that moisture in the walls.. this house wont last 30 years

[@HugoBuilds]

Tim, not quite sure where you are getting this information. This is conventional building science and required by building code - at least in a cold climate where we live. VB is on the warm side of the assembly so that the wall can breathe to the outside. There's plenty of circulation in this wall assembly.

[@feelmoreurban1318]

Supposed to be about vapor barrier installation and he's running his mouth about everything else. Terrible tutorial.

[@HugoBuilds]

Sorry, Moose. KZbin’s a big platform, I’m sure you can find a video if you’re just looking for a straight up tutorial. My channel isn’t that, it’s about giving an idea of every part of building a house. This episode just happen to be about Vapor barrier so I give a few tips along the way. Good luck. Thanks for watching anyway.

[@MPatrickN]

Which part of telling us how tired you are do you feel is relevant to the viewer?

[@HugoBuilds]

It's a vlog following the entire construction of the house.. it's part of a series. It shows my state of mind at the time.. after months of hard work. I share my experience for those following the series and contemplating building a house themselves, or are in the process of building a house.

[@blackrabbit212]

Desperate for attention, are we, Farts?