# Wall Question



## 1ryan1 (Mar 9, 2011)

I found myself with carpenter ants showing up in my house mid February this year. With 6" of snow still on the ground I knew that they were in my walls. So I ripped out my drywall in my living room and found the nest, along with leaking and poorly install vinyl siding. 

Anyhow, I got looking at the way my walls were put together and wonder if the way mine is done is right, or if it is a slight of hand for the inspectors when the house was built. 

My walls, going from interior to exterior: drywall, 2x4 studs and R11 insulation, foil faced foam board and then the vinyl siding. 

The way I have always seen homes built (my parents built one when I was a kid) is that they go:  drywall, 2x4 studs and insulation, wood sheeting, foam board, tyvac house wrap, then the siding. 

I know I need to reside the house, but do I need to pull down the foil board, and install real wood sheeting?

Also wonder about upgrading the insullation from R11 to R13 (looked for R15 rolls or bats @ big box stores, but none have it here in lower mi.) Is it worth the hit to go to R13?

Thanks in advance!


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## nealtw (Mar 10, 2011)

The experts will be along soon but I have a few questions too. How much strength does this method give you against racking in a windstorm or earthquake.
When using form board on the outside of the house, do we end up with a vapour barier on the wrong side.? We do want the outside to breath, thats why we use tyvac.
Ryan , You didn't say if you have poly behind the drywall


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## 1ryan1 (Mar 10, 2011)

i am not sure what poly is... Sorry I am pretty handy just not up on all of the terms... 

If poly is vapor barrier, then no. The only barrier that I have is the facing on the insulation. 

In my reading, the foil faced foam board says it is its own moisture barrier. I just dont know about strength of the house. Then again it was built in '86, and it is still standing! Hopefully that is a good sign. But then again, I want it stand for another 30+ years!


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## nealtw (Mar 11, 2011)

Poly is sheet plastic film. The paper on your insulation will do the same job.
I have been told that when they sheet with foam board, they should install angle braces into the walls to stop it from racking. Usually you wants the walls to breath to the outside to keep them dry. I was hoping someone would tell us how your walls work.


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## inspectorD (Mar 11, 2011)

It depends, Some areas with low wind you can get away with the rack walls.
They just install what are called "let in bracing". basically notch a 2x4 into the wall and use foam for the sheathing. It was done in the 80's but I don't see it anymore.Sometimes the corners of the walls would have a sheet of plywood installed vertically to strengthen those corners.
Funny part was the  Folks around here used to break into the homes with vynil siding with a razor knife. 

Also The joints start to leak, because there is no paper to help keep the rain out.


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## joecaption (Mar 13, 2011)

It was allowed to use foam board or Celotex but the outside corners had to to be OSB or plywood. It's not allowed anymore because it formed a double vaper barrier and the insides of the walls molded up, there was not enough strength in the walls so they racked and the sheetrock tended to keep cracking, no one took the time to hit the studs or use long enough nails when installing the siding so it starts to fall off or come loose.

R-13 will save you, not cost you in the long run. When you remove the old siding you must remove that old foam board and toss it. All you need is 1/2 OSB and Tyvek on the outside before residing.
Not sure what someone was thinking by building a wall so flimsy I can get in the house by just using my foot.


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## 1ryan1 (Mar 14, 2011)

Thanks everyone.. I feel I have a lot of new "ammunition" to go work with!  Now the question is, do I put up new drywall and insulation first, or go with the residing? I have the cash for the interior not the exterior.  Decision decisions!


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## nealtw (Mar 14, 2011)

Outside first, I would want it strong and water tight evan if you don't put siding on it right away, but thats just me.


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## 1ryan1 (Mar 15, 2011)

So looking at my options for doing the exterior first, I ran the #'s to do the 1/2" OSB, and siding.  Ouch! a little over 3 grand. Way out of my price point currently, not to mention may be past my skill level. 

So then I thought I would see what other options there were and ran across standard 4x8 sheets of wood siding. 

So here are some of the thoughts that I am contemplating, and would love to know what your thoughts are:
1) The cost is almost 1/3 the cost of the vinyl alone.  
2) The panel would give my wall strength, so would I be able to eliminate the OSB? Or is that still needed?

Other than the upkeep on wood siding, are there any other concerns that should be considered?


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## nealtw (Mar 15, 2011)

The big thing would be nails , you would want to nail it as you would osb and they wouldn't look vary nice. I have not seen this put on without substructure.


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