As you do this then fold the poly down again and press the poly into the bead of acoustical caulking to make the seal. Next at all the over laps tape them as well.įinally down at floor level pull the poly up off the floor enough to allow you to place about a 1/4 inch bead of acoustical caulking right in the corner where the wall meets the floor. Next cut out around the electrical boxes enough to allow you to once again use the tape to seal the poly to the vapour boxes. Cut the poly sheeting about 1/2 inch outside the perimeter of the windows and doors then use the sheathing tape to seal that area to the window and door jambs all the way around them. Now that you have the walls done it is time cut out around any windows and doors. Continue the process around the room until you have covered the entire wall area that you needed to. Lap it far enough that the edge is over a framing member in the wall, this will make it easier to seal later. Next cut another length of poly and this time and start by over lapping it onto the end of the last one you completed. Do not worry about cutting out around windows or electrical yet. Once that is done you smooth it out from the top edge that you did, to the bottom about 2 feet at a time and place a staple in each framing member as you go. Now place a row of staples about 16 inches apart along the top edge to hold it up. If you and your helper each take one top corner and line them up where the wall meets the ceiling and stretch the poly out between you both so there are no sags or wrinkles. An extra set of hands is really helpful with this. TIP: You will probably want someone to help you with hanging the poly. Also you want the poly to be wide enough that it reaches the top of the wall at the ceiling and leaves at least 3 extra inches at the floor. I would start with about a 8 foot piece until you do one to make it easier. So to do the walls start by deciding how big of a piece you can handle and cut if from the roll. To start installing poly it does not really matter if you do the walls or ceiling first but I prefer to do the walls in a room first. So after you vacuum you are ready to start hanging the poly. It sounds dumb, but I always vacuum because as soon as you start with your first sheet of poly and it drags across the dirty floor once, the static in the sheet picks up a lot of dust and dirt and before long it is all over you and in your eyes. Here is a photo of a vapour barrier box installed behind a receptacle boxīefore you begin to poly, first clean the room out of anything you will not need or that is in the way. You could also use plastic electrical boxes that do not require the extra vapour box they are made with the sealing flange already attached to them. These vapour boxes come in different shapes and sizes depending on the type of electrical box you are using. They are basically a preformed poly cup that goes on around the electrical box and has a flange to which you can seal your vapour barrier to without too much trouble. TIP: All electrical boxes in these areas should have be installed with a vapour box already around them. This includes electrical, blocking, insulation etc. Before starting the poly be sure that everything is complete in the areas that you are going to cover with the poly so you do not have to open it up again later. Installing poly is not that hard but you must properly seal all joints around windows, doors, electrical outlets and seams. If you use a non-approved poly, it does not last and will deteriorate over time and crumble leaving you unprotected. There are different thicknesses of poly that can be bought at your local building supply stores on various sized rolls but there is one thing that a vapour barrier grade poly needs and that is to be approved for use as a vapour barrier.
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