Weather Resistant Air Barriers

A structural panel comprising:

• a wood-based panel having an exterior-facing surface and an interior-facing surface;
• a carrier layer comprising kraft paper laminated to the exterior-facing surface of the wood-based panel with a water resistant poly vinyl acetate resin mixed with an acrylic additive;
• a polywoven layer laminated to the carrier layer, wherein the polywoven layer comprises woven synthetic polymer fibers selected from a group consisting of polypropylene fibers, polyester fibers, and combinations thereof;
• wherein the polywoven layer comprises a metalized polywoven;
• and
• wherein the polywoven layer forms an outermost surface of the structural panel on an exterior-facing side of the structural panel and has an emissivity less than 0.1 when measured from the exterior-facing side of the structural panel.

A method of applying a weather resistant barrier to a structure, the method comprising:

• coupling a plurality of weather resistant barrier panels to framing members of the structure to form a wall covering;
• wherein each of the plurality of weather resistant barrier panels abuts another weather resistant barrier panel of the plurality of weather resistant barrier panels;
• coupling abutting weather resistant barriers panels by applying a tape over a gap between adjacent weather resistant barrier panels to reduce air flow through the gap between adjacent weather resistant barrier panels;
• and
• wherein, each weather resistant barrier panel comprises:
• a panel having a first side and a second side, wherein in an installed position the first side of the panel faces outward with respect to the structure to which the weather resistant barrier panel is coupled to,
• a barrier layer,
• wherein, the barrier layer comprises a carrier coupled to a polywoven layer, and
• wherein, the carrier of the barrier layer is coupled to the first side of the panel so that the polywoven layer faces outward with respect to the structure to which the weather resistant barrier panel is coupled to.