Checklists by trade
4 lists · 13 items · 22 photosFluid-applied air barrier inspection checklists
Fluid-applied air barrier inspection checklists for the rough-in, pre-cover, final and punch walks: 4 free lists, 13 items and 22 photo requirements, each item naming what to look for and the photo that proves it.
The fluid-applied air barrier walks, in build order
Fluid-applied air barrier Rough-in· Fluid-applied air barrierFluid-applied air barrier rough-in inspection checklistSheathing sound and dry, fasteners set, and joints and transitions treated before the field coat goes on3 items6 photosFluid-applied air barrier Pre-cover· Fluid-applied air barrierFluid-applied air barrier pre-cover inspection checklistContinuity, thickness and transition tie-ins verified as a hold point before cladding conceals the barrier4 items7 photosFluid-applied air barrier Final· Fluid-applied air barrierFluid-applied air barrier final inspection checklistThe completed barrier as it performs behind the wall assembly, with penetrations added later tied back in3 items4 photosFluid-applied air barrier Punch· Fluid-applied air barrierFluid-applied air barrier punch checklistCloseout callbacks for lifted terminations, unsealed late penetrations and damage from following trades3 items5 photos
Where each walk sits in the schedule
- Fluid-applied air barrier rough-in inspection checklistrough-in
- After the sheathing is fastened and before the field coat is applied, while joints, fastener heads and transitions are still open to treat. Run by: The applicator's foreman prepping the wall, with the GC's superintendent walking the sheathing before the membrane is applied.
- Fluid-applied air barrier pre-cover inspection checklistpre-cover
- After the barrier has cured and before furring, insulation or cladding covers it — the last moment the full membrane is visible and repairable. Run by: The applicator's foreman with the GC's superintendent, and often the manufacturer's field rep, walking the whole wall before any cladding goes up.
- Fluid-applied air barrier final inspection checklistfinal
- After cladding is underway and later penetrations by other trades have been cut and must be sealed back to the barrier, before the scope is closed. Run by: The applicator's foreman with the GC's superintendent, closing out the barrier scope after later penetrations are sealed.
- Fluid-applied air barrier punch checklistpunch
- During closeout, after following trades have worked the exposed edges and after any wetting or blower-door testing has flagged leakage. Run by: The applicator on a repair callback, or the GC's superintendent clearing barrier punch items before the wall is fully closed.
What most often sends fluid-applied air barrier work back
- Sheathing joints and fastener heads left untreated because the crew assumed the field coat alone would bridge them, so the membrane cracks over every gap that moves.
- Membrane applied over a damp or dusty substrate so it never bonds, and it peels in sheets the first time the wall is loaded by wind.
- Rough openings and penetrations reached last with a different detail than the field, so the weakest points get the least-considered treatment.
- Cladding furring started on one elevation before the barrier was signed off, so the tie-ins behind it can never be confirmed and the whole elevation is taken on faith.
- Thin or holidayed spots at reveals and shadow lines left uncoated, invisible until wetting testing or a leak, by which time the cladding is on.
- Transitions to windows, roof-to-wall flashing and the below-grade barrier left disconnected, so the membrane is continuous everywhere except the joints that matter.
- A conduit or anchor drilled through the finished barrier by a later trade and sealed with the wrong material, breaking continuity the applicator already signed off.
- The barrier scope closed without confirming that everything cut into it after pre-cover was tied back, so new holes are left to the next leak to find.
Common questions
- Which fluid-applied air barrier inspections do these checklists cover?
- Fluid-applied air barrier rough-in inspection checklist (rough-in): After the sheathing is fastened and before the field coat is applied, while joints, fastener heads and transitions are still open to treat. Fluid-applied air barrier pre-cover inspection checklist (pre-cover): After the barrier has cured and before furring, insulation or cladding covers it — the last moment the full membrane is visible and repairable. Fluid-applied air barrier final inspection checklist (final): After cladding is underway and later penetrations by other trades have been cut and must be sealed back to the barrier, before the scope is closed. Fluid-applied air barrier punch checklist (punch): During closeout, after following trades have worked the exposed edges and after any wetting or blower-door testing has flagged leakage.
- Who runs a fluid-applied air barrier inspection?
- The applicator's foreman prepping the wall, with the GC's superintendent walking the sheathing before the membrane is applied. The applicator's foreman with the GC's superintendent, and often the manufacturer's field rep, walking the whole wall before any cladding goes up. The applicator's foreman with the GC's superintendent, closing out the barrier scope after later penetrations are sealed. The applicator on a repair callback, or the GC's superintendent clearing barrier punch items before the wall is fully closed.
- What most often sends fluid-applied air barrier work back?
- Sheathing joints and fastener heads left untreated because the crew assumed the field coat alone would bridge them, so the membrane cracks over every gap that moves. Membrane applied over a damp or dusty substrate so it never bonds, and it peels in sheets the first time the wall is loaded by wind. Rough openings and penetrations reached last with a different detail than the field, so the weakest points get the least-considered treatment. Cladding furring started on one elevation before the barrier was signed off, so the tie-ins behind it can never be confirmed and the whole elevation is taken on faith.
- Can I run these checklists in RTI?
- Yes. Start a free RTI workspace and load any of the 4 lists (13 items in total). The Photo Gate holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and its photos are attached, and approved inspections roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper-evident audit trail.