<< Back

What’s Underneath Matters

Stucco has been a go-to building material for exterior cladding in the West for years. It is durable and resilient, making it well-suited to western climates. Stucco can also serve as an air barrier helping conserve energy use. For nearly five decades, much of the stucco used has been applied over a weather resistive barrier of Grade D Asphalt Saturated Kraft (ASK) Building Paper.

Many of our readers are familiar with our Super Jumbo Tex® 60 Minute ASK building paper. It is the industry gold standard behind stucco and stone because of its reliable performance. It holds out water for more than 60 minutes and passes ASTM E2556. It is designed for use on walls, unlike roofing felt which is generally brittle and tears easily.

Digging through our archives, we uncovered a few fun facts about this iconic product that might surprise you.

What was the inspiration for the product name? Jumbo the Elephant, star of the PT Barnum Circus. He happened to have tough skin that shed water and was very resilient.

What’s the most unusual use of Jumbo Tex? Protecting ammunition shipments for the armed forces during World War II. You’ll notice we labelled our product “Gun Grade” for years to tout it’s toughness. But you’ll also notice that this Gun Grade material is the real deal! This product was recently discovered in a remodel—it was produced in 1991 and looks as good as when it was applied.

What’s the second most unusual use of Jumbo Tex? We made a real boat out of Super Jumbo Tex and set sail on Lake Tahoe. Really. See for yourself. WATCH THE AMAZING VIDEO HERE