The invention discloses improved water-based compositions that are useful as barrier coatings to regulate the intrusion and extrusion of air and water. Specifically, the water-based compositions, when dried, provide barrier-coatings that have an effective combination of properties including moisture vapor permeability, air permeability resistance, and water resistance. More specifically, the water-based barrier compositions are designed to be environmentally friendly, and user friendly, and provide coated-substrates that are particularly useful for the manufacture of enclosed structures including buildings.