What the Internet is talking right now!
By wconline.com
Over the years, I've had a number of companies as clients that make and install signs. Most of the signs are used for commercial applications (stores and hotels) and they are usually made of metal and plastic but occasionally they'll even make one out of EIFS. Either way, they sometimes ask me how t...
First, you can go to New Orleans right now and have a good time, at least in the popular tourist areas, which look like nothing ever happened. But if you drive a little way from those restored areas, it's a different story. There are blocks and blocks of abandoned single-story houses and there are s...
Lately I’ve been working with some cast stone products and have found that product to be a good complement to EIFS in terms of dealing with the damage-susceptible edges of EIFS. This month’s column gives some examples of how cast stone can be used with EIFS. ...
This month’s column gives you a checklist of things to keep in mind if someone wants an alternate price or prefers the other cladding. This list will be handy if you are working with a designer or owner who needs guidance when making a switch. ...
For a change of pace, I’ve decided to periodically write about contracting and field issues, including case studies of interesting projects. The idea is to offer insights that will help readers deal with aspects of EIFS in their work. ...
Large rust stain streaks can be created by an almost invisibly small piece of iron, located in the EIFS finish. They can become amazingly big and very noticeable. In the midst of a huge blank EIFS wall, such streaks can really standout, which can result in irate building owners who want you to r...
There are two basic ways of terminating the edge of an EIFS. One is by using the EIFS materials themselves, and the other is using some type of non-EIFS trim product, such as preformed plastic or metal pieces. ...
An EIFS finish coat is a textured, paint-like material. It’s usually made with acrylic resins or a blend of acrylic resins and other resins, s...
In multi-story wood frame residential construction, the various floor levels are usually constructed as a series of platforms, one at a time, on top...
This is the first of a two-part series about common EIFS questions. My Web site www.eifs.com generates a lot of e-mail and phone inquiries. Usually th...
The origin of the EIFS with drainage goes back to the 1990s. The idea of adding drainage came about due to a rash of water intru...
The recent devastating earthquake in Haiti has focused attention on many things about that country, including politics, economics, its history and c...
In North America, EIFS is pretty much a single type of design, namely expanded polystyrene insulation adhesively attached to the supporting wall, an...
If you spend any time working with specifiers, end-users, designers and contractors who are involved with EIFS, you’ll find out right away tha...
One of the most popular design features of EIFS is its ability to mimic other materials. This includes being a stone, concrete or stucco look-alike. This feature of EIFS is widely used for many reasons, including its attractive appearance, light weight and low cost....
Firestopping is an especially important topic for EIFS, due to the system’s unique multi-layered form of cladding construction. ...
When I do technical seminars about EIFS, one of the most frequent questions is, “Should I use adhesives or mechanical fasteners (screws plus washers), or even both, to attach the foam insulation to the wall?” The answer depends on a number of factors, and sometimes you have no ...
There is work underway to develop a standardized protocol for inspecting EIFS as it is being installed. This work is being done by the ASTM technical society. ...
I often get calls from people wanting to “beef up” the performance of their EIFS walls. There are some things you can do to improve performance and this month’s column has a potpourri of strategies for common problems. ...
Expanded polystyrene insulation and polyisocyanurate foam polyiso are the two main insulation types used in EIFS in North America. Overseas, many other types of insulation are used to make EIFS, such a mineral wool and “glass foam.” ...
Because EIFS are a jointless type of wall cladding that can be installed over a huge wall area without joints at all, it’s clear that the only way for water to get behind the EIFS is somewhere at the edge of the EIFS. This penetration is most often at windows, openings and flashings. ...
In EIFS, water resistive barriers are a layer between the EIFS substrate and the EIFS insulation. They are most commonly used in EIFS with drainage wall assemblies. They are an additional layer within...
In the May column “Keep it Dry,” I talked about issues to be dealt with when using EIFS that incorporate a water resistive barrier. WRBs are most often used in the increasingly common EIFS...
There are lots of small details and design features about EIFS that can help create a better-completed EIFS project. This month’s column is a list of many known-and not-so-well-known-design feat...
Everyone’s heard of Stonehenge in England-the weird stone blocks in the middle of a field. But who has heard of Foamhenge in Virginia? It is a full size replica of the real Stonehenge made of ...
No doubt you are aware that the quality of EIFS is very dependent on the contractor. One way to ensure quality is to monitor the process of installing the EIFS as it is being installed....
Every American I know wants to visit Australia. It’s sometimes called “The Land of Milk and Honey” and it is. Next to Canada, Australia is more like the U.S. than any other country I...
EIFS is like any other building material in the sense that it is well-suited for some uses and not for others. This column is a compilation of my thoughts about where EIFS works well and where it does...
