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Hi! I am building a family room addition with a full basement. I plan to install 2″ thick styrofoam to the outside of the poured concrete foundation. That seems fairly straight forward. Now comes the hard part!! What do I use to cover and protect the styrofoam? Thankyou for any advice you send my way!!!!
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Jim4 Use extruded polyfoam not exspanded poly then parge with portland/sand mix . You can roughen up the outer surface and parge or fasten metal lath on the outside and parge or apply fake stone or brick. Ithink there are pvc covers also.
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There were code changes last year that may limit use of foam below grade due to Termite infestation (nesting not eating). The problem is they get in the foam and there is no effective treatment or easy means of detection. Be sure to check with your building department AND banker. Some banks won't loan unless a Termite company signs off -- which Orkin will not. If foam is OK in your area below grade, have you considered ICFs?
*JimIn Canada, where we don't have termite probs. 'Foundation XPS' is available with grooves on one face to allow for insertion of special metal lath strips for attachment of various sidings. Dow took their Stucco off the market some years ago because of adhesion failure so check further into Don's suggestion for parging.-pm
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Hi! I am building a family room addition with a full basement. I plan to install 2" thick styrofoam to the outside of the poured concrete foundation. That seems fairly straight forward. Now comes the hard part!! What do I use to cover and protect the styrofoam? Thankyou for any advice you send my way!!!!