attach and cover EPS to ext. foundation?
I’ve got two additions on the house I’m in, that each have 3 exposed walls, with respectively, 10 and 20 inches of concrete foundation above grade. The walls and the roofs are now well insulated, but not the foundations. I think the rooms would be significantly warmer if I could insulate the exposed foundation walls, and below grade 10-12 inches. The crawl spaces have no ready means of access.
I’ve found treated EPS and would like to attach it to the concrete and then cover it. Is there a readily available glue to attach it?
Are there options for covering it, other than stucco, flashing, or (?) fibercement?
Appreciate any guidance you’ve got.
Thon
Replies
I've used both steel studs and copper Z strips to attach copper sheathing over XPS on the outside of our concrete walls. The insulation was simply jammed in, covered with the copper. Stainless screws in nylon tee washers for the studs, copper rivets for the Z strips (better). Fast and simple.
PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
What are copper Z strips? Have any pictures? Not sure how that would look at the base of what's almost a farm house.Sounding more expensive all the time! <G>Thanks.
Thon
Hi Thon, we bent the strips. One flange to nail to the wall, perpendicular to go past the insulation, another flange to rivet the copper sheathing to. Coulda been a C, but it's easier to reverse the flanges. Client house, very private, no pics.
Copper here goes to a dull brown. Doesn't really look like anything. No idea how it ages in Kansas, maybe green. Last I bought was $2.50/lb (1 sq ft). Including labor and lifespan, strikes me as cheap. Here's what ours looks like (a little darker now):PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
I am using this product after reading Mike Smith's recommendation, http://www.r-control.com/, they sell an adhesive for bonding it to concrete, works very well. Hvae not covered it yet, but I am looking at a product call Tuff Coat II, a latex based stucco.
Did you mechanically fasten the EPS, or just use the adhesive? As flimsy as that stuff is, using ONLY an adhesive to hold it on gives me visions of possible big problems down the road.Thanks.
Thon
The backfill will hold it in place long term.ProtectoBond from ProtectoWrap corp. is a peel and stick membrane designed for this purpose
It will hold the lower 1/2 in place, but not the upper. There are also a couple of walls that abut horizontal concrete at the lower edge, so no backfill there. Found ProtectoWrap website but no ProtectoBond?Thanks.
The local wholesaler should have the ProtectoBond info.If you use 2" XPS (blue or pink), put 3' of it below grade, and have 1' sticking up, that holds it in place really well. Glue or tape is needed temporarily to hold it while you backfill. Concrete nails just don't work on foam.
The R-Control EPs was a 2 lb density, not flimsy by any means! and the R-Control Adhesive seemed to stick better than PL-400 adhesive
All they had here was 1#, so that's what my 1" stuff is.Surprised you used PL 400 and not 300?Thanks.
I used R-Controls adhesive, I had some PL400 laying around and I tried that on a piece, didn't want to chance it.
Another way to do it is with an elastomer exterior waterproof coating called Rub-R-Wall. Worked great for us.
The Tuff Coat II will give UV protection but no serious mechanical protection. In Canada, the national code calls for 1/4" treated plywood, 1/4" asbestos cement board, or 1/2" parging on wire lath
Thanks to all for the info.Thon
Here ya go, I finally remembered the web site for the Tuff Coat, they also have premade panels , check it out at http://styro.net/FoundationPanelsMain.html