Re-thinking The Outside of the Box
The climate is Southern California. Lows rarely under 40 and highs rarely over 100. Rain usually under a couple feet annually, but often arrives horizontally.
The part that’s carved in stone is 1/2″ Struct #1 ply over a wood frame. The windows aren’t in yet, so there’s wiggle room to adjust them in or out.
The common thing to do here is stucco, either plain, or sculpted into decorative faux block work. I like the look, especially the decorative block work, but not the weight and porosity of the material. Heavy is bad in an earthquake.
So, I’m wondering if there might be some other way to go, perhaps polyiso boards with something over them? Perhaps gain a little R value, especially over the thermal bridging of the frame? One other requirement is that the exterior has to be paintable to get exactly the right color. It can be innovative and unusual, so long as it doesn’t look that way. TIA for any ideas.
— J.S.
Replies
I seen one time on one of the remodeling shows that they took a styrofoam sheets and cut it in squares and rectangles. Place them on a chimney of a house, they were covering it with something, think it was like a mortor or stucco I'm not sure I was flipping channels and caught glimps of what they had done but didn't catch how it was done all the way. Hope it gives some ideas for you if it helps anyway.
Scott
Rain usually under a couple feet annually, but often arrives horizontally.
Then you have to find the 228 page book by an architectural firm from Mill Valley. It's called "Nail-On Windows". The company is:
DTA, Inc.
495 Miller Ave.
Mill Valley, CA
94941
The book has excellent details for leak proof windows in high wind areas.
John, what you're describing is the whole Dryvit concept. Synthetic stucco over polyiso. I've seen jobs where they do all the details in the foam including faux stone window and door trim details, faux blocks, whole 9 yards. Once the finish coast is on it looks pretty darn good. Biggest problem is water detailing so it may not be appropriate for your area (stuff doesn't breath at all so if water gets in, the game is all over but the cryin').
For windows where the rain falls sideways, these may do . . . ;-)
http://www.oceandynamics.com/?src=overture
"Let's get crack-a-lackin" --- Adam Carolla
Synthetic stucco. You can make it look like anything you want, it's a good insulator and is very paintable.
Water is no problem at all if you provide proper drainage. Each manufacturer has detailed specs on proper water management.
DG/Builder
Brick veneer on stucco brown coat is a little heavy, but its good for fire and bullets. Not all of Southern California is earthquake prone, just the areas on loose ground, like the San Fernando Valley.