In this section you will find processes for some of the materials and trades Exterior Designs, Inc. works with each day. Please note that this is a brief description of the materials and processes. Hopefully, it will provide enough information to give you a better understanding of the products.


EIFS ("Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems", aka "synthetic stucco") is an exterior building wall product and is a system of materials. EIFS provides insulation, weatherproofing and a finished surface in a single integrated product. There are various types of EIFS and several ways of installing it, but EIFS is usually applied onto the outside face of exterior building walls, in a series of steps, by professional plasterers, using hand tools. The installation steps are:

• Insulation. Attach rigid foam insulation boards (white, in drawing above) to the building wall (gray, above) using an adhesive or mechanical anchors.
• Base Coat. Apply a paste-like adhesive (blue, above) to the insulation, using a trowel, and embed fiberglass reinforcing mesh into the wet adhesive.
• Finish Coat. Apply a colored, textured surface finish (yellow, above) to the dry adhesive layer (blue, above).

There are several types of EIFS, including the traditional barrier type, and the newer EIFS with Drainage type. The above description is of the simplest type - a barrier EIFS.

Many colors and surface textures are available with EIFS. EIFS can also be made into carved or contoured "shapes", which give a wall a decorative effect and "shape".

EIFS does not support the building, but rather is a cladding, like brick or siding. EIFS is very lightweight, has excellent insulation characteristics, and is moderately priced.

EIFS can be used on many types of buildings including; homes, apartments, condos, offices, shopping centers, high rise buildings, stores, hospitals, hotels, stadiums, government buildings, and many more. It is simply an exceptionally versatile and attractive product, and hence its popularity.

EIFS can be used on new buildings and on existing buildings. EIFS can also be prefabricated in a factory as ready-to-install wall panels. EIFS can be attached to concrete, brick, masonry, plywood, Oriented Strand Board ("OSB") and gypsum-based sheathing.

EIFS now accounts for about 10% of the new wall construction in the USA. EIFS was developed in Europe after World War II and was first successfully commercialized in North America in the 1960's.


Portland cement exterior plaster, also known as stucco, is not EIFS. Stucco has been around for centuries and consists of Portland cement+sand+water, and is applied in a series of layers to a total thickness of about 1/2" to 3/4". Stucco is hard and brittle, provides no insulation, and requires "through-joints" (joints that go all the way through the stucco, known as "control joints") every 150 square feet. Also - and this is important - there are various forms of "stucco", some of which are thinner and use synthetic materials, and are often called synthetic stucco. These "stucco" products contain no insulation and hence also are not EIFS. It gets better - sometimes the EIFS finish coat is used as the "top coat" on such stucco products. Such claddings are sometimes still called "EIFS" when they are, in fact, "stucco". Thus, even though such walls "look like" "EIFS", they are "stucco", and the "top coat" - the EIFS finish - should be considered to be a "paint" or coating.


DAFS (Direct Applied Finish Systems). If you take the insulation layer out of an EIFS and apply the EIFS coatings directly to a substrate, you have what is sometimes called a Direct-Applied Finish System or DAFS. Since DAFS have no insulation, they are also not EIFS, although the use of an EIFS finish product on a DAFS makes a DAFS look a lot like an EIFS (hence the confusion).


Omega-Lite panels offer a highly decorative, strong and durable surface finish for exterior wall surfaces. Composed of a polyallomer, corrugated core between two finished aluminum sheets, these panels are non-absorbent, water-insensitive, and easy to maintain.

With over 40 standard colors and two surface finishes, Omega-Lite panels are the ideal exterior cladding choice for corporate identity projects. Custom color panels and caulks are available to suit any corporate need.

Applications:

• Corporate Identity projects
• Storefronts
• Fascias
• Soffits
• Spandrels
• Sunrooms
• In-fill panels
• Opaque glazing
• Clean rooms
• Balcony railings
• Equipment enclosure
• Canopies

Hardie Siding is the most popular brand of siding in America and can be found on millions of U.S. homes. With its strength, beauty and durability, Hardie Siding enhances and protects homes in all kinds of climates. It comes in a variety of looks and textures, all of which include PrimePlusª sealer and primer, which provide an excellent painting surface and is resistant to fungus and mildew. Hardie Siding comes with a 50-year transferable limited warranty.

Flame Resistance
	Standard Vinyl Siding Non-combustible. Approved for fire-rated construction. Vinyl siding will melt or burn when exposed to a significant source of heat or flame

Color Flexibility
	Standard Vinyl Siding Can be painted any color you can imagine and lasts 3 to 4 times longer than with wood. Color cannot be changed and is susceptible to fading. And it's difficult to get a perfect match when repairs are necessary. When exposed to a significant source of heat or flame

Weather Resistance
	Standard Vinyl Siding So durable it's guaranteed for up to 50 years, even in the most severe climates on earth. Becomes brittle in cold weather. Can be damaged by hail, limbs, and other flying debris.

Thickness
	Standard Vinyl Siding James Hardie's siding's strength and thickness provides impact resistance against hail and flying debris. Premium vinyl siding is only 5/100" thick.

Cost and time is a great concern in construction industry, thin veneer panel systems save resources (no need for lintels, footings, shelf angles, structural support, freight and decreased labor costs) compared to conventional masonry construction.

Thin fired clay units, often referred to as thin brick, can be used as interior or exterior wall coverings. Thin brick veneer is a relatively new product which is seeing increasing popularity in commercial and residential markets. Thin brick are formed from shale and/or clay, and are kiln-fired. They are much like facing brick (ASTM C 216), except they are approximately 1/2 to 1 in. (12 to 25 mm) thick. The face sizes are normally the same as conventional brick and therefore, when in place, give the appearance of a conventional brick masonry wall.

Methods for using a thin veneer system: Curtain wall manufacturers and steel wall fabricators are now building complete walls with thin veneer systems already attached. These pre-built wall assemblies are then delivered to the site, saving valuable construction time. Manufactured fireplaces, commercial interiors and residential exteriors are areas were steel thin veneer panel systems can save time or reduce costs.

Thin brick is available in various sizes, colors and textures. The most commonly found face size is standard modular with nominal dimensions of 2-1/4 in. by 7 5/8 inch. (68 mm by 203 mm). The actual face dimensions vary slightly among manufacturers, but are typically 3/8 in. to 1/2 in. (10 mm to 13 mm) less than the nominal dimensions. The economy size unit is 50% longer and higher, but this difference goes virtually unnoticed since the aspect ratio (length to height) is the same for both the standard and the economy modular units. The economy modular face size, 4 in. by 12 in. (102 mm by 305 mm), is popular for use in large buildings because productivity is increased, and the unit's size decreases the number of visible mortar joints, thus giving large walls a more pleasing appearance by reducing the visual scale of the wall.

Thin Brick metal panels (features and benefits)

• Made of highest quality 28 gauge Architectural G-60 Hot Dipped Galvanized steel.
• Dual mechanical locking of mortar brick.
• Eliminates need for footings and steel lintels.
• Extremely light-weight (only .888 lbs. Per square foot). Total weight with 1/2" brick and mortar is approximately 7 lbs. Per sq. ft.
• Provides easy method for installing a bond pattern. The dove tail back bricks can slide along the tabs for fast and easy adjustment.
• Great for residing a residence or office building. Real brick exteriors are low in maintenance and high in value.
• Pre-formed 5 3/8" x 5 3/8" x 48" corner pieces make it easy to get started.
• Interior thin brick walls add style and quality to a room.

Cast Stone is a masonry product that provides ornamental or functional features to buildings and other structures. Cast Stone is made from fine and coarse aggregates, Portland cement, mineral oxide color pigments, chemical admixtures and water. Not surprising, Cast Stone products are available in virtually any color, and will give the appearance of a variety of natural building stones including but not limited to limestone, granite, slate, travertine and marble. Applications for Cast Stone range from the simplest windowsills to the most complicated architectural elements.

Properly manufactured, Cast Stone has the same or stronger physical properties as most dimensional building stone. Properly selected and installed, Cast Stone can result in an architectural project of enduring durability and beauty.