Siding Foam Sheathing

Exterior rigid foam improves air tightness adds r value reduces the chance of condensation in wall cavities and greatly reduces thermal bridging through studs.

Siding foam sheathing.

Sheathing nailability vinyl siding can be installed over common wood sheathings such as plywood oriented strand board osb or other materials e g foam plastic insulating sheathing. The studs conduct more heat than the insulation between them. Not only that foam sheathing will soon be mandated by code in some climate zones. But if you use wood clapboard siding foam sheathing can cause trouble.

Foam board is a non structural sheathing designed to help insulate the home and create a tight building envelope. The thickness of wood sheathing counts toward the total thickness that the fasteners must penetrate into nailable material usually 1 1 4 32mm. The goal is to keep the inside face of the foam sheathing above the dew point of the interior air. Moisture can get trapped between the siding and the foam leading to paint failure and causing clapboards to cup and curl.

Continuous rigid insulation is a construction solution that provides a thermally efficient building enclosure. In a typical situation. Almost any type of siding can be installed over the rigid foam cedar or redwood planks exterior plywood sheets cement fiber board or vinyl siding are common options. This eliminates thermal bridging which is the energy lost through wall studs.

It s normally installed after structural sheathing but may also be installed over existing siding before new siding is put on or it may be used on its own if the studs have been diagonally braced for stability first. Rigid foam sheathing is a form of insulation continuous insulation to be exact that s applied to the exterior of the building. This detail is used with both new construction and also with renovation work. Below are some of the design details along with the benefits of installing exterior rigid foam board insulation.

There are three key issues with foam sheathing. Insulated foam sheets are also used as an insulated sheathing underlayment for exterior siding. Today more than ever before homes are being built with foam board insulation installed on the outside of the sheathing and under the siding. The panels provide a continuous energy efficient surface.

1 use a thick enough layer of foam to minimize condensation on its interior face.