Exterior insulation and finishing system (EIFS) is a type of building exterior wall cladding system that provides exterior walls with an insulated finished surface and waterproofing in an integrated composite material system. EIFS with Drainage, another EIFS system, is the predominate method of EIFS applied today. As the name implies, EIFS with Drainage provides a way for moisture that may accumulate in the wall cavity to evacuate. EIFS are proprietary systems of a particular EIFS manufacturer and consist of specific components. EIFS are not generic products made from common separate materials. To function properly, EIFS needs to be architecturally designed and installed as a system.
EIFS is an acronym that stands for Exterior Insulation & Finish Systems. It is a non-load bearing, composite cladding system that consists of a weat her resistant barrier (air and/or vapour barrier); an insulation board attached either adhesively, mechanically, or both, to the substrate; an integrally reinforced base coat; and a textured protective finish coat.EIFS is not ‘stucco’ (Portland cement plaster). In fact, they are quite different materials despite the terms often being used interchangeably. Stucco is a traditional cladding composed of Portland cement, lime, sand, and water. EIFS on the other hand, is a proprietary cladding system that includes an insulation board and a much thinner, more flexible basecoat. Exterior Insulation & Finish Systems do not use interchangeable generic components like stucco does. Rather, EIFS components have been designed and tested by the manufacturer for the specific use and compatibility within their systems.
EIFS Stucco Installation
Developed in Europe in the 1950s, EIFS were introduced in the U.S. almost 40 years ago. They were first used on commercial buildings, and later, on homes. Today, EIFS account for nearly 30% of the U.S. commercial exterior wall market. EIFS typically consist of the following components:
- insulation board, made of polystyrene or polyisocyanurate foam, which is secured to the exterior wall surface with a specially formulated adhesive and/or mechanical attachment
- a durable, water-resistant base coat, which is applied on top of the insulation and reinforced with fiber glass mesh for added strength
- an attractive and durable finish coat — typically using acrylic co-polymer technology — which is both colorfast and crack-resistant.
EIFS stucco is composed of 3 layers with six steps where the first layer is the insulation board, the middle layer is the polymer and base coat and the exterior layer is the acrylic coat.
It is said to be softer than traditional stucco but still very durable when installed correctly. Some residents complain about EIFS stucco because they said they got many problems when they applied EIFS stucco but like other building materials, eifs when too wet can cause problems to homeowners.
EIFS tend to trap moisture which causes the stucco to soften. Most constructors suggest using or shifting to traditional stucco if you are not well-informed about eifs stucco installation. Water or moisture should be prevented from seeping through eifs stucco because when water get trapped the wood and sheathing inside will rot and cause the bond to loosen. Any opening like a door should be covered to prevent moisture from seeping through.
Given enough knowledge, you can correctly install EIFS stucco or synthetic stucco and reap the benefits it has to offer than suffer the problems it can give when applied incorrectly.
Contact Stucco Contractors in Saskatoon Today
Saskatoon Home Renos is available for consultation so you can chart the date and budget for your next home design project. We are ready to discuss with you the options and styles available even for your studio apartment or narrow spaces. We accept customize projects for office spaces or boutiques. We also do renovation for traditional homes either for preserving it or transforming it into a contemporary-looking one.