Protecting your investment with outsulation

Insulation has a long and interesting history. While the Ancient Egyptians used mud to keep themselves cool, Vikings stuffed their walls with mud and straw for the opposite effect. It was the Romans who first built cavity walls and the Greeks who realised the flame-resistant properties of asbestos.

But while insulation practices have come and gone - with many remaining in the past - the superiority of outsulation, in which an insulating layer is applied to the exterior of the building, has never diminished.  

“External insulation systems - or outsulation - is considered the best location for insulation because there are minimal thermal breaks. With in-wall insulation, the thermal insulation is interrupted at every nog and stud.

In Insulated faꞔade systems, on the other hand, the building’s exterior is a complete thermal envelope - only breaking at windows and doors,” explains Mike Olds of Resene Construction Systems.

Resene Construction Systems specialises in complete construction systems, including Rockcote external  faꞔade products and systems. Their Graphex Insulated Faꞔade system represents a unique innovation in outsulation - one that’s been developed over the last 30 years.

“It’s a full system approach that begins once the building has been wrapped and the joinery installed.

The Graphex insulation panel is installed over a cavity, securing it directly through to the structure. All windows reveals and openings are flashed with our proprietary EdgeSeal flashing suite, and from there, the exterior rendering begins. We protect the system with a lamina of hand-applied renders, a layer of fibreglass reinforcement and finish with a texture from our wide range of Resene colours.”

The key advantage of the system is that it eliminates thermal breaks which minimises the loss of warm internal air in winter and resists the heat of the summer sun, keeping the interior cooler in the Summer months. In terms of weatherproofing, the system is built around time-tested cavity construction and protected with Resene Limelock sealer and two layers of Resene X 200, a pre-coloured, acrylic watertight membrane.

But the Graphex Insulated Faꞔade system is more than the sum of its parts - it also includes the people who can get the job done.

“This is restricted building work and we supply our own licensed and registered contractors as well as committed and mandatory On Site Assistance. We’re the only external plaster faꞔade company in the country to provide this level of assistance, which includes an extensive substrate review, final review and additional review two years after work is complete.”

When finished, homeowners enjoy a smooth, flat surface that’s easy to maintain and highly durable, backed by BRANZ Appraisals. The system is considered a lightweight wall cladding suitable for use in all Wind Zones outlined in NZS 3604.

Plaster faꞔades are increasing significantly in popularity due in part to the professionalism and speed of installation and alongside the durability of the components applied. Rockcote’s extensive project gallery highlights the versatility of the system.  Check them out on ArchiPro to learn more!