Deflection, Drainage, and Drying: Building Walls That Work

Walls are hit with pouring rains, lashing winds, hot sun, and blowing snow. Keeping these all on the outside of the house is our challenge as builders. Traditional details help reduce these environmental loads and can be important for long-term longevity of finishes, but modern buildings also include backup systems to handle weather that gets past the outer layers. Durable walls are also built to dry rather than accumulate moisture. What are the materials used for the Water-Resistive Barrier (WRB), and how are they properly installed? How do we handle penetrations, windows, and connections to roofs and other adjacent assemblies? What methods are cost-effective for drainage & drying spaces? How are they drained to the outside of the structure? How do we install masonry, siding, stucco & EIFS, and other claddings to build durable buildings? Our experiences with renovations, repairs, and mistakes on our own projects are the basis for this informative session.