Closed cell polyethlene furring strips and house wrap with closed cell polyethylene furring strips

Abstract

There is disclosed a furring strip system wherein furring strips serve to provide a space to promote drainage and drying between the exterior siding or cladding and the underlying construction. These furring strips may be pre-attached to at least one side of a water resistive barrier (WRB—sometimes referred to as “Housewrap”) Additionally, it has been found that the use of closed cell polyethylene foam furring strips significantly reduces the amount of water penetration and leakage that occurs along the fasteners through the furring strips and the WRB onto the unprotected sheathing therebeneath, i.e. the closed cell foam furring strips provide a “gasketing effect”, and “self-sealing” as the fastener, whether it be a staple or nail, penetrates the closed cell polyethylene foam furring strip. The usefulness of the invention is the same regardless of whether the furring strips are pre-attached to the WRB or are added before or after the WRB has been applied to the building structure. It has been found that once the closed cell furring strips have been installed, all subsequent wall components should be attached with fasteners that penetrate the closed cell polyethylene furring strips and receive the gasketing effect thereby.

1 . A water resistive barrier (WRB) for use in frame construction wherein
 said WRB ensures drainage and drying of unwanted water between the main structure and exterior siding of a building;   said WRB comprising;
 flexible water resistive barrier sheet material; 
 said flexible water resistive barrier sheet material having a plurality of spaced furring strips on at least one side thereof; 
 said furring strips fabricated from closed cell polyethylene foam material which inhibits water intrusion where construction fasteners are installed through said closed cell polyethylene foam furring strips; and 
 said WRB sheet material is presented in continuous roll form. 
   
   
   
       2 . A water resistive barrier (WRB) including furring strips as defined in  claim 1  wherein said fasteners utilized to secure the WRB to the building structure are nails. 
   
   
       3 . A water resistive barrier (WRB) including furring strips as defined in  claim 1  wherein said fasteners are staples. 
   
   
       4 . A furring strip for use in providing a space for drainage and drying when attached to the sheathing or the WRB which is in close contact with the sheathing wherein said furring strip is made of extruded closed cell polyethylene foam which inhibits water intrusion where construction fasteners are installed through said closed cell polyethylene foam furring strips. 
   
   
       5 . A furring strip for use in securing WRB sheet material to a building structure wherein said furring strip is made of extruded closed cell polyethylene foam to provide self-sealing qualities to said furring strip when secured to said building by fasteners. 
   
   
       6 . A furring strip for use in securing WRB sheet material as set forth in  claim 5  wherein said fasteners are staples. 
   
   
       7 . A furring strip for use in securing WRB sheet material as set forth in  claim 5  wherein said fasteners are nails. 
   
   
       8 . A furring strip for use in securing WRB sheet material as set forth in  claim 5  wherein said furring strips limit the transfer of heat into a building structure by the fasteners securing the furring strips to said structure. 
   
   
       9 . A closed cell polyethylene foam furring strip for use in providing a space for drainage and drying when attached to the sheathing of the WRB which is in close contact with the sheathing and inhibits water intrusion where construction fasteners are installed through said closed cell polyethylene foam furring strips wherein said furring strip is made of closed cell polyethylene foam material to minimize the heat transfer through the wall components. 
   
   
       10 . A water resistive barrier (WRB) for use in frame construction wherein said WRB ensures drainage and drying of unwanted water between the main structure and exterior siding of a building;
 said WRB comprising;   flexible water resistive barrier sheet material;   said flexible water resistive barrier sheet material having a plurality of spaced furring strips on at least one side thereof;   said furring strips fabricated from closed cell polyethylene foam material that sealingly engages any fasteners that are inserted therethrough; and all further wall components are attached to said building with additional fasteners that also penetrate said closed cell polyethylene furring strips which serve to provide a gasketing effect along said fastener.   
   
   
       11 . A water resistive barrier (WRB) for use in frame construction as defined in  claim 10  wherein said further wall component is siding. 
   
   
       12 . A water resistive barrier (WRB) for use in frame construction as defined in  claim 10  wherein said further wall components are building paper and metallic lath sequentially applied for a stucco or manufactured stone veneer residence. 
   
   
       13 . A furring strip for use in securing WRB sheet material too a building structure wherein said furring strip is made of closed cell polyethylene foam material to minimize the heat transfer through wall components. 
   
   
       14 . A furring strip of continuous extruded closed cell polyethylene foam produced in roll form wherein the roll has the advantage of allowing for longer lengths while maintaining compactness for shipping, storage and ease of handling;
 said roll form also having the advantage of ease of installation wherein an installer merely grabs the free end of the roll and climbs to the highest part of the building where the furring strip is to be installed, and by gravity, release of the furring strip aligns itself vertically for easy attachment to the building structure by the installer providing for faster installation than is otherwise possible by aligning and installing shorter individual lengths of furring strip.