A Brief EIFS History

Exterior Insulation and Finish System (EIFS) evolved in Europe when conventional stucco was applied over insulation. The advent of polymer chemistry in post-war Europe led to the development of foamed plastic insulation and modern synthetic coatings that formed "laminae" in lieu of the traditional stucco. EIFS were first used in North America in the early 1970s and now comprise a significant share of the cladding market. These cladding systems integrate insulation with "stucco" like coverings.

What is EIFS?

There are three layers to EIFS:

• Inner Layer Foam – insulation board that is secured to the exterior wall surface, often with adhesive or mechanically fastened
• Middle Layer – a polymer and cement base coat that is applied to the top of the insulation, then reinforced with glass fiber mesh
• Exterior Layer – a textured finish coat

EIFS are designed to be very flexible, which makes them highly crack resistant. When walls expand or contract, due to rising or falling temperatures, EIFS are resilient enough to "absorb" building movement thus avoiding the unsightly cracking problems that are so common with concrete and brick exteriors.

EIFS give the coatings to walls superior resistance to fading, chalking and yellowing, and as a result, these systems maintain their original appearance for years.

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