DensElement by Georgia-Pacific is a new system designed to keep out water and air in the exterior walls of buildings, but the company says it also eliminates a step in the construction process, saving time, labor, and materials.
“With skilled labor being difficult to find, this new system solution significantly reduces the amount of time it takes to install exterior walls and the associated water and air barrier, ultimately saving time and labor,” says Brent Paugh, president of Georgia-Pacific Gypsum.
Designed for a variety of applications—including multi-family and residential—the DensElement Barrier System (with AquaKOR Technology) is an all-in-one sheathing that integrates a weather-resistive and air barrier directly into the gypsum panel’s core. This eliminates an entire step in the typical weatherization process for commercial buildings. Once the panels are installed, an application of R-Guard FastFlash liquid flashing fills and seals all joints, fasteners, and penetrations.
GP says the labor benefits of the system have been verified by Home Innovation Research Labs, the independent building science research arm of the NAHB.
Home Innovation conducted a time-motion study comparing the DensElement Barrier System against two typical WRB-AB systems and found a 40 percent reduction in installed man-hours when compared to the fluid-applied membrane in the study; and a 25 percent reduction in installed man-hours when compared to the building wrap in the study, GP says.
“Products on the market today that cover the entire face of the sheathing, like building wrap, fluid-applied WRBs, and peel-and-stick membranes, are time-consuming and labor-intensive to install,” says Jason Peace, director of product management and marketing for Georgia-Pacific Gypsum. “In some cases, they prevent moisture from escaping the wall cavity, causing harmful mold, mildew or deterioration.”
The high vapor permeability of the DensElement Barrier System helps mitigate moisture issues in the wall cavity, so walls are able to dry out if water is introduced, rather than trapping it inside the wall cavity, the company says.
Add new comment