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Exterior Walls - Foam Over Studs (New Construction/Addition)

 Graphic re-creation of thermal bridging in a typical building wall envelope.
Graphic re-creation of thermal bridging in a typical building wall envelope.

Wood framing (studs, window and door framing, and headers) makes up about 25% of the wall surface. Insulating only the cavities means 25% of the wall surface is left uninsulated. A continuous layer of STYROFOAM™ extruded polystyrene or polyisocyanurate insulation installed directly over the studs reduces energy loss. And, it can reduce the potential for condensation and resulting moisture problems in your walls.

There's a Dow insulation solution that's right for every Exterior Wall application:

My project or needs are: Recommended Product Solution Installation Instructions/Considerations Building Code Compliance
Good R-value, reduced air infiltration and excellent moisture resistance. STYROFOAM Residential Sheathing View Installation Instructions

Foam Over Studs - Installing STYROFOAM Residential Sheathing, STYROFOAM Tongue & Groove, STYROFOAM DURAMATE™ Plus, STYROFOAM Square Edge, TUFF-R™, Super TUFF-R, or THERMAX™ - Installation of Foam Sheathing as a Weather-Resistive barrier
Meets IBC/IRC requirements for foam plastic insulation. See ICBO-ES ER 2257, BOCA-ES RR 21-02, NES NER 699, Und. Lab. Inc.® Classified, see Classification Certificate D369.
STYROFOAM™ Tongue & Groove View Installation Instructions

Foam Over Studs - Installing STYROFOAM Residential Sheathing, STYROFOAM Tongue & Groove, STYROFOAM DURAMATE Plus, STYROFOAM Square Edge, TUFF-R, Super TUFF-R, or THERMAX - Installation of Foam Sheathing as a Weather-Resistive barrier
Complies with ASTM C 578 Type IV. Meets IBC/IRC requirements for foam plastic insulation. See ICBO-ES ER 2257, BOCA-ES RR 21-02, NES NER 699, Und. Lab. Inc.® Classified, see Classification Certificate D369.
Good R-value, reduced air infiltration, high durability and excellent moisture resistance. STYROFOAM™ DURAMATE Plus View Installation Instructions

Foam Over Studs - Installing STYROFOAM Residential Sheathing, STYROFOAM Tongue & Groove, STYROFOAM DURAMATE Plus, STYROFOAM Square Edge, TUFF-R, Super TUFF-R, or THERMAX - Installation of Foam Sheathing as a Weather-Resistive barrier
Meets IBC/IRC requirements for foam plastic insulation. See NES NER 699, Und. Lab. Inc.® Classified, see Classification Certificate U589.
Highest R-value and reduced air infiltration. TUFF-R View Installation Instructions

Foam Over Studs - Installing STYROFOAM Residential Sheathing, STYROFOAM Tongue & Groove, STYROFOAM DURAMATE Plus, STYROFOAM Square Edge, TUFF-R, Super TUFF-R, or THERMAX - Installation of Foam Sheathing as a Weather-Resistive barrier
Complies with ASTM C1289 Type I, Class 1. Meets IBC/IRC requirements for foam plastic insulation. See NES NER 616.
THERMAX Sheathing View Installation Instructions

Foam Over Studs - Installing STYROFOAM Residential Sheathing, STYROFOAM Tongue & Groove, STYROFOAM DURAMATE Plus, STYROFOAM Square Edge, TUFF-R, Super TUFF-R, or THERMAX - Installation of Foam Sheathing as a Weather-Resistive barrier
Complies with ASTM C 1289 Type I, Class 2. Meets IBC/IRC requirements for foam plastic insulation. See NES NER 681.
Highest durability, highest R-value and reduced air infiltration. Super TUFF-R View Installation Instructions

Foam Over Studs - Installing STYROFOAM Residential Sheathing, STYROFOAM Tongue & Groove, STYROFOAM DURAMATE Plus, STYROFOAM Square Edge, TUFF-R, Super TUFF-R, or THERMAX - Installation of Foam Sheathing as a Weather-Resistive barrier
Complies with ASTM C1289 Type I, Class 1. Meets IBC/IRC requirements for foam plastic insulation. See NES NER 616.
High durability, good R-value and reduced air infiltration. STURDY-R™ View Installation Instructions Complies with ASTM C1289 Type II, Class 2. Meets IBC/IRC requirements for foam plastic insulation. NES NER 540.

Related Information
Sales Brochure
Why You Should Use Insulated Sheathing (534KB PDF)
Insulating Your New Home - Build with the Best STYROFOAM Insulation (252KB PDF)
Tech Note
Technote: Controlling Air Leakage Through Frame Walls with STYROFOAM (118KB PDF)
Technote: Fiberglass Batts Alone Leave Your Walls Underinsulated (82KB PDF)
Technote: STYROFOAM Lowers Risk of Wall Condensation (96KB PDF)
Technote: STYROFOAM Saves Energy in Ways Plywood, OSB and Fibreboard Cannot (80KB PDF)
FAST FACTS: Meeting IRC Code, Installing As A Weather Resistant Barrier (76KB PDF)
FAST FACTS: Holding Strong Brace For More Economical Performance (91KB PDF)
Tools
Energy Savings Calculator - for Residential New Construction