Rigid foam insulation panels are quickly becoming the new norm for exterior remodeling and retrofit projects. InSoFast panels are exceptionally easy to install, and siding can be attached directly to the embedded stud framing.
InSoFast is a style of engineered continuous thermally stable insulation that comes in interlocking panels. The closed-cell, injection-molded EPS foam panels can be applied universally to any interior or exterior wall assembly.
With tightly interlocking tongue-and-groove edges that don’t require taping, InSoFast Panel installation could not get any easier and requires only a minimum of tools and supplies, including a utility knife, saw (hand, jig, skill or table) and construction glue.
Insulating an Exterior Wall
The InSoFast EXe 2.5 Panel is an R-10 continuous insulation (CI) weather screen assembly that is optimized for exterior usage and maximizes energy efficiency and moisture management. The R-value outperforms traditionally framed R-15 batt walls.
The 2 ½-inch thick EXe 2.5 Panels panels feature dual-sided engineered drainage channels that allow multi-directional air flow and help ensure that no moisture penetrates the wall assembly, providing superior drainability and breathability.
InSoFast panels can be installed over your existing weather resistant barrier or house wrap. They serve as a secondary weather resistant barrier that is well-suited to absorptive claddings such as stucco or stone and provide a much-needed capillary break from wood framed walls and sheathing.
Can Siding Be Attached Over InSoFast Panels?
The short answer is yes. The panel’s rigid insulation is integrated with non-ferrous studs in a unique co-molding process that ensures strong wind load resistance for siding attachment without sacrificing the thermal barrier.
Attachment fasteners are isolated in a non-conductive medium with a ½” of thermal airspace. The embedded polypropylene plastic studs have the same structural strength of 20-gauge steel studs but do not conduct heat, and siding can be attached directly to them.
The all-in-one, patented InSoFast panel can be used to meet or exceed ASHRAE 90.1 requirements while saving time and money by reducing labor and in-field assembly costs.
In addition to the popular cement board siding, exterior finishing options can include thin brick, metal panels, tile, cultured stone, stucco, and other cladding products.
All finishes mount to the same continuous insulation system so that one building can have several different looks without disrupting the rain screen or the primary building envelope.
For inspiration, we encourage you to read “Five Exterior InSoFast Projects You Should See” on our website. Also, check out our 5-part “Summer Siding Project” that focuses on a typical James-Hardie exterior siding project with the addition of InSoFast panels.
InSoFast insulation panels are manufactured in Idaho, Massachusetts and Minnesota and can be shipped free of charge directly to your site, anywhere in the contiguous United States. Customers located outside the United States must call us to place an order.
If you are interested in incorporating InSoFast insulated panels as part of your exterior siding project, call us today at (888) 501-7899 or visit us online to learn more about our products.
