Article and photos by Gregory Havel
The exterior insulation finishing system (“EIFS”) in photo 1, below, looks like stucco, but it is not. Traditional stucco is a Portland-cement plaster applied in three layers. Some modern brands are applied as a single layer, and are still basically Portland-cement plaster.
EIFS is a multi-layer polymer (plastic) system. The substrate to which it is attached can be concrete, concrete block (photo 2, below), cement-board sheathing, gypsum-board sheathing, oriented strand board (OSB), or plywood.
- The base layer of EIFS is the foam-board, varying from 3/4-inch to four inches thick, which is attached to the substrate by troweled adhesive or screwed fasteners with washers, or both. Thicker blocks of foam may be used to create accents, as shown in photo 1. The foam-board is usually expanded polystyrene (EPS) that includes a flame retardant to reduce its ASTM E84 flame-spread rating.
- Fiberglass reinforcing mesh is embedded in a water-based plastic base coat that is applied to the surface of the foam-board with a trowel, as in photo 2, below.
- EIF的面漆是一种水基彩色塑料材料，在玻璃纤维网格和粘合剂涂层上涂上抹子。一些制造商在配方中包括一些波特兰水泥。面漆有多种颜色，可以包含纹理材料，或在使用特殊抹子的过程中纹理。如果使用重音，则可以像照片1一样以不同的颜色完成。
（1） Click to enlarge
The finished product is resistant to water, sunlight, weather, abrasion, fading, and impact.
尽管完成的EIFS系统看起来像是不可抑制的灰泥，但它是可燃的。照片3中的EIFS EPS板托盘上的标签说：“火焰传播等级：25或更少，每次ASTM E84…该绝缘板是可燃的。远离露天火焰，焊接和其他热源。这种数值评级不一定反映在实际火灾条件下该材料或任何其他材料的性能。”尽管火焰传播等级较低，但产生的烟雾是密集的，黑色的，根据制造商的不同，烟雾的范围较低，范围从300到400。
Although the completed EIFS system is more difficult to ignite than the exposed foam-board, ASTM E84 tests of the completed EIFS system show results similar to those of the foam-board alone.
The ASTM E84/National Fire Protection Association 255,Standard Method of Test of Surface Burning Characteristics of Building Materials/承销商实验室723标准（使用Steiner隧道）分配石棉水泥板A火焰涂抹和烟雾的额定值为0，红橡木地板的散布和烟雾的评级为100。在隧道中，20英寸乘25--将要测试的材料的脚样品水平放置在隧道的顶部，并使用气体燃烧器点燃样品的一端。测量火焰速率向样品的另一端，并将其与石棉水泥板和红橡木标准进行比较。由于大多数EIF垂直安装在墙壁上，因此其行为与测试隧道不同：在垂直样品上散布的火焰比实验室中的隧道更快。请访问NFPA 255以获取Steiner隧道测试的详细信息。
请注意，NFPA 101分配的A类A，B和C生命安全法规，对于开发火焰和烟雾的范围仅适用于内部饰面材料，与防火等级无关（例如，在两个小时级别的墙壁组件中的1.5小时级门）和其他火灾和建筑法规。但是，EIFS行业成员协会（EIMA）网站www.eima.com指出：“仅EIF就没有火力等级。已经进行了测试以确认已经保持已经额定的墙件组件的火力阻力，并且不会通过添加EIF来减少。”
The EIFS is common on all types of buildings, including “big box” stores, high-rises, commercial buildings, multi-family residences, and single-family dwellings. For more information, internet search “eifs”.
The EIMA Web site publishes the Guide to Exterior Insulation & Finish System Construction, available as a free download (18 pages, 5.01 MB) athttp://www.eima.com/pdfs/eima%20cguide%20final.pdf。
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格雷戈里·哈维尔（Gregory Havel）是伯灵顿镇（WI）消防局的成员；退休的副局长兼培训官；以及一名30年的消防人员资深人士。他是威斯康星州认证的消防教练II和消防官II，盖特威技术学院的消防计划的兼职讲师，以及Scherrer Construction Co. Inc.的安全总监。他拥有圣诺伯特学院的学士学位。他在设施管理和建筑建设方面拥有30多年的经验。 |
