Open-joint cladding continues to be a growing trend across the Americas. Architects, builders, and consumers alike “ooh and ahh” at the eye-catching exterior facades. But a lot goes into making the perfect open-joint cladding facade – with some of the most important factors happening behind the wall. Keep reading to learn more about why you need a rainscreen, a black housewrap, and the right flashing tape to pull off this kind of design.
Why a Rainscreen Matters
This design concept is extremely vulnerable to moisture intrusion. Because of this, it relies heavily on the performance of the rainscreen behind the wall. A rainscreen product can create a gap behind cladding that facilitates drainage and drying. The gap provided by this product ensures the building system is prepared to take in the incidental water through the rainscreen gap while promoting enhanced airflow to drain the water out, increasing the drying rate. This creates a low-risk wall assembly to the potentially damaging effects of moisture.
UV Protected Rainscreen System Samples
GET YOUR FREE SAMPLES TODAY
The Role of a Black Housewrap
The downside of the open joint design is that areas of the water-resistive barrier (WRB) are left exposed to sunlight. Simple black construction paper isn’t tough enough for this job. You’ll need to use a UV-resistant WRB that is both tough and aesthetically pleasing. A black housewrap, like our InvisiWrap UV are perfect for this application. The color allows for discreet shadow lines between the panels and the UV resistance ensures that the housewrap will continue to provide excellent water resistance and vapor permeability to protect the sheathing for the life of the building.
If you want to take it up a notch, our InvisiWrap SA marries the UV-protection and durability of InvisiWrap UV with high-performance adhesion to limit the amount of air that passes through the membrane. The 100% continuous acrylic adhesive technology provides sealing around every fastener and penetration point to keep your assembly dry.
Don’t Forget the Flashing
If your WRB needs protection from the sun – so does your flashing. HydroFlash UV+ is designed for Open Joint Cladding systems – boasting a 12-month UV rating before siding installation. This flashing tape has an aggressive acrylic adhesive backing with a black, unprinted UV-resistant facer to make the integrity and visual appeal of Invisiwrap UV.
Make sure to protect the integrity of your open-joint cladding builds with the right products. Learn more about our UV-Protected Rainscreen System.
