I'm in the final stages of planning for a new house here in the hot humid south.  Plans are complete and now I'm just selecting the materials and methods.  Barring a last-minute switch to SIPs, I plan to use conventional construction with the addition of nailbase rigid insulation (Hunter, Cornell, or Atlas) for the roof and walls, with dense pack cellulose or spray foam between the rafters and studs.  The local suppliers of nailbase insulation tell me they have never sold these products for residential use (they didn't have any problems with it, they just haven't ever sold any).  This has me wondering, and hopefully someone on this forum has used this product and can elighten me a bit.

1. Did you use vented or unvented nailbase for the roof? (I will have 11 on 12 roof, and I'm thinking I could probably go with either if I use a light colored asphalt shingle)

2. What brand/thickness did you select?

3. How difficult was it to have the panels fit snugly to each other, and did you have to fill any gaps with caulk or spray foam?

4. Were there any challenges in installation?  How did the trades react to using the product?

4. The house will have a brick exterior.  I could probably get 2 layers of 1" rigid and 1x4 sleepers for less than the cost of nailbase panels.  Would the brick ties be anchored sufficiently being attached to 1x4's?

Thanks so much!

Aubrey

Thank you, Dana.  One of my coworkers suggested using 3" screws to attach the brick ties through the iso to the studs, using no sleepers at all - I'll check with the building dept to see if that would pass muster.

You mention staggering the seams - would the seams on the inner layer need to be taped, or would tape only be needed on the outer layer?  Would a house wrap be needed at all, either under or outside the foam?

Posted By awhite on 29 Jun 2010 02:25 PM

Thank you, Dana.  One of my coworkers suggested using 3" screws to attach the brick ties through the iso to the studs, using no sleepers at all - I'll check with the building dept to see if that would pass muster.

You mention staggering the seams - would the seams on the inner layer need to be taped, or would tape only be needed on the outer layer?  Would a house wrap be needed at all, either under or outside the foam?