Typar® Partners with leading rainscreen manufacturer, Benjamin Obdyke, to co-market combination rainscreen-weather resistant barrier products.

Fiberweb, manufacturer of Typar® HouseWrap, has begun selling Benjamin Obdyke’s Home Slicker® Plus Typar® and Home Slicker® 10 Plus Typar® -- two combination rainscreen-weather resistant barrier products for the residential construction market – to select distributors throughout North America.

HORSHAM, PA ─ Benjamin Obdyke Incorporated, a leading rainscreen manufacturer, has entered into a distribution agreement with Fiberweb, Inc., manufacturer of Typar® HouseWrap. Per the terms of the agreement which took effect July 15, Fiberweb now markets and sells two Benjamin Obdyke products that feature the patented Home Slicker® matrix technology bonded to Typar HouseWrap. Recognized Typar distributors are able to order these products along with the other Typar products from Typar’s Old Hickory, TN facility. The strategic move further enhances Typar’s “weatherization” products offering to the construction market.
Home Slicker® Plus Typar® is a cost-effective, labor-saving, moisture-eliminating rainscreen-weather resistant barrier. Each roll contains the patented Home Slicker three-dimensional matrix bonded to Typar, the premium residential and commercial grade housewrap. This simple design allows users to install the combination rainscreen-weather resistant barrier in half the time and promotes best practice for managing moisture in the sidewall. Each roll of Home Slicker Plus Typar is 39 in. wide x 61 ½ ft. long and covers 200 sq. ft.. Home Slicker 10 Plus Typar, which is specifically designed to meet the Canadian code requirements of a 10mm drainage and air space, comes in rolls measuring 39 in. wide x 38 ½ ft. long and covers 125 sq. ft.
While this agreement is a new development between the two companies, Typar manufacturer Fiberweb and Benjamin Obdyke have a longstanding relationship that dates back to 2004. In that year, the companies entered into their first strategic partnership when Benjamin Obdyke began marketing Home Slicker Plus Typar to its existing distribution base. As the acceptance of rainscreen construction throughout North America increased amidst growing code language aimed at preventing moisture damage in low-rise construction, Benjamin Obdyke added a second offering under the “Plus Typar” family in 2007. This product, Home Slicker 10 Plus Typar, featured the patented entangled matrix of Home Slicker in a wider width (10mm) in order to meet the emerging rainscreen code requirements of the National Building Code of Canada.
“With the increased acceptance of rainscreen construction over the past decade in both the United States and Canada, this agreement will be a win-win situation for Fiberweb, Benjamin Obdyke, and the customers of both companies,” said Typar Business Director, Bob Dahl. “We have a great working relationship with Benjamin Obdyke and we’re excited at the prospects of expanding that relationship to benefit Typar customers throughout North America with an increased breadth of product offerings.”
For more information on this agreement, contact Geoff Ehrman with Benjamin Obdyke at 215-672-7200 x224.

Benjamin Obdyke Joins The Building Enclosure Moisture Management Institute (BEMMI)
The Building Enclosure Moisture Management Institute (BEMMI) was recently formed and officially began operation January 1, 2010.

BEMMI is organized to represent manufacturers and suppliers of drainage space materials used in exterior walls in commercial building construction markets. The mission of the organization is to promote the growth of the engineered rain screen products industry to improve moisture management in building enclosures through technical advocacy.

The BEMMI members have already formed a Technical Committee which is working on several industry issues, and have identified several national and state code issues as top priorities for the Institute. John Woestman, a member of the BEMMI staff with extensive experience in the codes and standards and building products arena, will serve as BEMMI’s Technical Director.

“The formation of the BEMMI in January will assist manufacturers with representation in the major code and standards organizations,” commented Executive Director, Michael D. Fischer. “As an industry, rain screen producers will be able to speak with one voice to the regulators, code officials, and in the standards bodies to promote this rapidly growing building product used to provide both drainage and ventilation in high performance building enclosure systems.”

The BEMMI membership recently elected Michael Coulton, the director of marketing and product development for Benjamin Obdyke as president of the Board. Others named to officer positions include vice president Marcus Jablonka of Cosella-Dörken and Steve Samec of Masonry Technology, who was tabbed to serve as secretary/treasurer. “I am proud to be asked to lead this new initiative,” said Coulton, adding, “BEMMI will be poised to advance consensus standards for new technologies and products that will provide a means for producers of rain screen products and systems to promote sound building science and construction methods.”

Richard Lolley, CEO of Advanced Building Products, applauded efforts by industry members to collaborate on technical issues, saying “working together in a consensus process will allow the industry to succeed at a level we could never do by going it alone.” Lolley added that this collaboration will accelerate acceptance of rain screen science into mainstream building practice.

BEMMI is the North American trade association that represents the rainscreen industry’s manufacturing and marketing companies and their material suppliers. BEMMI is headquartered in New York, NY. The founding member companies of BEMMI include: Benjamin Obdyke, Cosella-Dörken Products, Masonry Technology, and Advanced Building Products.

White Paper on Moisture Management Solutions for Low-Rise Construction Now Available
Exterior building products manufacturer Benjamin Obdyke is actively looking for new ways to expand its business through the acquisition of new product ideas, patents, expanded product lines, and even new companies. The goal is to leverage the company’s strengths as the economy begins its rebound, according to its Director of Business Development. The company has a 142-year track record of releasing innovative products that enable builders to “build better.”

Benjamin Obdyke Inc. has issued a White Paper for building professionals on proper moisture management solutions for low-rise building enclosures. The White Paper can be downloaded from the company website. The White Paper gives architects, builders, and contractors the facts on how to control mold and mildew in exterior walls while also increasing the efficiency of the building envelope. It also provides research, charts, and maps that help professionals choose the right product and system for each exterior cladding and climate.

“Product names like housewraps, building paper, water- or weather-resistive barriers, and rainscreens are often used interchangeably,” said Michael Coulton, Benjamin Obdyke’s director of product development. “The fact is that they each can play distinctively different roles according to how they are used. This White Paper, which is prescriptive in nature and devoid of product brand names, will clear up many of the misconceptions and confusion regarding proper moisture management in low-rise construction.”

The compelling need for moisture management solutions has been driven by a number of developments. These include the need to comply with growing federal requirements, such as the International Residential Code and the International Building Code, which require a means of draining water that enters a building assembly to the exterior. In Canada, the National Building Code now requires the use of “…a drained and vented air space not less than 10 mm deep behind the cladding over the full height of the wall…” in areas that exceed a certain annual rainfall threshold.

Other concerns to building professionals include the need to preserve the life of the exterior cladding, manage moisture infiltration, and avert the potential for callbacks, remediation and/or litigation costs when moisture management is handled improperly.

“The independent research collected by Benjamin Obdyke helps bring clarity to the water-resistive barrier and rainscreen system category,” said Coulton. “The paper provides the basic guidelines to assist in determining when, where, and how to make the best selection for each application.”

Benjamin Obdyke Initiates Acquisition Strategy as Construction Industry Heads Towards Rebound
Exterior building products manufacturer Benjamin Obdyke is actively looking for new ways to expand its business through the acquisition of new product ideas, patents, expanded product lines, and even new companies. The goal is to leverage the company’s strengths as the economy begins its rebound, according to its Director of Business Development. The company has a 142-year track record of releasing innovative products that enable builders to “build better.”

At a time when the construction industry seems to have little positive to report, one building products manufacturer is looking to grow its business with a strategy to acquire new product ideas, patents, product lines, and/or companies.

Benjamin Obdyke, a leading provider of residential and light commercial roof and wall products in the U.S. and Canada, is actively searching for new opportunities that will position it for maximum growth as the construction sector recovers from its current downturn. “In order for us to achieve the company’s growth objectives, we will need to look outside the organization for new product ideas that we can synergize with our internal product development processes,” said Geoff Ehrman, Director of Business Development.

Specifically, the company is placing renewed emphasis on acquiring intellectual property, manufacturing capabilities, information technology, and new ideas that will allow it to leverage its core competencies. “Our products have consistently provided a superior level of performance that extends the life of the building system. We like to say our products help builders ‘build better,’’” Ehrman explained. “By moving into an acquisition mode, we see it as a way to improve our current products, introduce new products, or expand our market reach so we can continue to provide our customers the specific products they need. We are fortunate right now to be in the position to take advantage of a variety of opportunities,” Ehrman said.

He pointed out several reasons why a company or inventor might want to partner with Benjamin Obdyke. “First, we have a well-established and respected brand of products for the building’s exterior envelope. Second, we have established channels to access the market that is built upon our reputation for quality. And third, we have the technical expertise to help the contractor/builder build better. We have spent a great amount of time working with code officials and building scientists to make sure our products align with current building science practices,” Ehrman said.

To discuss a prospective alliance partnership, contact Geoff Ehrman at 215-672-7200.

Benjamin Obdyke Introduces Cougar Ridge Vent, a Lightweight, Classic-Style Ridge Vent
In response to demand by roofing contractors and building supply distributors, Benjamin Obdyke introduces a new lightweight, classic-style ridge vent called Cougar™ Ridge Vent. The product is the latest addition to the line of ridge vent products created by Benjamin Obdyke, the company that introduced the original ridge vent on a roll.

Benjamin Obdyke, the company which introduced the first rolled ridge vent product to the construction market, introduces Cougar™ Ridge Vent, a lightweight, classic-style ridge vent without fabric that promotes attic ventilation and optimizes the life, beauty, and performance of residential roofing.

The introduction of Cougar Ridge Vent is in response to the demands of a niche segment of both roofers and distributors that requested a fabric-less rolled ridge vent product made to the traditional quality standards of Benjamin Obdyke. It is the fourth product in the Benjamin Obdyke ridge vent product line, which also includes Roll Vent®, Rapid Ridge®, and Xtractor Vent®. All ridge vent products help extract heat and moisture from attics by removing heated attic air along the highest point of the roof – the ridge – while promoting the intake of air through roofing soffits below. The low-profile design of the products is hidden by ridge cap shingles. Each of the products is designed to provide superior protection against rain, snow, and insect infiltration.

Cougar Ridge Vent, made from nylon matrix technology, installs easily, rolling quickly onto the roof ridge, over a cut slot. It can be installed by hand or with a pneumatic nail gun (coil nails are included).

The newest ridge vent product provides a maximum of 17 sq. in./lin. ft. of net free area and has a 40-year Limited Warranty. It also complies with the Florida Building Code and International Code Council standards.

Since Benjamin Obdyke revolutionized roof ventilation by creating the first ridge vent on a roll in 1987, the company has continued to incorporate design enhancements into all of its products based on a proven original concept that has stood the test of time.

Peter Grant Now Serving as Independent Representative for Benjamin Obdyke in Western Canada
Grant is educating distribution and end-user customers on emerging building trends and best practices in four provinces of Western Canada.

Peter Grant, an independent building product specialist based in Calgary, now represents Benjamin Obdyke, a leading provider of roof and wall products for the residential and light commercial construction industries in Canada and the U.S. His region includes the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia.

As Benjamin Obdyke’s newest manufacturer’s representative, Grant helps educate both distribution and end-user customers on emerging trends and best practice applications that are in accordance with the National Building Code of Canada. His career includes extensive experience in the building products distribution segment of the construction industry.

Grant said that two of the rainscreen products manufactured by Benjamin Obdyke – Home Slicker® 10 and Home Slicker® 10 Plus Typar® – are perfectly suited to meet the 10 mm rainscreen code requirements of the National Building Code of Canada, which mandates rainscreen systems for coastal areas. Rainscreen systems alleviate moisture problems in building envelopes by providing a continuous ventilation and drainage space behind exterior cladding. “Rainscreen systems are the future of building envelope design, not only in high-moisture areas, but in all construction,” he said.

Grant is also looking forward to educating customers in Western Canada on the benefits of Benjamin Obdyke roofing ridge vent in roof construction. Ridge vent helps extract heat and moisture from attics by removing heated attic air along the highest point of the roof – the ridge – while promoting the intake of air through roofing soffits below. “The features and benefits ridge vent for attic ventilation are very well known and entrenched in the Eastern Canada construction industry, as well as in the U.S.,” he noted. “Its efficient performance and easy installation make it a good fit for Western Canada contractors as well.”

World-renowned Building Scientist Dr. Joe Lstiburek Talks Rainscreens in the January Issue of ASHRAE Journal
Home Slicker Featured as Acceptable Solution for Creating a Cavity Space Behind the Cladding

You can jump to the article which includes information on Home Slicker by clicking HERE.

Benjamin Obdyke Receives Patent For New Technology
Drainage-Promoting Wrap For Exterior Wall Or Roof Of Building

Horsham, PA ─ Benjamin Obdyke, the company which introduced the first rolled ridge vent and the first rolled rainscreen product to the construction market, is seeking an alliance partner to commercialize the recently patented Hydrofilament® Drainable Housewrap, the fastest draining housewrap available on the market today.

With the patent for this innovative moisture management technology secured, Benjamin Obdyke envisions the technology to be the perfect fit for a manufacturer with an established presence in the housewrap market. The technology will allow an alliance partner to differentiate its brand by offering an enhanced housewrap that provides the added benefit of managing moisture behind the exterior cladding.

Hydrofilament Drainable Housewrap has been extremely well received by builders and members of the trade media since its introduction to the residential construction market this year, according to Mike Coulton, director of marketing and new product development. It was recently named among the “100 Best New Products in 2009” by Professional Builder and Professional Remodeler magazines. It met the magazines’ criteria for products that exhibit technological advancement and challenge the industry to respond to new building practices and needs.

Tests of Hydrofilament Drainable Housewrap show that it drains moisture 80% faster than the next best-performing drainable housewrap and delivers 140 times more drainage than a standard housewrap. The patented technology creates a 1-mm gap, allowing any moisture behind the cladding to drain, ensuring that exterior walls dry more quickly. This moisture management feature results in an uncompromised building envelope that contributes to the sustainability of the home, Coulton noted.

“An alliance partner can reap quite a few benefits by collaborating with Benjamin Obdyke,” said Geoff Ehrman, director of business development. “These include shortening or even eliminating a new product’s development time, reducing time to market, building the company’s competitive advantages, reducing risk and capital investment, increasing their sales revenue, and being at the forefront of an emerging building practice.”

Hydrofilament Drainable Housewrap retains the properties of housewrap products, functioning as a water resistive barrier that resists moisture and air penetration into the building and contributes to a structure’s energy efficiency. Its breathable structure allows moisture vapor from the interior to pass through to help promote a dry wall system.

To discuss a prospective alliance partnership, contact Geoff Ehrman at 215-672-7200.

Hydrofilament® Drainable Housewrap by Benjamin Obdyke Named Among ‘100 Best New Products’ by Professional Builder & Professional Remodeler Magazines
Drains 80% Faster Than Next Best-Performing Enhanced Housewrap

Horsham, PA ─ Hydrofilament® Drainable Housewrap by Benjamin Obdyke – the fastest-draining housewrap available on the market today – was named among the 100 Best New Products in 2009 by Professional Builder and Professional Remodeler magazines in their annual list of the most significant products introduced to the building industry each year.

Hydrofilament Drainable Housewrap has been shown in tests to drain moisture 80% faster than the next best-performing enhanced housewrap and delivers 140 times more drainage than a standard housewrap. When installed, it ensures that the wall behind the home’s exterior cladding will drain moisture that may penetrate the cladding faster and more efficiently, leading to a better building envelope and a wall system that improves the sustainability of the home.

Professional Builder, with an audience of builders, developers, and architects, searches each year for products that support innovation and new technology in new home construction. Professional Remodeler reaches experienced remodelers. Hydrofilament Drainable Housewrap fulfilled the magazines’ criteria for technological advancement, new product introduction, and increasing the competition of a product line.

The patented technology of Hydrofilament Drainable Housewrap creates a path for moisture trapped behind the cladding to flow freely, ensuring that exterior walls dry quicker. The filaments create a 1-mm gap that makes it the market leader for drainage capabilities among housewraps and sets it apart from competitive products.

Unlike other competitive enhanced housewraps, Hydrofilament Drainable Housewrap has performance characteristics that are maintained over time, even after ongoing exposure to wet conditions. Like all housewrap products, Hydrofilament Drainable Housewrap is a water resistive barrier that resists moisture and air penetration into the building and contributes to a structure’s energy efficiency. Its breathable structure allows moisture vapor to pass through the wall, resulting in a dry wall system. With building codes that regulate weather protection becoming more standardized, this product can provide the necessary liability protection and defense against callbacks for builders.

Newer Stucco Luxury Homes Experiencing Structural Damage
Philadelphia-area Builder Sees Rainscreen Wall Construction as Solution


Imagine the shock a homeowner experiences when he or she discovers that the new, multi-million-dollar home they purchased less than 10 years ago is riddled with damage caused by water intrusion behind the stucco or manufactured stone exterior. More and more such homes built just a short time ago – using the best building practices known at the time – are experiencing problems with moisture trapped behind the exterior cladding.


“The root of the problem is often the technology and products being used a decade ago,” explained Lee Haller, owner of Haller Custom Homes, a builder of high-end individual homes and residential neighborhoods in the Western Philadelphia suburbs. “Today, building science experts have found that some building products and faulty installation methods used just a short time ago have contributed to the structural damage that homes are currently experiencing today. Backed by this research, the construction industry has taken great strides to create new approaches to avoid bulk water intrusion, and to drain and dry any water that does manage to penetrate the exterior cladding.”


But the problem remains: what’s to happen to the newer homes that were built before the newer technology was introduced? That’s where Haller Custom Homes comes in. The second-generation builder and developer has established a very successful niche for itself as a remediator and restoration specialist of moisture-damaged homes near the Philadelphia Main Line. “Our reputation led homeowners to us who were looking for a firm that could help them solve their dilemma,” he said. “From there, satisfied clients referred us to others in their communities who are experiencing the same type of problems with bulk water intrusion, which can lead to mold growth. Communities that were built at the same time – using the same contractors, building practices, and materials – often share the same problems.”


One solution to avoiding the problem of bulk water intrusion that has the enthusiastic support of the building science community is the incorporation of a rainscreen system in the home’s design. A rainscreen system, as described by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Research Center, is a moisture-management system incorporating cladding, an air cavity, and a drainage plane to shed moisture and prevent moisture intrusion and the resulting premature decay in homes. The NAHB recently issued an educational guide that discussed the need for better drainage behind so-called “absorptive” exterior claddings, which include any materials that are semi-porous and may transmit or retain some water. This can include stucco, manufactured stone, stone veneer, and even fiber cement siding. Among the products referenced that can be used as part of an effective building envelope system is a wall drainage spacer, described as an “open-weave plastic mat.”


That describes the product that Lee Haller counts on when his crew does its work removing the damaged stucco and repairing the walls as needed. He sees the use of Benjamin Obdyke Inc.’s Home Slicker® Stone & Stucco as the best way to provide a continuous drainage and ventilation space in a rainscreen wall assembly behind the newly applied stucco or manufactured stone. The product’s vertically channeled matrix forms an air space for drainage and drying, while a breathable fabric attached to the product blocks mortar from clogging the newly formed cavity.


Because masonry is a porous substance, it absorbs a great deal of moisture during wind-driven rain events. The stucco can become saturated with water, which in turn can be trapped behind the stucco when no drainage space is in place to allow the moisture to drain and dry. In addition, moisture has the ability to penetrate masonry materials through a variety of ways, such as improperly installed windows, which can lead to water intrusion.


As to the use of the Home Slicker product, Haller noted, “I’ve been putting it on homes since it first became available. I think it’s one of the best products on the market.” The product extends the service life of wall components and reduces moisture problems by creating a pressure-equalized air space and capillary break immediately behind exterior cladding. It speeds the drying of moisture that accumulates in the wall assembly by providing a drainage space and allowing air to move in a convective fashion throughout the wall cavity. Haller installs Home Slicker Stone & Stucco for masonry applications and Home Slicker for wood, fiber cement, and vinyl cladding systems.


‘IT’S UNCONSCIONABLE’

Haller believes that ignorance about building construction techniques or lack of the right building products are no longer adequate excuses for not including a rainscreen system in an exterior stucco wall system. “I think it’s unconscionable to not incorporate a rainscreen system with what we now know. How can a stucco contractor accept many thousands of dollars from a homeowner to take down and restore a stucco wall and not go the extra yard to include a drainage product behind it in order to prolong the life of the wall assembly? Some of these homes are worth several million dollars and the cost of the remediation and restoration, when needed, is very high,” Haller said.


He added that builders constructing homes without a rainscreen system behind any absorptive cladding like stucco, stone, or fiber cement should also think twice. “I know for a fact that the builders who are dealing with liability issues for the repair of the original construction are finding that the cost of the repairs totally erase the profit they made on the home when it was first built, and then some,” he said. “I say spend the little bit extra when the home is being built and avoid the huge possible expense down the road, not to mention the angst and emotional energy, these situations generate. And don’t forget the damage to a builder’s reputation these bulk water problems can cause, as well.”


One of the main reasons why homeowners are coming to Haller Custom Homes for the remediation and restoration of their homes is because the firm is much more than a stucco contractor. “Stucco contractors are usually limited to removing the damaged areas of stucco and re-applying a new cladding. It’s that simple. As a custom home builder, we can also make recommendations when new windows are needed, a new roof is appropriate, or when new gables should be built out to create deeper overhangs and help prevent water infiltration,” Haller noted. Many of the customers come for the remediation but call upon the Wayne, PA, company’s expertise for a number of other home improvements.


Lee Haller’s company has created its own system of removal and repair that he is confident will maintain the home’s structural integrity for many years to come. While each situation calls for its own solution, this is a typical approach:

• After studying the home’s condition, erect scaffolding and begin removing the stucco.
  
  
• Examine the sheathing. If the OSB or plywood is damaged, replace it. With OSB , run a circular saw around the joints of the OSB to create a 1/16-inch gap.
  
  
• Replace damaged 2 x 4s or other structural framing.
  
  
• If windows are damaged or other specific conditions are present, re-install them or replace them using the latest wrap products and flashing for moisture-resistance. Cover the windows for protection.
  
  
• Remove the cornice and apply the water-resistant barrier to the entire wall, including behind where the cornice had been. Gables are extended to create an overhang to prevent water entry.
  
  
• Install Home Slicker Stone & Stucco.
  
  
• House is water tight at that point and ready to stucco.

Lee Haller admits that he may be taking one or two steps more than most builders when he completes his stucco repair. “But when it comes to our work, we want to be sure we’ve taken every step possible to ensure a solid home that will serve a family for generations,” he said.

‘$100K House’ Minimizes Home’s Carbon Footprint, Delivers on Green Building Technologies
Developer goes ‘extra mile’ with addition of rainscreen system to home


Chad Ludeman, founder of the development company Postgreen, has achieved his goal of building a new, LEED Platinum home in Philadelphia for only $100,000 by keeping the design basic and the building technologies green.


A key green aspect of the design that will contribute to the home’s sustainability is an exterior wall assembly that includes structured insulated panels (SIPs), fiber cement siding, and a vented rainscreen system using Home Slicker®.from Benjamin Obdyke. “After deciding to go with [fiber cement] siding and SIPs, our main question was whether or not to employ a rainscreen,” Ludeman wrote on his blog, which traced the developer’s design process, budget questions, and construction decisions. “It is widely recognized as the most effective method for preventing moisture issues in modern homes and is even required in…Canada and parts of Europe. It is not a requirement for LEED to use a rainscreen in our area, but we wanted to go the extra mile if we could accomplish it.”


Called the $100K House, which describes the hard construction costs (not including design costs), the demonstration project is located in the East Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia. The 1,150-sq. ft., two-story, three-room home is Postgreen’s way of showing that green design should be available to the average working family and is meant to be a prototype that will be repeated with variations in other neighborhoods. The idea is to boil the home’s design down to the essential components, while minimizing its carbon footprint. Because of components that include solar panels, radiant heating, and the SIPs sheathing, Postgreen expects annual energy costs to be approximately $1,200.


On the decision to use Home Slicker, Ludeman said he was familiar with the product through a professional colleague. Home Slicker is a component of a rainscreen system that alleviates moisture problems in wall assemblies by providing a continuous ventilation and drainage space. Rainscreen systems are recognized by building science experts as the optimum method of wall construction in areas prone to moisture, high temperatures, and humidity. It is applied between the weather-resistive barrier – which can be a synthetic housewrap or felt paper – and the exterior siding and is vented at the top and bottom of the cladding to allow any accumulated water to drain away and air flow to dry the space.


Ludeman is forthright about its value to the sustainable design of the 100K House. “It’s simply the best and most robust way to build an exterior wall assembly in this and other climates that receive a decent amount of rain,” he wrote.

Benjamin Obdyke Forges Partnership With Specialty Construction Market Supplier Wind-lock® To Better Serve the Stucco, Stone, Masonry Markets
Partnership Will Increase The Availability Of Products Like Home Slicker® & Blockade™ Mortar Deflection System

Benjamin Obdyke, a leading provider of residential roof and wall products, has forged a distribution partnership with specialty construction market supplier Wind-lock® to strengthen its growing presence in the stone, stucco, and masonry channels.

“Several of our products have resonated with builders and specialty contractors who work with stone, stucco, and masonry as exterior siding materials on homes,” explained Geoff Ehrman, Director of Business Development for Benjamin Obdyke. “In order to make these products more readily available, we searched for the best partner in this endeavor. We’re proud to have Wind-lock, with its brand and service capabilities, carry our products on a nationwide basis through its well-established distribution base.”

Wind-lock will carry two of the newest product offerings from Benjamin Obdyke: Home Slicker Stone & Stucco and Blockade Mortar Deflection System. Home Slicker Stone & Stucco is a rolled rainscreen designed specifically for stone, stucco, and masonry applications; Home Slicker Stone & Stucco 10 is also available and it contains all the same features as Home Slicker Stone & Stucco but is designed to meet the 10 mm Canadian building code requirements for rainscreen systems. The Blockade Mortar Deflection System prevents mortar dropping from clogging the weep holes in a brick wall while also creating an assembly that is free from the deteriorating effects of mold and moisture.

Carter Benjamin, Executive Vice President of Wind-lock, pointed out that his company’s just-in-time inventory program, multiple warehouse locations, and stock-to-dock shipping guarantee have helped make it one of the country’s leading specialty construction market suppliers. “’What you need, when you need it’ is how we say it,” he said. Among the products carried by Wind-lock are those for the EIFs (exterior insulation finishing systems), stucco, brick, veneer synthetic stone, ICF (insulating concrete forms), SIPs (structural insulated panels) and stone channels.

Professionals interested in purchasing Benjamin Obdyke roof and wall products can contact Wind-lock at 800-872-5625 or visit Wind-lock. For more information on Benjamin Obdyke products, including installation instructions, product details, and best practice guides, visit www.benjaminobdyke.com, or call Benjamin Obdyke Customer Service at 800-346-7655.

Message of Iowa State Solar Decathlon Team: ‘Anyone Can Create a Sustainable Home’
Team Goes with Home Slicker® Plus Typar to Achieve Best Home Design


Iowa State University’s Solar Decathlon team has decided that using readily available technologies in designing and building one of the most energy-efficient and sustainable homes possible is their way of saying, “Anyone can do this.” The team determined that Home Slicker® Plus Typar, a combined rainscreen system component and housewrap manufactured by Benjamin Obdyke, was the best choice for prolonging the life of the concept home’s cedar siding.


While some products being used on Iowa’s State’s “Interlock House” are new, the Home Slicker Plus Typar has proven to alleviate moisture problems in thousands of homes by providing a space behind exterior cladding to allow moisture to drain and to provide proper ventilation. “Our Interlock House has focused on technologies that are available to the public, highlighting the possibility for the average homeowner to become more energy aware,” said Peter Mauro, a spokesman for the project.


The U.S. Department of Energy’s prestigious Solar Decathlon is an international collegiate competition to design, build, and operate highly energy-efficient, completely solar-powered houses, “the best in home design,” the website says. In the competition, each collegiate team assigns its own “signature” to their home. In the case of Iowa State’s 800-square-foot Interlock House, the goal was to construct a dwelling that could be erected in a backyard, driveway, or empty lot as an alternative to sprawl. The idea is to enable retirees, empty nesters, college students, and extended family members to stay in neighborhoods which otherwise might be unaffordable to them. The house generates enough energy to meet its own needs and is even capable of directing the surplus into the existing power grid, making it effectively a net-producer of energy. The compactly designed house also heeds the call of Iowa State’s President, Gregory L. Geoffrey, to reduce each individual’s carbon footprint and become a model of energy efficiency.


According to Iowa State’s Mauro, the team felt that an air space should be incorporated between the exterior Eastern White Cedar cladding and the home’s sheathing for drainage and ventilation. “The Interlock team became aware of Home Slicker Plus Typar while researching alternative wall assembly methods. The product was recommended to them by a faculty advisor,” he said. “Because the team was so focused on minimizing the footprint of the house in every possible way, even the thin nature of the Home Slicker Plus Typar’s three-dimensional nylon matrix bonded to Typar – a residential and commercial housewrap – made a difference. Additionally, the Home Slicker will not be degraded by the cedar siding used on the exterior of the Interlock House.”


For more information on the progress of Iowa State’s Solar Decathlon team’s Interlock House, go to the Interlock House Website.

Benjamin Obdyke Joins the Roof Assembly Ventilation Coalition
Coalition organized to educate the residential building community and other interested parties as to the benefits of proper roof assembly ventilation.

Benjamin Obdyke is proud to announce that they are a charter member of the Roof Assembly Ventilation Coalition (RAVC). The coalition was started last October by the Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association (ARMA) and six key industry roofing ventilation companies. Based in Washington, DC, the RAVC is a coalition created under the umbrella of ARMA to help identify sound science regarding steep-slope roof ventilation.


The Coalition emerged out of a need for a better understanding of roof ventilation and material performance as it relates to the code and regulatory bodies and other forums. The Coalition will act as the voice of the industry, while identifying areas which need additional research compiled. The Coalition intends to communicate state of the art developments in roof ventilation while educating specifiers, builders, architects, engineers, building code officials, municipalities, the public and other parties as to the benefits of proper roof ventilation.


ARMA's Director of Industry Affairs, James Baker, said, "The response from these manufacturers has been outstanding in stepping up to the plate and developing a coalition of companies with a united goal of filling a long overlooked void in the roofing industry and ARMA is pleased to be associated with the Coalition and looks forward to a long and prosperous working relationship."


The Coalition will be the established voice of an industry which has previously not been represented in the roofing community and will advocate on behalf of roof assembly ventilation stakeholders when steep slope roof assembly ventilation is considered. The Coalition recently issued a White Paper. The White Paper, entitled Debate over Sealed Attics vs. Ventilation Intensifies Amid Calls for More Scrutiny, along with other information related to proper roof assembly ventilation, can be found at the RAVC website.

Benjamin Obdyke Is Searching For An End User Specialist
Benjamin Obdyke is Looking to Grow Even in a Down Economy.

Benjamin Obdyke is looking for someone to fill the newly created position of End User Specialist. The End User Specialist is responsible for supporting the company’s new and existing product lines (primarily wall products) focusing on building brand awareness and influencing Users, both Builders and Contractors, within the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic Regions to use Benjamin Obdyke products. Responsibilities include working with both distribution and end users to grow awareness of Benjamin Obdyke products and the collection of market information as it relates to market conditions, accepted practices, and competitive products. If you are interested in applying for this position you can view the full job posting in our careers section by clicking HERE.