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.

Builder Selects Home Slicker® to Create Rainscreen System in ‘Coastal Living Idea Cottage’ near the SC Coast
Contributes to Sustainability Goals of Model Home

Mount Pleasant, SC ─ A Charleston, South Carolina builder specializing in custom, green-built homes selected Home Slicker® from Benjamin Obdyke to contribute to the sustainability of the “Coastal Living Idea Cottage” currently under construction in Mount Pleasant, SC. This patented, vertically channeled, three-dimensional matrix will be applied behind the model home’s fiber cement siding.


Home Slicker creates an even, continuous space for drainage and drying, a thermal break, and pressure equalization between the home’s sheathing and exterior siding. It is part of a rainscreen assembly that building science experts agree is the optimum method of wall construction in an area such as South Carolina, which is prone to excessive moisture, wind-driven rain, and humidity.


“We are close enough to the beach to experience some of the corrosive elements that the environment brings, like excessive heat and humidity,” said R.P. Newton, production manager for Structures Building Company.


“Home Slicker creates the drainage space, which enables bulk water that enters the wall cavity to drain, while allowing for air movement to dry any remaining moisture. When asked why they chose to use Home Slicker on the project, Newton remarked, “Since we typically integrate a drainage space behind any of the wood or fiber cement siding we use on our custom homes, we knew that using the Home Slicker rainscreen product would be a good match for this project.”
The Best in Innovation & Construction


The new home under construction, sponsored by Coastal Living magazine, is located minutes from historic downtown Charleston in a community named l’On Village. The village was selected as “Best Community in the Nation” and “Best Smart Growth Neighborhood in the Country” by both Professional Builder magazine and the National Association of Home Builders.


The Coastal Living Idea Houses and Cottages celebrate the best in home innovation and construction. They are built in coastal communities selected for environmental consciousness and sensitivity to shoreline preservation. The project team is also expecting to achieve LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification with this particular structure. According to Newton, the choice of Home Slicker was integral to achieving the project’s sustainability goal.


The Coastal Living Idea Cottage is located on reserved property in the heart of the I’On Village and features Caribbean-style architecture and a private courtyard. The home will be open to the public for tours in August and will be offered for sale among 13 custom home offerings designed as the Courts on Jefferson Canal.


For more information on Home Slicker or other Benjamin Obdyke roof and wall products, contact a local Benjamin Obdyke dealer, visit www.benjaminobdyke.com, or call Benjamin Obdyke Customer Service at 800-346-7655.

Sustainability Goals of Eco-Friendly Home Led
To Choice of Home Slicker® as Means to Extend Life of Siding
Product Helps Eliminate Threat of Trapped Moisture in Walls

Narragansett, RI ─ An eco-friendly, custom home under construction on the Rhode Island coast chose Home Slicker®, a rainscreen product from Benjamin Obdyke, to extend the life of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified white cedar shingles on the home’s exterior.


The home is the centerpiece of the Green Life Smart Life™ project – a quest by one family to live on the Rhode Island coast in a “green” home that can handle the Northeast coast’s harsh weather elements while staying on budget. The project has successfully built an online community, which has followed the daily activities involved in the planning and construction, according to Michael Coulton, director of marketing and new product development for Benjamin Obdyke Inc.


“We saw this as a project with real credibility, one that espouses the same values we have for smart technology and environmentally preferable building resources and techniques. By installing Home Slicker underneath the exterior cladding, the building team added to the durability of the home and contributed to its intended LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) designation,” Coulton said.


Home Slicker provides a continuous space for drainage and drying, a thermal break, and pressure equalization between the layer of the home’s sheathing and the exterior siding. Construction of a rainscreen system is recognized by building science experts as the optimum method of wall construction in areas prone to excessive moisture, wind-driven rain, and humidity.


The patented, three-dimensional matrix of Home Slicker allows bulks water that gets in behind the cladding to drain. Concurrently, it allows for the drying of moisture that accumulates in the interior wall assembly by allowing for maximum air movement throughout the cavity.


The Hageman family who started the Green Life Smart Life project has spent a year designing a green home that captures the view of the Narragansett Bay and the Newport Bridge. It is meant to show that sustainability and environmental stewardship can go hand in hand in this unique structure. Construction is expected to reach completion at the end of 2009.


“We decided to partner on this project because we were proud of the good job we’ve been doing reviewing the sustainability of our products and making product improvements or changing product composition in order to help end-users achieve points with either of the two biggest green building programs: LEED for Homes and the NAHB Green Building Guidelines,” Coulton said.

Benjamin Obdyke Incorporated Introduces Blockade™ Mortar Deflection System
Blocks Mortar Droppings from Clogging Weep Holes in Brick Walls, Allows Excess Moisture to Flow Freely Out of the Wall Cavity.

Benjamin Obdyke Incorporated introduces its new Blockade™ Mortar Deflection System, a new masonry product designed to be used in conjunction with cavity wall construction to catch and hold mortar droppings during brick wall assembly.


When installed, Blockade will help create a brick wall that is built to stand the test of time and remain free from the deteriorating effects of mold and moisture that can become trapped behind brick exteriors, while preventing mortar droppings from clogging the weep holes in the brick wall assembly.


The product comes from Benjamin Obdyke, known throughout the industry for their high-quality, innovative moisture management products. It is the second product to be designed specifically for the masonry market, following the recent re-introduction of Home Slicker® Stone & Stucco, a rainscreen product for stone, stucco, and masonry applications.


“Our moisture management products are being enthusiastically accepted by the masonry market, which sees our products as easily solving a recognized problem with mold and moisture build-up behind the exterior claddings,” said Michael Coulton, director of marketing and new product development for Benjamin Obdyke. He added that building professionals who use alternative, often more time-consuming and labor-intensive methods of mortar deflection will find that the Blockade product installs quickly and economically.


The patented black entangled matrix design of Blockade is produced in a diagonal orientation for use at the bottom of the wall cavity. It is available in two sizes. Blockade 80 measures .8 in. deep x 10 in. wide x 50 ft. long, and weighs 4.5 lbs. As Blockade 150, it measures 1.5 in. deep x 10 in. wide x 35 ft. long, weighing 3.5 lbs.

Benjamin Obdyke Showcases Popular Home Slicker® Stone & Stucco at World of Concrete.
Also Previews New Blockade™ Mortar Deflection System for Brick Walls at Booth S12554.

Benjamin Obdyke Incorporated, manufacturer of residential roof and wall products, is showcasing the newly re-branded Home Slicker® Stone & Stucco – its popular rainscreen product designed specifically for stone, stucco, and masonry applications – at the 2009 World of Concrete in booth S12554. The company is also providing visitors with a preview of its new Blockade™ Mortar Deflection System for brick wall cavities.


“We’ve seen that our Home Slicker Stone & Stucco has resonated with craftsmen builders and specialty contractors who are working with stone, stucco and masonry as exterior siding materials on homes,” said Michael Coulton, director of marketing and product development for Benjamin Obdyke. “We decided the best way to reach these users, as well as our masonry distribution partners, was as an exhibitor at the World of Concrete.”


Because masonry is a porous substance, moisture has the ability to penetrate masonry materials, usually through cracks in the mortar joints. These hairline cracks can allow wind-driven rain to penetrate the mortar, which can create a breeding ground for mold growth.


Current construction designs call for manufactured stone to be applied directly against the metal lathe, which is placed against the plywood sheathing and water resistive barrier. This technique allows any moisture that penetrates the exterior cladding to become trapped between the cladding and the interior sheathing. Building science experts are now recommending a rainscreen system as the optimum method of wall construction in masonry applications to allow the trapped moisture to drain. Rainscreen systems provide a continuous drainage and ventilation space and are especially effective in areas prone to excessive moisture, high temperatures, and humidity.


Home Slicker Stone & Stucco alleviates these moisture problems in stone, stucco, and masonry applications by providing a continuous drainage and ventilation space in a rainscreen wall assembly. The patented, vertically-channeled matrix forms the air space, while the breathable fabric blocks mortar from seeping into the newly formed cavity, allowing moisture to pass through.


While Benjamin Obdyke’s new Blockade Mortar Deflection System will not be available on the market until March 1, the company chose the World of Concrete to preview it to the key demographic which attends the show. When installed, the product will help create a brick wall that is built to stand the test of time and remain free from the deteriorating effects of mold and moisture that can become trapped behind brick exteriors, preventing mortar droppings from clogging the weep holes in the brick wall assembly.

Benjamin Obdyke Participates in Presentation Focused on High Performance Residential Masonry Walls at the 2009 Builders Show.

Benjamin Obdyke Presents for the Second Straight Builders Show.

Michael Coulton, Director of Product Development & Marketing at Benjamin Obdyke recently presented at one of the educational seminars at the 2009 International Builders Show. Coulton's presentation, entitled High Performance Residential Masonry Walls in the 21st Century, was designed to help builders, architects, and contractors stay current on industry trends as it relates to proper moisture management in masonry wall applications. The seminar specifically focused on ways building professionals could incorporate good moisture management solutions when designing and building homes to ward off problems such as mold and mildew damage, while increasing energy efficiency. If you are interested in the PowerPoint for the presentation you can jump to it by clicking HERE.

Benjamin Obdyke Renames Mortairvent® as Home Slicker® Stone & Stucco
Rainscreen Product Provides Drainage and Ventilation in Stone, Stucco, and Masonry Wall Assemblies

Benjamin Obdyke Incorporated has renamed Mortairvent® as Home Slicker® Stone & Stucco and incorporated it into the Home Slicker family of products. Building on the strength of the Home Slicker brand, Home Slicker Stone & Stucco alleviates moisture problems specifically in stone, stucco, and masonry applications by providing a continuous drainage and ventilation space in a rainscreen wall assembly. The patented, vertically-channeled matrix forms the air space while the breathable fabric blocks mortar from seeping into the newly formed cavity, allowing moisture to pass through.


Because masonry is a porous substance, moisture has the ability to penetrate masonry materials, usually through cracks in the mortar joints. These hairline cracks can allow wind-driven rain to penetrate the mortar, which can create a breeding ground for mold growth.


Current construction designs call for manufactured stone to be applied directly against the metal lathe, which is placed against the plywood sheathing and water resistive barrier. This technique allows any moisture that penetrates the exterior cladding to become trapped between the cladding and the interior sheathing. Building science experts are now recommending a rainscreen system as the optimum method of wall construction in masonry applications to allow the trapped moisture to drain. Rainscreen systems provide a continuous drainage and ventilation space and are especially effective in areas prone to excessive moisture, high temperatures, and humidity.


Home Slicker Stone & Stucco extends the service life of wall components by creating the necessary space in a rainscreen assembly that drains wind-driven rain from behind the cladding, and ventilates to remove moisture. It reduces moisture problems by creating a pressure-equalized air space immediately behind exterior cladding in addition to employing a water resistive barrier. Its patented, three-dimensional, vertically-channeled matrix not only manages water entry by allowing it to enter and exit, but also drains away bulk water that seeps in behind cladding. At the same time, Home Slicker Stone & Stucco speeds drying of moisture that accumulates in the interior wall assembly by moving air in a convective fashion throughout the cavity.


With each roll weighing only 15 lbs, Home Slicker Stone & Stucco installs quickly and easily. It is 39 in. wide, 61.5 ft. long, and .25 in. thick, with a coverage area of 200 sq. ft. Home Slicker Stone & Stucco features a UV exposure of 30 days (maximum) and comes with Benjamin Obdyke’s 50-Year Limited Warranty.