Indiana Preferred EIFS & Stucco Contractors

Indiana Preferred EIFS & Stucco Contractors Free Estimates 765-341-6020

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Historic Plaster - Conventional Plaster - EIFS - Stucco - Cultured Stone - Brick - Block - Steel 

    indianawallsystems@yahoo.com 765-341-6020  Free Estimates,Ten year warranty, high quality work, American company  

    Historic/decorative/conventional plaster interiors, EIFS/stone/stucco exteriors          Flexible Payment Plans!!!

    Hotel, large scale retail/Industrial and commercial unit/Residential re-face/restoration/new construction 

    central indiana stucco, indianapolis EIFS Contractor, Indianapolis Plaster Contractor, Indianapolis Stucco Contractor, Indianapolis EIFS repair, Indianapolis Plaster Repair                         

     

EIFS- Indiana wall Systems, is  fully certified in every EIFS product we use. All products used by Indiana Wall Systems meet the EIMA standard of quality. We take all the steps to insure a quality wall that meets all manufacturer specification.

EIFS REPAIR- Dont Make the Mistake of Hiring a painting contractor to patch EIFS, patching EIFS is a tedious process for a trained, certified, skilled tradesman, and certainly not the job for a painter! Before hiring a painter, take a quick trip through any local shopping center or retail center, paying close attention to the signage walls above. We Will Let You Decide Who Patched What. Indiana Wall systems always takes the least invasive, most practical, most cost effective approach to EIFS repair. We take steps to indentify any problem areas, and draft a plan that will include a no hassle, cost effective, no hidden fee, approach to your repair. We also walk our customers through the process step by step, leaving no surprises, and delivering a wall that is eye catching for years to come all encapsulated in our on of a kind 10 year warranty!

     

Traditional Plaster- Indiana Wall Systems can repair your Historical plaster at surprisingly affordable rates. All of our projects are executed using only the exact materials and methods used over 100 years ago. We will systematically renew your historic interior walls, while maintaining and renewing your home's historic value.


  

Stucco (Cementisious plaster)- Indiana Wall Systems performs a wide variety of work using stucco plasters. We go to great lengths to match existing textures where needed, and we assure a quality, properly mixed, long lasting wall that simply will NOT! crack.

Plaster Molds- Indiana Wall Systems has more then most, in terms of experience, in the molding techniques of traditional plaster, as well as the ornamental accents associated therein. We have a fine attention to detail, and we can match any mold, anywhere, while insuring a quality mold that will last for years to come.

     

We not only offer, but we simply INCLUDE A FULL 10 YEAR WARRANTY with any work we perform. Our work is second to none, and we plan to retain that standing, and we have no problem standing behind it!!! We Treat every project as a work of art, we take great pride in EVERY project, regardless of size. Our jobsites are clean, safe, and we respect our customers, while paying close attention to the needs of EVERY customer. We have no "set in stone" policy on how we do things, We are always willing to help our customers (especially homeowners) with changes they may have mid-project. Deciding exactly what you want on your home, is never easy without first seeing it in place. All of our projects are correctly applied, in a safe, timely manner, in a quality fashion, At the least possible cost. We are more then aware that good prices, a higher standard of work, and professionally executed projects will produce satisfied customers.

  

New Construction Residential featuring in-house design concepts, extreme quality control, artistic based application process, and professional execution of our work. With an open minded approach, and a willingness to assist and satisfy our customers with our "not in stone" policy.

    

 Residential Additions to existing homes High quality EIFS additions, with specific care taken on the matching up of the new, with the existing EIFS wall systems.

 New and existing Chimney work from plain EIFS chimney work, to radical extensive detail comprised of multi textured, multi colored, multi detail stepped concepts. Interior fireplace concepts, thin-coat, Venetian, Italian and Greek Plastered fireplace designs. Safe, beautiful, eye catching and unique designs, adding to the beauty of any home interior.

  Light Commercial projects new construction and re-face/re-model. This particular project was EIFS over old damaged degraded brick work, offering up a new modern look to a century old building.

    

Large scale unitized commercial, Industrial projects. From sign wall repair to complete building re-face projects.

       

Traditional interior high quality molding plasters, and thin-coat plasters.

     

 Churches, Historic interior restorations, decorative plaster from extensive detail and mold packages, to plain thin-coat plaster. Indiana Wal Systems uses original products, and trditional methods to recapture the look of yesteryear. You will find no flaws in our work, if there is a flaw in our work, it has not yet been invoiced, and therefore does not graduate to the level of complete until in perfect condition.

   

 Traditional Stucco New Construction and repair/upgrade Paying close attention to the problem areas not yet known in the specifications of yesteryear. Such as wood to stucco transition issues, proper expansion placement for the climate in which the stucco is being applied, as well as the introduction of synthetic components, making the stucco of today much more durable and less prone to staining, cracks, delamination. These newly formulated upgrades to traditional stucco repairs leave home owners with a very attractive exterior that last for many years, without painting.

   

   In-house EIFS design/artistic Detail placement/design concepts

Indiana Wall Systems will assist you the customer in designing your home in the concept you choose, while offering up experienced insight into the design draft, and later placement of the concept on the home.

     

 Cultured Stone interior/exterior designs also available. Many of the newer, more modern designs that really catch the eye, are cultured stone interior design concepts, as well as cultured stone and eifs combination designs. Some of these custom designs today, really bring forth a unique, outstanding, artistic look, while catching attention and offering real world curbside appeal, to the market, like never before. These two materials when applied correctly, really offer benefits that are easy to see a year down the road, to decades from initial construction, by offering a super strong lower wall (stone) and a beautiful, light weight, exponentially insulative upper, all while remaining tangable enough to capture any look, from old world German and English construction, to modern California style concepts. Cultured stone/Plaster interiors are also beyond reaproach in terms of design tangability, from rustic to castlistic, ancient to modern, modest to fancy. The sheer technology applied to these newer products and the generated increase in performance and workability, as well as application range, are far exceeding the materials of yesteryear, with major extentions in wall life, impact resistance, mold and stain, other contaminant repelling, increased incidental moisture resistance to name a few. Indiana Wall Systems is an Authorized Centurion Stone dealer. Centurion far exceeds any other manufacturer in terms of design and product quality, with a proven PSI Strength of 7849 psi, which is thousands of pounds stronger per square inch then any other stone! Our dealer status offers up real world significant savings to our customers through direct sales, on every cultured stone project we execute. Our warranty combined with Centurion Stone's 50 year warranty! offers real piece of mind in the decades following any work we perform. 

  

 D Ray Decor, Greenwood Indiana

 

 

 

EIFS by Definition    http://www.nethelper.com/article/Dryvit

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Contents 1 Terminology 2 How EIFS is used 3 How EIFS is installed 4 Composition and types of EIFS 5 History of EIFS 6 Legal Issues 7 Marketing of EIFS and The EIFS Industry 8 References

Terminology

Although often called "synthetic stucco", EIFS is not stucco. Traditional stucco is often called Portland Cement Plaster, and is a centuries-old non-insulating material. Stucco consists of sand, Portland Cement, and water, and is a hard, dense, thick, non-insulating material. EIFS is a lightweight synthetic wall cladding that includes foam plastic insulation and thin synthetic coatings. There are also specialty stuccos that use synthetic materials but no insulation, and these are also not EIFS either. A common example is what is called one-coat stucco, which is a thick, synthetic stucco applied in a single layer (traditional stucco is applied in 3 layers). There is also an EIFS-like product called a Direct-Applied Finish System (or DAFS), which is essentially an EIFS but without the insulation, and has quite different characteristics.^[  ] EIFS are proprietary systems of a particular EIFS producer and consist of specific components. EIFS are not generic products made from common separate materials. To function properly, EIFS needs to be architecturally designed and installed as a system. There are a number of versions of EIFS. The most basic and common EIFS is called a barrier EIFS (also known as a traditional or conventional EIFS). Another type is called an EIFS with Drainage, which is a barrier EIFS to which a water drainage capability has been added.^[  ] A basic EIFS includes only the insulation and EIFS materials (coatings, adhesives, etc.). Other types of EIFS may also include plastic edge trim, water-resistive barriers, a drainage cavity, and other accessories. The technical definition of "an EIFS" does not include wall framing, sheathing, flashings, caulking, water barriers, windows, doors, and other wall components. However, as of recently, architects have begun specifying flashings, sealants, and wiring fasteners (such as Viperstrap) as being a part of the EIFS scope of work, essentially requiring EIFS contractors to carry out that work as well. The technical national consensus standard for the definition of an EIFS, as published by ASTM International organization, does not include flashing or sealants as part of the EIFS.

How EIFS is used

EIFS can be used on a wide range of buildings, including homes, apartments, condominiums, high-rise buildings, offices, malls, shopping centers, hotels, motels, clinics, government buildings, and so on. It can also be used to create facades and soffits on shopping centers, and for decorative purposes (to look like stone, or to create signage or artwork). EIFS is not aroofing material.^[  ] EIFS can be used on new buildings and also can be installed on existing walls, called "retrofitting", to upgrade the appearance and provide insulation, without affecting the activities indoors during the renovation (EIFS is installed completely from the outside of the building). EIFS has a number of features that contribute to its popularity, including a modern seamless look (although control joints are required at regular intervals to prevent splitting from thermal expansion/contraction), the ability to mimic other materials, reasonable cost, and high energy efficiency. EIFS looks like traditional stucco or concrete, and is very common through North America. The use of EIFS is regulated by the building codes. However, since EIFS is a relatively new type of wall cladding, many codes do not refer to EIFS by name. EIFS is generally regulated by Evaluation Reports ("ER's") which are technical reports issued by code agencies for a specific product. The ER's go into great detail about how a specific EIFS product can be used. The primary source of ER's in the USA is the Evaluation Services division of the International Code Council. Known within the UK as "External Wall Insulation Systems" or EWIS

How EIFS is installed

EIFS is attached to the outside face of exterior walls with an adhesive (cementicious or acrylic based), it should never be attached by using mechanical fasteners such as nails, screws, etc. unless using on a foam shape sometimes called "popouts" or "trim band". Mechanical fasteners can cause virtually unsealable holes in the system, thus making it impossible to be water proof. The supporting wall surface is continuous (not "open framing") and flat, and can be a solid material, or some type of sheathing that is attached to studs. The surface to which an EIFS is applied is called the substrate. Common substrates include concrete, cinder block, brick, cement board sheathing, Dens Glass Gold, USG Securock, exterior grade gypsum sheathing, glass fiber-faced gypsum sheathing, oriented-strand board (OSB), and plywood.^[  ] EIFS is usually installed at the construction site by hand by independent professional plastering contractors; EIFS producers do not install EIFS products. EIFS is not a do-it-yourself product - it is not sold through retail stores. EIFS can also be made as panels. The panels are made in a factory and have a lightweight welded metal subframe. When completed they are trucked to the building site, raised with a crane, and attached to the building frame.

Composition and types of EIFS

EIFS consists of a number of layers that are installed in the following order. The most basic EIFS (a barrier EIFS) consists of 3 layers:

• A layer of foam plastic insulation (also called simply "foam") that comes in the form of sheets 2' x 4'. If an adhesive is used to attach the insulation, the adhesive is applied to the foam with a trowel. Most EIFS use a type of insulation called Expanded Polystyrene, also known as EPS. EPS is 1 lb. density Expanded Polystyrene, similar to, but not the same as, the white foam that coffee cups are made of (the latter foam is Extruded Polystyrene). The usual range of thickness for EIFS insulation is 3/4" to 4", although thicker pieces are sometimes used for decoration accents - called foam shapes.
• A reinforced layer that is applied onto the face of the insulation with a trowel, consisting of a fiberglass reinforcing mesh ( or "mesh") embedded in a cementitous adhesive. The mesh has an open weave, somewhat like window screening but with opening about 1/4" square. It is made of fiberglass and can be cut with a utility knife. The mesh is available in various weights, the "heaviness" determines the impact strength of the surface (resistance to damage by being "hit"). The standard weight is 4oz, the high-impact mesh weight goes up to 15 or 20oz. This 2-part layer is called the Base Coat.
• A final topcoat,or finish, which is a colored, textured paint-like material that is applied with a trowel or, very rarely, by spraying. A wide range of colors and textures are available as well as custom colors. Available textures include smooth surfaces, rough "stucco-like" textures, embedded stone chips, multi-color (granite-like mixtures,) and even brick-like treatments. This layer is called the finish. It is acquired by floating.

If an EIFS with Drainage, or water-managed EIFS is installed, a water resistive barrier (aka a WRB) is first installed over the substrate (generally DensGlas Gold, exterior-grade gypsum sheathing, OSB or plywood).^[  ] The moisture barrier is applied to the entire wall surface with a mesh tape over joints and a liquid-applied membrane or a protective wrap like Tyvek or felt paper. Then a drainage cavity is created (usually by adding some sort of space between the foam and the WRB). Then the other 3 layers, described above, are added. This type of EIFS is required by many building codes areas on wood frame construction, and is intended to provide a path for incidental water that may get behind the EIFS with a safe route back to the outside. The purpose is to preclude water from damaging the supporting wall. Adhesives and Finishes are water-based, and thus must be installed at temperatures well above freezing. Two types of Adhesives are used with EIFS: those that contain Portland Cement ("cementitious"), or do not have any Portland Cement ("cementless"). Adhesives that contain Portland Cement harden by the chemical reaction of the cement with water. Adhesives and Finishes that are cementless harden by the evaporation of water - like house paint. Adhesives come in two forms. The most common is in a plastic pail as a paste, to which Portland Cement is added. Adhesives are also available as dry powders in sacks, to which water is added. Finishes come in a plastic pail, ready to use, like paint. EIFS insulation comes in individual pieces, usually 2' x 4', in large bags. The pieces are trimmed to fit the wall at the construction site.

History of EIFS

EIFS was developed in Europe after World War II and was initially used to retrofit solid masonry walls.^[  ] EIFS started to be used in North America in the 1960s, and became very popular in the mid- 1970's due to the oil embargo and the resultant surge in interest in high energy efficiency wall systems (such as EIFS provides). The use of EIFS over stud-and-sheathing framing (instead of over soils walls) is a North American technique. EIFS is now used all over North America, and also in many others areas around the world, especially in Europe and the Pacific Rim.^[  ] In North America, EIFS was initially used almost exclusively on commercial buildings. As the market grew, prices dropped to the point where its use became widespread on normal single family homes.^[  ] In the late 1980s problems started developing due to water leakage in EIFS-clad homes. This created a national controversy and numerous lawsuits. While not inherently more prone to water penetration than other exterior finishes, critics argue that barrier-type EIFS systems (non-water-managed systems) do not allow water that may penetrate the building envelope to escape.^[1] The EIFS industry has consistently maintained that the EIFS itself was not leaking, but rather poor craftsmanship and bad architectural detailing at the perimeter of the EIFS was what was causing the problems. The building codes reacted by mandating EIFS with Drainage on wood frame building and additional on-site inspection. Most homeowner insurance policies cover EIFS and EIFS-like systems. It should be noted that insurance companies like FM Global may not provide fire insurance coverage to clients who install EIFS exterior building systems, due to the lack of adequate fire-resistance inherent in the materials. Also, some facility owners have found that EIFS systems that are installed at lower building levels are subject to vandalism as the material is soft and can be chipped or carved resulting in significant damage.

Legal Issues

EIFS systems have been the subject of several lawsuits, mostly related to the installation process and failure of the system causing moisture buildups and subsequent mold growth. The most notable case concerned the former San Martin, Californiacourthouse. This case was settled for 12 million dollars.[1]

Marketing of EIFS and The EIFS Industry

EIFS accounts for about 10% of the US commercial wall cladding market.^[  ] There are several dozen EIFS producers in North America. Some sell nationwide, and some are regional in their area of business operations. The EIFS producers sell the various system components (adhesives, coatings, etc.) through specialty building product distributors who in turn resell the components to local EIFS installers.^[  ] The top 6 EIFS producers account for about 90% of the US market. These producers include STO Corp. BASF Wall Systems, Senergy, Finestone, SonoWall and Acrocrete.^[  ]

References

1. ^ "AnimasInsurers Slapping EIFS Exclusions on Insurance Policies". Associated Construction Publications.

As many of you already know very well, there are a few species of woodpeckers who regularly attack EIFS Products. Repairing Woodpecker holes can, and often will, begin to be a problem, leaving the homeowner with an unslightly mess of patches, and or refacing the EIFS many times per year. Due to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and Federal Agencies, these animals are a protected species, which adds to the difficulty is ceasing their periodic, and sometimes annual attacks on homes. The holes created by these creatures allow moisture to saturate sub-straights, causing mold, mildew and general decay to the biodegradable wood and combustible construction materials, typically used here in the States. Leaving an open hole in EIFS is never a good idea               Years of dealing with what seemed to be an odd issue at first, became nothing short of a real battle. With several trips back to homes, repairing small holes, often times high up on the side of a home, presenting tedious EIFS patching situations throughout what were in many cases, new walls! We have our own methods of dealing with these birds. Our methods do not harm the birds, rather scare them, and keep them from coming back. With a few small installations, we will have your home bird free, hole free forever. We have seen many ideas online over the years, always ending in failure. But our customers know very well, and are setting back with real piece of mind, bird and hole free.   (Certainly not speaking of Dryvit's Owls) Standing behind our work for a full decade, created real sustainable problems in dealing with these birds, and their substantial contribution to our work load, and obvious needed repetitive mobilizations to both honor our claims, and retain our reputation. Pouring many hours of onsite research and development, we discovered real quick back then, most methods of stopping these birds were pure Bologna. It takes keen observation and charting, followed by very specific placement and delivery, rendering absolute elimination, leaving birds in the trees unharmed, and walls looking as good as the day we finished them. Our methods include no pesticides, electric, moving parts, unslightly additions, Owls, dummies or any of the other endless contributions aimed at stopping this problem.