This invention relates to exterior sheathing panels useful in building construction.
To provide adequate resistance to lateral forces, such as seismic and wind forces, all buildings typically must have bracing attached to the framework of the exterior walls. The materials and labor required to install such bracing adds to the expense of construction. Bracing is generally provided by the application of one or a combination of the following materials to the exterior building walls: metal, wood, plywood, or other reconstituted wood based panels located at the corners and spaced apart at certain distances along the walls. Alternatively, panels made from wood, laminated paperboard or gypsum wallboard are placed about the entire perimeter of the building for reinforcing purposes.
Insulating panels are also commonly placed on the exterior framework of a building. Such panels, which are used to retard heat transfer through the exterior walls, are commonly made of polystyrene, polyurethane, or phenolic foams or glass fiber materials. Sheets of metal foil, used to prevent foam aging, are adhered to the planar surfaces of panels made from such materials. Insulating panels known to the inventor do not have sufficient shear strength and fracture toughness to significantly brace the framework of a building. Therefore, additional exterior wall bracing is used with these insulating panels.
An additional problem associated with available insulative sheathing products is the propensity for such products to puncture or break during either transportation or construction. In light-frame housing construction, workers frequently attach the sheathing to the studs before placing the wall in an upright position. Workers often walk on top of the panels in order to attach the panels to the studs. Walking on known insulating panels can cause them to rupture.
A recurring problem associated with available sheathing is the temperature related expansion and contraction of the panels which causes the panels to retract from the supporting nails. Once a panel retracts, a pathway is created for the infiltration of air and moisture, which reduces the overall thermal performance of the panels.
Therefore, a need exists for improved insulating sheathing panels directed toward overcoming these and additional problems of the prior art.