The Importance of
Rainscreen Technology
What is a rainscreen? A rainscreen is a pressure-equalized airspace
between the structural envelope and the exterior cladding that
promotes drainage of moisture from the wall system. Rainscreens
were designed to allow the moisture to "drain not remain". The air
pressure difference across the exterior cladding is a significant force
causing the infiltration of air and water on windward facades.
The equalization of this pressure neutralizes the forces that draw
water into the assembly.
Manufactured at our Geotextile facility, we recently re-designed
Mortairvent
®
to be manufactured from 40% recycled content
qualifying it for LEED credits. We have also increased the
compression strength of Mortairvent
®
allowing for better ventilation
and drainage compared to others on the market.
Mortairvent
®
Installation Instructions
1. Install sidewall-sheathing material over the studs.
2. Apply a WRB (water resistive barrier) over the sheathing.
Some building codes require two layers of WRB.
3. Install Mortairvent
®
after the windows and doors are
properly installed and flashed.
4. Wrap the Mortairvent
®
by unrolling the product left to
right and fasten with corrosion-resistant fasteners.
Start at the base of the wall and work your way up.
5. Overlap each roll shingle style with the fabric side facing
out. Make sure the 4" fabric flap is on the bottom of each
roll so it can overlap the preceding roll shingle style.
Do not overlap the rolls. Butt new rolls together
when necessary.
6. Attach metal lath per the recommendation
of the lath manufacturer over the
Mortairvent
®
product.
7. Apply scratch coat.
When installing Mortairvent
®
at corner
locations, either cut the Mortairvent
®
at the
corner, or butt up against corner trim boards.
Note: The air space in a rainscreen system
needs to be a minimum of 3mm to provide the
necessary capillary break. Anything less than
3-millimeters allows trapped moisture the ability
to bridge the airspace. Advanced Building Products
manufactures Mortairvent
®
in both a 6mm or
10mm thickness to assure proper drainage for
all applications.
PRoduCT SPeCIFICaTIonS
6MM (uS) 10MM (Canada)
ASTM
Avg. Min Max
Avg. Min Max
Core Weight (oz/sqy)
D-5261
7.0
6.6
NA
10.0
9.5
NA
Core Width (in)
D-3775
39.4
39.0
NA
39.4
39.0
NA
Fabric Weight (gr/sqm)
D-5261
50
-
-
50
-
-
Fabric Overlap (in)
4
3
-
4
3
-
Fabric Tensile MD (lbs/in)
D-6818
37
-
-
37
-
-
Fabric Tensile XMD (lbs/in)
D-6818
31
-
-
31
-
-
Fabric Thickness
D-6525
0.02
0.02
Composite Thickness (in)
D-6525
0.27 0.26 .28
043
0.40
.47
Roll Length (ft)
NA
61.5 -
NA
40.3 -
Roll Area (sqf)
NA
200
-
NA
130
-
Compression Strength
To be established
To be established
Free Volume(%) Calculated -
96
-
96
Core Thickness (in) Calculated
.25
.41
Available to meet Canadian 10mm Rainscreen code requirements.
Moisture Barrier
Mortairvent
(Two-Ply)
Lath
Manufactured
Stone
Cop-R-Shield
Flashing
Plywood
Sheathing
Window
Flashing
www.advancedflashing.com
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