NEW BETHLEHEM, P.A. — (September 2017) — BRINC Building Products, Inc. has recently expanded it’s ThermalBuck product offerings to include additional sizes up to 4.0″, to meet the needs of architects and builders constructing walls with greater depths of continuous insulation.
With the rapid adoption of advanced energy codes across the U.S., and the increasing demand by consumers for energy-efficient homes, the market for exterior insulation and higher R-value wall assemblies is growing exponentially.
ThermalBuck Continuous Insulation
“Builders have been so receptive to ThermalBuck because it’s such a simple, effective solution to the challenges of installing windows with foam,” said BRINC President, John Brooks. “But we kept hearing from customers in the net-zero and passive house markets who wanted to use ThermalBuck, yet are building walls with above-code exterior insulation and needed more sizes.” High-performance builders generally utilize a combination of interior and exterior insulation to achieve the desired R-value of the wall assembly.
ThermalBuck is a proven solution for builders trying to solve the challenges associated with installing nail flange windows with continuous insulation. It extends and insulates the mounting points of windows & doors to create a flush plane for cladding.
The unique “L” shape goes inside the rough opening, and extends outward to match the continuous insulation and/or rainscreen depth. It supports the window and allows structural attachment, transferring shear and wind loads to the framing. Made of a high-density EPS with a waterproof coating, ThermalBuck comes in 8′ lengths and is cut to fit on site. ThermalBuck also acts as an additional air & water barrier at the rough opening, simplifying flashing with exterior insulation.
“Expanding our product line up to 4″ to accommodate wall assemblies with thicker insulation allows us to better serve high-performance builders.”
-John Brooks, President, BRINC
ThermalBuck R-Value Range 4.4 – 17.6
ThermalBuck originally launched in the fall of 2015 with depths of 1.0 ”, 1.5”, 2.0”, and 2.5”. The additional sizes, 3.0”, 3.5”, and 4.0”, allow more architects and builders to incorporate ThermalBuck into their plans for high-performance wall assemblies. To view detailed drawings of each of the seven sizes of ThermalBuck, see product dimensions.
“Our customers appreciate the additional opportunity to increase the R-value of their wall assemblies by adding up to 17.6 (R-value) around rough openings”, Brooks continued. “Utilizing ThermalBuck has significant impact on the energy-efficiency of the entire building envelope, reducing the thermal transfer through rough openings by 2:1 over traditional wood bucks.”
To learn more about energy-code adoption by state, visit the Building Codes Assistance Project. To read more about continuous exterior insulation, see what the experts at JLC online recommend as best practices. For great advice on choosing the right wall assembly, visit greenbuildingadvisor.com.
