Polystyrene vs blueboard

[kyeko]

Hi guys
New addition to the site
I was wondering if any body could give me advice on a renovation I am going to do on my house. I was tossing up whether to use blueboard or polystyrene foam on the exterior.
cheers

[memphis]

I just finished doing my place with blueboard, the renderer's did a fantastic job finishing it and if you could pick it isnt brick, you deserve a coke.

Can post some pics later if you like.

[kyeko]

I was thinking about the insulation benefits of the foam. However the blueboard may be easier to render as well as being cheaper. Has anybody experienced a renovation with polystyrene?

[memphis]

Ive attached a couple of photos of my rendered blueboard.

I think costs to render would be around the same, installation might be more expensive for foam. I just dont know if i would want to have foam walls :/

[Dirty Doogie]

Kyeko , the foam needs a very solid base - meaning brick block or concrete. there was a system a while ago where foam over mesh was applied directly to stud work - unfortuneately this system cracks likes crazy.

[ausdesign]

Have a look at www.masterwall.com.au

[Dirty Doogie]

HMM - that looks like the stuff I was referring to. Different company though - similiar system. My sister had an upper storey extension to her house in Brisbane finished in foam panels on a stud frame. This was back in the the mid 1990's. Within 2 years Corners cracked - mitre like cracks opened up around windows and the stuff actually fell off around a set of external doors. Complete disaster and the company that installed it went out of business.

A building certifier reported that there wasnt enough bracing ply in the structure to stop framework flexing - even though the bracing was adequate for a sheet or hardiplank type lining.

Let us hope they have worked out the bugs by now.

[kyeko]

Thanks for all the replies
It looks like blueboard might be the go.
The polystyrene system that I have seen was attached by screws that
had a large washer helping to hold the foam.

[rod1949]

Kyeko,

I have built my own steelframed house. All of the external cladding is styrene foam 75mm thick (Rmax Exinflex). I stuck ceramic tiles for the first metre high around the perimeter of the house and used acrilic render there up on the walls. It has been up for over 12mths now. To date there has been no problems.

Given what has been said above maybe the workmanship was shoddy hence the builder ain't no more.

[totoblue]

I remember seeing an apartment building in Sydney's eastern suburbs on the TV news. It was made of rendered foam and was being picked to pieces by cockatoos.

This mob http://www.qt-sys.com.au/index.php/products/ecoseries
have a cladding made of a blend of cement and recycled polystyrene. I have no personal knowledge of them though - they are linked to from Storybook Cottages (a kit home supplier).

If you go with any system, make sure it has been around for a while. If the product is no good, it won't last. You also want to check it has been used in your area and preferably get it installed by people who specialize in it.