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I having a new house built, and the basement exterior walls (and slab) will be insulated with 2" foam board. About 24" of the board will be exposed when the final grading is done. I need to protect the foam from weedeater nicks and such so I need to cover it. This will also keep me from having to look at the blue or pink color of the insulation.
I think stucco would work. I contacted the Quik-Krete company and they have a one coat stucco mix available in 80 lb bags. They said I'll need to apply a wire mesh, like chicken wire to the foam and then apply the mixed stucco.
I'm not sure how to attach the wire mesh to the foam...I figure I can staple it to the frame of the house at the top - but I figure I need something at the bottom so I can pull it tight and tack it down there also...
First thoughts were to perhaps set a pressure treated 2x4 or similar in a trench dug just below the grade and use that as an attachment point. Maybe setting the board in cement first would be a good idea.
Any suggestions or comments to my approach or is there anything else I might use to cover the foam? I considered 1/4" exterior plywood as well.
My first thought was Hardi-Plank, but that has to be painted, too.
The stucco wire mesh probably should be bedded in a trench below grade.
I think I would leave a trench, set the mesh, then put a 2-3 inch base of cement to hold it down and protect it form additional moisture before applying the stucco. Be sure to install expansion joints every 6-8 feet.
I would look into cutting the foam the size of the 2x4, top and bottom. Sealing the concrete, and attaching the treated 2x4 directly to the concrete with ancchors. Then stretching the mesh across the 2x4's and applying the stucco and sealing
with a approved paint.
You would want the bottom 2x4 below grade. I would let the mesh extend below the 2x4 so that you could bend the wire back to the foam.
They make a product that looks like stucco that apply's directly to foam, but it is the white raw foam, with out a protective coating, and I dont know if it would stick to the protective coating that you probaly have. They use it all the time in commercial construction around here, in Texas.
