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Plastic Studs Great For Finishing Concrete Walls
Instead of wood, consider using plastic studs the next time you have to finish off a concrete wall, whether it's a basement, warehouse or milk house. Made of 100 percent recycled plastic, the EcoStud doesn't rot, rust, support mold or mildew growth ù and termites don't like it.
Plastic studs are also better tha
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Plastic Studs Great For Finishing Concrete Walls BUILDINGS Miscellaneous 34-2-16 Instead of wood, consider using plastic studs the next time you have to finish off a concrete wall, whether it's a basement, warehouse or milk house. Made of 100 percent recycled plastic, the EcoStud doesn't rot, rust, support mold or mildew growth ù and termites don't like it.
Plastic studs are also better than steel studs, says Erik Kiilunen, president of Superior Polymer. Steel studs create cold spots where water vapor condenses. "Plastic resists the transfer of thermal energy, eliminating the cold spots. It's an insulator versus a conductor," Kiilunen says.
The studs have the same dimensions as wooden or steel studs, but have a wall thickness of .090 in., so more insulation can be placed between them. The studs speed up wall installation and they can be cut with saws or snips. No top and bottom plates are needed, there is a predrilled nailing flange, and each stud has 2-in. holes 18 in. from the top and bottom for plumbing and wiring.
Because they weigh about half as much as wood, they're much easier to handle. The space between the studs can be filled with all types of insulation. Kiilunen, who also does spray foam insulation, has developed a simple technique to use spray foam on the plastic studs.
"It's a nice way to finish out a milk house," he says, since the walls can be powerwashed without concerns of rotting or mold.
Architects are incorporating the newly patented EcoStud and Eco Z (based on a popular steel Z-furring system that holds foamboard insulation) into their specifications.
Expect to pay more for EcoStuds up front, but Kiilunen says installed cost of the system is less because they install with substantially less labor, and since they are made of plastic they outlast wood and steel as long as they aren't exposed to UV rays.
EcoStuds and Eco Z comes in 8, 10 and 12-ft. lengths and thicknesses from 1 to 3 1/2 in. They are made in the U.S. and sold through the company website.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Erik Kiilunen, 25280 Renaissance Rd., Calumet, Mich. 49913 (ph 877 586-5543; www.superiorpolymer.com ).
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