Spray Applied Building Wrap Coating with Textured Surface for Moisture Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current building wraps, both sheet and spray applied, face issues such as tears, seam separation, and fastener penetration, which compromise their waterproofing and air barrier performance, and lack moisture drainage channels to prevent fungi and mold growth.
Innovation Solution
A spray applied elastomeric building construction coating material forms a textured waterproofing, water vapor permeable, air barrier coating layer with passages for water drainage and air flow, applied to the sheathing layer and overlaid with an exterior cladding, using additives to create a wrinkled or particulate textured surface for enhanced moisture management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sheet building wraps are used to provide waterproofing and air barrier, then moisture protection is improved, but the wraps become vulnerable to tears, seam separation, and fastener penetration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of the building wrap from a pre-formed sheet to a spray-applied liquid coating that cures in place. This parameter change eliminates the mechanical weaknesses of sheets (tears, seams, fastener holes) while maintaining the waterproofing function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical sheet installation system (requiring stapling, taping, and seam sealing) with a chemical curing system where liquid coating material hardens into a continuous membrane, eliminating mechanical fasteners and seams entirely.
2Reliability
If conventional building wraps are used to block moisture, then water intrusion is reduced, but moisture can still accumulate and promote fungi and mold growth
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates hydrophilic filler particles that create capillary channels within the coating matrix, allowing the material to be water-repellent at the surface while permitting moisture vapor transmission and drainage internally, preventing condensation and mold growth.
Solution Approach 2:
The hydrophilic filler particles act as intermediaries that attract and channel moisture away from the sheathing while allowing vapor transmission, mediating between the waterproofing requirement and the moisture management requirement to prevent mold.
3Reliability
If spray applied building wraps are used to eliminate seams and fasteners, then air barrier performance is improved, but the wraps lack moisture drainage channels
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a porous structure with capillary channels through the incorporation of hydrophilic filler particles, enabling the spray-applied membrane to provide both air barrier continuity and internal moisture drainage pathways simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the building wrap coating perform multiple functions simultaneously: air barrier, water repellent, vapor permeable, and moisture drainage, eliminating the need for separate drainage components while maintaining all required functions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The textured surface prevents water pooling, facilitates air wash, minimizes moisture condensation, and enhances evaporation, thereby reducing the risk of fungi and mold growth while maintaining effective air and water barrier performance.
Implementation Method 1
the coating material solidify to form a building wrap coating layer
Implementation Method 2
provides passages between the exterior facing surface of the building wrap coating layer and an interior facing surface of an exterior building cladding layer for draining water from between
Implementation Method 3
permitting air flow between the exterior facing surface of the building wrap coating layer and the interior facing surface of the exterior cladding layer
Implementation Method 4
the textured exterior facing surface of the building wrap coating layer prevents or greatly reduces the pooling of water
Implementation Method 5
facilitates air wash, minimizes moisture condensation
Implementation Method 6
enhances evaporation, thereby reducing the risk of fungi and mold growth
Data Source
AI summary
A spray applied building construction coating material forms a waterproofing, water vapor permeable, air barrier, building wrap coating layer between an exterior facing surface of a building sheathing layer and an interior facing surface of an exterior building cladding layer. A building construction assembly is formed by spray coating the exterior surface of the sheathing layer with the coating material or by spray coating gaps in the sheathing layer with the coating material and spray coating the exterior surface of the sheathing layer and previously coated gaps in the sheathing layer with a second coat of the coating material and applying an exterior cladding layer over the coating layer(s). For most applications, the coating material is formulated or includes additives whereby it solidifies on the sheathing to form a coating layer that has an exterior facing, textured surface. This exterior facing, textured surface provides passages between the exterior facing surface of the coating layer and an interior facing surface of the exterior cladding layer for draining water from between and permitting air flow between the exterior facing surface of the coating layer and the interior facing surface of the exterior cladding layer.