Can anyone compare DensElement vs.USG’s Exoair. I am trying to decide which one to use and do not see any big differentiators. Are these essentially the same product?
Same church.
Different pew.
Exoair is just pre-applied 230 to USG exterior sheathing. Its saving a step, but ultimately still two separate proven products. Densglass Element is added moisture resistant something inside the sheathing product.
DensElement Barrier System is fully tested and listed as a system ICC-ESR 3786.
USG ExoAir 430 has a PEI report for the product but as Brian stated, it’s two separate products that have been combined in a factory somewhere. No system listing available.
Hi Wayne do you know if the Denselement performs the same as if I bought Desnglass gold and put an AVB on top of it?
Does it perform as advertised pretty much?
Logan,
The end result is the same. The advertised advantage of Denselement is it eliminates the additional step of the air/water control layer required in the field when using DensGlass gold sheathing. In otherwords, labor and material saving.
Joints, terminations, penetrations, expansion control treatment remains the same for both products.
So Wayne if you were me, would you be pretty much be making a decision based on price for these two products (ExoAir and Denselement)?
(Thanks again for our help, this makes a lot of sense
I predict in a few years that integral WRB/gypsum board sheathing will be the “new norm”. I have worked on projects where I did not specify the board but the contractor submitted a substitution request even though those products are much more expensive. The contractor saw the savings in labor and calculated that it was worth the extra expense.
Not a So FL Contractor, they only care about the present.
I have not be specifying that these products be used without contractor involvement. We have had these products come up in substitution requests (we recommend that they be accepted), and during the design phase, an Owner may suggest this upon a contractor’s recommendation.
We are involved on a project where a major drywall sub was assigned the responsibility of installing the exterior sheathing, and the Architect suggested that they look into these types of products (lunch-n-learn presentations do work). The sub’s estimator did not support the use of integral WRB/gypsum sheathing. As near as I could tell from the email thread, they thought that there would be a damage to the water-resistive membrane after installation which would compromise the systems integrity. They did not want to be held responsible for water penetration through the system. By having a separate air and water barrier, the responsibility would fall on that installer.
I was surprised at this approach, but…
Hey David, just wondering how much are contractors saying they are saving?
Georgia Pacific DensElement exterior sheathing boards are about $4 to $5 installed per square foot. DensGlass Gold boards installed are half that price. DensGlass Gold boards with Prosoco Cat 5 weather barrier coating applied over the top are the same price price installed as DensElement boards. The benefit is a 30 percent reduction in labor between DensElement versus DensGlass Gold with Cat 5.
Here is a YouTube video comparison of DensElement installation versus DensGlass Gold / weather barrier installation. The side by side comparison starts at about one minute, if you want to skip ahead.
I received this email (from USG obviously): We would like to thank you for specifying Exoair 430 as an option on your project. You also include Dens Element by Georgia Pacific as an option. Unfortunately the Dens Element does not have a membrane. What they call a membrane is nothing more than densified gypsum dyed blue. Dens Element has done a great job fooling the architectural community with their far from the truth marketing. This product is no more than their standard sheathing Dens Glass Gold, ( we have testing to prove that claim). In fact there are several projects in Texas that has had this product installed and they have to come back and put a traditional fluid applied on it to stop it from leaking. If you typically use a sheathing with a fluid applied air and water barrier, then Dens Element is not the product you need. If you are upgrading your spec from a sheathing and building wrap then Dens Element is the correct product.
Anyone have any thoughts?
Robin, I also have reservations about using DensElement. While the USG/Tremco product has a distinct air barrier membrane, the DensElement does not have a membrane - unless the entire sheathing panel is to be considered a membrane. Get a sample and check it for yourself.
Regarding the email from USG, I find it very unprofessional. If USG has testing that DensElement is inferior, they need to share it. I recommend you ask them for the test results they claim to have and verify that they have been performed by a qualified 3rd party. And can they share reports and testing for the projects in Texas?
I just called to get prices on the Denselement to see what this thing is being priced at, and its close to $1.45/ sq.ft. This seemed somewhat high to me, but the ExoAir 430 was closer to $3 a square foot. Both of these prices are just for the board not including labor or anything else. Does this sound right?? How can these prices be competitive?
Our office has been discussing these systems because a couple of our contractors want to use them – but I might add here that our waterproofing consultants feel that they just barely qualify as air barriers and don’t meet the testing requirements we would typically have. One comment was “well, it might be okay under an EIFS system”. (and we don’t specify EIFS in our office). So, it might be worth having the wall assembly analyzed for air infiltration before you specify the system – it may not get you want you want.
A salesperson from the manufacturer presented us with this document https://denselement.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/DensElement_Testing_Matrix_Digital.pdf The acceptance criteria listed is the same as what we see when we specify liquid WRBs
I would suggest to designers to avoid both products and any similar ones unless either A: there is Owner-approved VE in writing, or B: The manufacturers come forward with some proof (e.g. installer certification) that the installers will do the proper preparation for the joint tape so it actually sticks, and with ExoAir 430 need confidence that their fastener heads will not cause air barrier cracking which has been observed on some projects. I have relayed these concerns to the manufacturers and still have not heard a resolution to these concerns. If using, it would be good to make it an Alternate so you can get installed price comparison.
I spoke with one of our envelope consultants and they like the Exo-Air system because it is essentially an impregnated sheathing board. The DensElement system is a relatively thin coating over a sheathing board that can be easily damaged. In cold or inclement climates, this consultant has typically recommended that the sheathing be pre-coated in the shop in order to assure good adhesion to the board, and they see the ExoAir system as being comparable to that.