Cladding is an exterior siding of a building. It can be stone, brick, steel, vinyl, or an Exterior Insulating Finishing System (EIFS). And it’s definitely pronounced “EEFS”, not “EEFUS”. According to Mark, the best cladding that will give the least potential for failure depends totally on how it’s installed; and there are specific instructions for each type of material. However, water problems are caused by simple details that are overlooked during installation.

Reuben asks for advice on how to deal with houses which lack a water resistive barrier behind the siding. Bill asks about the quality of cladding materials for a house during particular decades. Tessa asks about recommended materials for house cladding and the common mistakes by builders today. They also talk about weather-resistant barriers, sealant joints, and stains.

Mark discusses the responsibilities of building contractors. He also shares his experiences in consulting, attending to contractor building fails, and construction litigation.

Reach Mark Parlee through thebuildingconsultant.com.