Why StoThermŽ Insulated Wall Claddings (EIFS)?

StoTherm insulated wall claddings give you the freedom of design that no other cladding material can offer. Your possibilities in colors, details, form and texture are endless. StoTherm systems also provide your building with a protective blanket of continuous insulation, and enable excellent strength-to-weight ratios. So your building will not only be beautiful, but well-insulated, cost-effective and lasting.
Why StoTherm? The question should be, “Why choose anything else?”

StoTherm Insulated Wall Claddings Provide Energy Efficiency and Comfort
Superior Value in a Superior Wall Cladding
A proven choice for all climates and substrates, StoTherm Insulated Wall Claddings are advanced wall cladding assemblies engineered for performance, design freedom, and durability. Whatever your project, Sto provides the best value in a wall cladding–integrated Wall Claddings of unequaled aesthetic and technological elegance that are user friendly to install and cost-effective.

Reduced Air Infiltration and Heat Loss
Continuous exterior insulation provides significant
energy savings and superior interior climate control
and comfort.
    • Exterior air and moisture infiltration at foundation and wall joints, wall outlets and vents is reduced by as much as 55%, compared to typical construction.
    • Heat loss through the walls, which accounts for up to 40% of heat loss in non-EIFS construction, is greatly reduced.

A Dew Point Located Outside the Wall Assembly
The dew point is the temperature, at a given relative humidity, where water vapor condenses. As the diagrams show, a StoTherm Insulated Wall Cladding moves the dew point outside the wall, greatly reducing the possibility of moisture condensing and possibly freezing inside the wall and causing damage.

Superior Insulation
StoTherm Insulated Wall Claddings offer better insulation and higher R-values because rigid expanded polystyrene (EPS) boards are attached adhesively as a continuous blanket around the exterior of the structure, eliminating the many thermal breaks characteristic of between-the-stud insulation and claddings attached with nails and screws. A broad range of R-values can be attained by using EPS in varying thickness from 3/4”to 4” (19-102 mm).

More Efficient Control of Temperature Differentials That Can Cause Thermal Shock
Thermal shock is the sudden and potentially damaging expansion or contraction of wall surfaces in response to extreme changes in temperature. When a building is enveloped with a StoTherm Insulated Wall Cladding, the most dramatic temperature changes take place in the exterior insulation blanket and the EIFS wall assembly remains flexible enough to expand and contract, protecting the building’s structure from damage and keeping inside wall temperatures more constant and comfortable.

Low Maintenance and Long-Term Durability
Sto’s coatings and finishes, with their advanced 100% acrylic and silicone chemistry, look new longer. They resist fading, peeling, cracking, dirt pick-up, mildew, mold and other biological growth. They are easily cleaned by low pressure power washing with water and a mild detergent to extend the lifecycle to recoating. If a new look is desired, recoating a Sto Wall Cladding is simple and cost-effective. Structures clad with StoTherm can be easily inspected and maintained on a regular basis to insure long-lasting beauty and integrity.

Economic Installed Cost
The installation of StoTherm Wall Claddings translates into savings in production time and labor.
  • Production is easily sequenced for efficiency.
  • The availability of Sto’s fast-setting 1/2 Time products can enhance the quality and speed of installation in cold or damp weather and climates.
  • The low installed costs and durability of Sto Systems reduce the lifecycle cost of the wall cladding.
  • StoMachine Technology offers faster installation times and dramatic cost savings for projects large or small.

Design Freedom and Versatility
StoTherm Insulated Wall Claddings provide freedom of design well beyond what other claddings can offer. Form, details, color and texture offer the architect endless possibilities.
Features such as curves, quoins, arches, reveals, accent bands and sculptured details are easy and economical to fabricate and install. This flexibility enables the architect to work within a wide range of architectural styles as well as to realize his or her unique creative vision.
Finishes featuring pure white marble aggregate, 100% acrylic polymers, a variety of textures and integral colors enhance the design and harmonize with the surrounding environment. Sto Claddings offer virtually unlimited color choice at no additional cost.

Outstanding Protection Against the Elements and Water Intrusion
The seamless wall surface of Sto Claddings is water vapor permeable but repels rain or external moisture.
  • Fewer transitions and penetrations than other claddings offer fewer points of entry for outside moisture. (No mortar joints, no penetrating nails or screws, no siding lap.)
  • Vapor-permeable, 100% acrylic and silicone enhanced StoTherm finishes allow incidental moisture to escape while repelling rain and weather.
  • StoTherm™ NExT goes beyond EIFS to create a system with the benefits of StoTherm plus StoGuard™, the best waterproofing/air barrier for added protection.
  • StoTherm EIFS meet or exceed water penetration standards required by U.S. and Canadian model building codes (BOCA, SBCCI, ICBO, ICC, and, in Canada, CCMC).

Reduced Structural Requirements
A StoTherm Insulated Wall Cladding adds very little weight to the structure in comparison to other wall claddings, which results in cost savings when sizing structural beams, girders and foundation footings, particularly as the height of the structure increases. StoTherm also requires less stringent design deflection (L/240) criteria than most other claddings, enabling the use of lighter weight studs. The reduced size of structural members can also allow for increased floor-to-ceiling heights and more interior floor space.