Channelized rainscreen framework for construction of cementitious exterior walls

Abstract

A channelized rainscreen framework for making a stucco wall by attaching a back side of the channelized rainscreen framework to a front side of a sheathing of a building and applying mortar to a front side of the channelized rainscreen framework. The channelized rainscreen framework comprising a lath sheet and a channel sheet, the channel sheet having a channel sheet front and a channel sheet back, the channel sheet front coupled to the lath sheet, the channel sheet having alternating troughs and peaks, the troughs and peaks running a length of the channel sheet, the peaks forward of the troughs, the channel sheet defining a plurality of channels behind the peaks. The channel sheet has a plurality of holes sized to allow enough mortar to penetrate through the channel sheet to embed it in the mortar, but not to fill the channels.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An article of manufacture comprising;
 a lath sheet;   a channel sheet with a channel sheet front and a channel sheet back, the channel sheet front coupled to the lath sheet, the channel sheet having alternating troughs and peaks, the troughs and peaks running a length of the channel sheet, the peaks forward of the troughs, the channel sheet defining a plurality of channels behind the peaks; and   wherein the channel sheet has a plurality of holes having a typical size sufficiently small enough that when mortar is applied to the channel sheet front under typical installation pressure, the mortar will not protrude through the channel sheet enough to block the channels.   
     
     
         2 . The article of manufacture of  claim 1 ,
 wherein any point on the lath has a channel sheet depth that is a shortest distance between that point and the channel sheet; and   wherein the article of manufacture has a design fraction that is a fraction of points on the lath that have a channel sheet depth that is at least a design channel sheet depth.   
     
     
         3 . The article of manufacture of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the design channel sheet depth is based on a building code requirement for a depth to which lath must be embedded in mortar; and   wherein the design fraction is based on a building code requirement for an amount of lath that must be embedded in mortar.   
     
     
         4 . The article of manufacture of  claim 3 ,
 wherein the design channel sheet depth is 0.25 inches and the design fraction is 50%.   
     
     
         5 . The article of manufacture of  claim 1 ,
 mortar substantially covering the lath and substantially filling a space between the lath and the channel sheet.   
     
     
         6 . The article of manufacture of  claim 5 ,
 wherein the mortar protrudes slightly beyond the channel sheet creating mortar protrusions into the channels.   
     
     
         7 . The article of manufacture of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 wherein the channel sheet has a trapezoidal profile.   
     
     
         8 . The article of manufacture of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the channel sheet has a sinusoidal profile.   
     
     
         9 . The article of manufacture of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the channel sheet comprising entangled filaments.   
     
     
         10 . The article of manufacture of  claim 9 ,
 wherein the channel sheet weighs at least 5 ounces per square yard and n than 15 ounces per square yard.   
     
     
         11 . The article of manufacture of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the holes in the channel sheet adjacent the channels have a larger average size than in other portions of the channel sheet.   
     
     
         12 . An exterior wall assembly comprising;
 a sheathing of a building;   a channelized rainscreen framework coupled to a front side of the sheathing, the channelized rainscreen framework comprising a lath sheet and a channel sheet, the channel sheet having a channel sheet front and a channel sheet back, the channel sheet front coupled to the lath sheet, the channel sheet having alternating troughs and peaks, the troughs and peaks running a length of the channel sheet, the peaks forward of the troughs, the channel sheet defining a plurality of channels behind the peaks, wherein the channel sheet has a plurality of holes;   an outer mortar layer in front of the lath sheet; and   an inner mortar layer in a region between the lath sheet and the channel sheet.   
     
     
         13 . The exterior wall assembly of  claim 12 ,
 wherein the plurality of channels run vertically on the building, providing an open passage for water to drain down between the sheathing and the channel sheet.   
     
     
         14 . The exterior wall assembly of  claim 12 ,
 wherein the inner mortar layer has protrusion that pass through the plurality of holes in the channel sheet and into the channel.   
     
     
         15 . The exterior wall assembly of  claim 12 ,
 wherein any point on the lath has a channel sheet depth that is a shortest distance between that point and the channel sheet; and   wherein channelized rainscreen framework has a design fraction that is a fraction of points on the lath that have a channel sheet depth that is at least a design channel sheet depth.   
     
     
         16 . The exterior wall assembly of  claim 15 ,
 wherein exterior wall assembly of  claim 12 , the design channel sheet depth is based on a building code requirement for a depth to which lath must be embedded in mortar; and   wherein the design fraction is based on a building code requirement for an amount of lath that must be embedded in mortar.   
     
     
         17 . A method for making a stucco wall comprising the steps of;
 providing a channelized rainscreen framework comprising a lath sheet and a channel sheet, the channel sheet having a channel sheet front and a channel sheet back, the channel sheet front coupled to the lath sheet, the channel sheet having alternating troughs and peaks, the troughs and peaks running a length of the channel sheet, the peaks forward of the troughs, the channel sheet defining a plurality of channels behind the peaks, wherein the channel sheet has a plurality of holes;   attaching a back side of the channelized rainscreen framework to a front side of a sheathing of a building; and   applying mortar to the a front side of the channelized rainscreen framework.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the step of apply mortar further comprises the steps of:
 filling a space between the lath sheet and channel sheet with mortar; and   covering the lath sheet with mortar.