Sheetrock As Exterior Wall Sheathing!!??

AtlanticWBConst

OK,

This is driving me crazy.

We do repair work at a 274 unit Luxury apartment complex. This is owned by a realistate Investment firm. This is not a low end complex.

Today, we had to remove and replace a set of mullioned double hung windows. We had to remove the vinyl siding to get to the window flange. I came across the subject that I posted in the title line, in 3 other repairs at different areas on the complex.

The Exterior Sheathing that the vinyl siding and window flanges are nailed through are 5/8" SHEETROCK. I kid you not. All the buildings are built like this. 3 levels high with a basement level added. The Water and ice shield flashing was also there over the flanges. You could clearly see the water stains ALL OVER The surface paper of the GWB.
On top of that was the Tyvec. We could see nailing plates at the header area of the windows, so we are led to believe that these were pre-fab panels... (The Parent company that built these units is not from this area. I do not want to say what state, as it may give it away)

What the Heck is that all about???!!!!
Anyone ever heard of that !? Seen it!? Anyone?
I have done various comm. and rez. framing over 20 years....Never, ever ran across this.

Maybe DaveH has an answer ??

Inputs welcome.....

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Big Dave

Around here they will use an exterior grade sheetrock on the outside of buildings, usually commercial. Was the paper face black? was it only two feet wide?

Dave.

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AtlanticWBConst

Big Dave,

I have used the exterior grade products (SR) on large overhead enclosures, so I know the item you are mentioning.
However, this was not that.
This was your basic, regular, crumbling old 5/8" GWB, large sheets. 4' X whatever they used.

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James Boyd

That's fairly frightening.

mdshunk

Sometimes they require that a building have 5/8 exterior sheetrock when the buildings had permission to be closer together than the normal zoning permits. This keeps a fire in one building from spreading to the other so easily.

I did a bank remodel, and the overhang over the drive through's was sheetrock sheathed on the ceiling and the short parapet walls. The parapet's were stucco'ed over.

Mike Finley

Maybe it was a SIP panel that was pre-rocked and the installation crew put them up wrong side out.

Teetorbilt

Folks up north do some funny stuff. No way that it would meet code here (hurricane country).

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mdshunk

Well, when you consider that it's legal to use Celotex as sheathing with vinyl siding over it, then yeah, we're not very hurricane proof. The only tool you need to break into an 80's vintage ranch home is a pair of running shoes. Rip off a few runs of siding, and kick through the celotex and interior sheetrock. Bam... you're in.

DaveH

I have seen people try using interior sheetrock for exteriors before. I used to see specs for green board before...from architects!!! I did a grocery store in Indiana once where the arch. wanted 1/2" regular drywall on the soffits and popcorn spray over. I argued for weeks about it. He had his "Boys from Kentucky" do it. It was coming off in sheets in months...I have seen it used many times behind failed EIFS before as well.

And by the way, by all means let us know who this mystery manufacturer is. Why hold back now????? FIRE AWAY!!!!

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Bradracer18

We used regular sheetrock on some of the exteriors.....that was in the plan.......but, we were required to put a nail "every 5 inches, on the stud".......Around the corners, we put 4'(both sides)....of some yellow, fiberglass sheetrock in there.....


I think the sheetrock is kinda code.....because its like fire rock or something...I've just installed....don't know the particulars

AtlanticWBConst

First off, I don't want to say the name of the company. You see, they build these complexes, then sell them to an investment firm with the option to keep them on as management. They use our company to do work at several of their complexes.
So, they are the company that signs our checks.

I think the last post has a point about all this.
Must be something to do with firecode. If they are pre-fab, then the walls are already structurally sound. They are completely weather tight.

I know that it must have passed code, because, I was told that the town gave them heck and picked on every little aspect of the development during construction.

Just VERY S-T-R-A-N-G-E.......

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Peladu

The yellow faced drywall is used in my area often on larger townhomes and commercial projects, usually screwed to 16ga metal studs.

ch0mpie

check this out http://www.usg.com/navigate.do?resou..._Sheathing.htm

Big Dave

I've been driving past a commercial job the last couple of days that has the black faced 2' wide sheetrock on the exterior of a metal stud job. It looks tonight like they are setting up to install EIFS.

Dave.

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Do one thing at a time, do it well, then move on.
http://www.bigdaveswoodworks.com

Greg Di

Are you guys talking about DensGlass?

While I wouldn't sheath MY house with it, it is the choice of most commercial architects. Whenever you see a new store or office building up, DensGlass is the yellow sheathing that goes up.

Around here, there was a big development built in the 50's that was billed at the time as "the community of the future". Everyhouse was sheathed with gypsum, yet the insides were metal lath and plastered.

You can punch through the sheathing with your bare hands. Thank God the lath and plaster is there, otherwise...

AtlanticWBConst

No, it's not densglass...

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K2

There were/are parts of the country, (Southwest), with no sheathing requirements. A national chain reastaurant came to this city and got one building approved for this type of construction. They used welded wire mesh with the felt paper attached and shot the stucco on with a gun. I think they still use this system in some parts of the country.

Some of the foil back foam sheathings of the 80's were about like no sheathing at all. We used the 1" foil a couple of times and couldn't keep the siding from waving.

drywall Dan

i did a job here in san jose calif, the exterior soffits and some exterior walls were greenboard, then i thought it was acoustic, looked just like it but no way on exterior walls, so we got the old plans place was built in the 80s, lo and behold keltex , acrilic paint with aggregate , shot it out of my hand hopper matched perfectly painters painted the color of the building over it got great reviews from the city, got paid, and went to the bar...

AtlanticWBConst

..Spoken like a true "Drywaller"

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Double-A

"Got paid, stopped by bank to cash the check, and went to the bar." Now that is a true drywall professional. Never let the ink dry on a check before you cash it.

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