No doubt some of you have been involved with field problems involving leaky EIFS wall assemblies. Please note that I said EIFS wall assemblies, not the EIFS itself. Although the “EIFS” is often blamed as the cause of the leaks, usually it is something at the edge of the EIFS that is actually leaking, like windows, flashings, etc. However, it is possible for an EIFS itself to leak. The often cited reason for the EIFS leaking is the thickness of the basecoat. This article explores how to measure the thicknesses of basecoats so that you can address this claim, if it arises.
There is no doubt that the quality and thickness of an EIFS basecoat affects its waterproofing qualities. A porous basecoat, or one that is super thin, is more likely to let water through it than one that is beefier. However, when the “basecoat thickness” issue rears its head, you need to determine what that thickness is and whether or not it is the source of the problem.