Fiber mesh reinforced shear wall
Frame wall constructions are strengthened against lateral forces. A fiber mesh is applied to one side of the stick members as the wall is constructed. A rigid polymer foam is applied between the stick members. It encapsulates the fiber mesh and upon curing adheres to the stick members. No rigid sheathing material such as oriented strand board is needed to produce a frame wall construction having excellent racking strength resistance. The rigid polymeric foam also insulates and seals the structure.
1. A frame wall structure consisting essentially of:
a) a frame comprising multiple, spaced-apart, substantially parallel stick members affixed at their ends to headers, the stick members and headers each being nominal two inch-by-four inch, two inch-by-six inch, two inch-by-eight inch, two inch-by-ten inch or two inch-by-twelve inch wood, aluminum or steel members, the stick members and headers defining first and second side of the frame and wall spaces between the stick members, the wall spaces having a depth defined by the width of the stick members from said first side to said second side of the frame;
b) a fiber mesh positioned against a first side of the frame and covering the wall spaces between the stick members;
c) a rigid polymeric foam adhered to the stick members and at least partially filling the wall spaces between the stick members, the rigid polymeric foam extending out of said first side of the frame and encapsulating the fiber mesh; and
d) a rigid backing on the first side of the frame outside of and spaced apart from the fiber mesh by a distance of 1.5 to 12 millimeters, said rigid backing defining an outer surface of the rigid polymeric foam.
2. The frame wall structure of claim 1 , wherein the fiber mesh is a mesh of wires or fibers having diameters from 0.254 to 1.27 mm and has an open area of 25 to 80%.
3. The frame wall structure of claim 2 , wherein the main direction of the wires or fibers of the mesh is oriented at an angle of 30 to 60 degrees from the stick members.
4. The frame wall structure of claim 2 , wherein the stick members have a width of 89 to 184 mm.
5. The frame wall structure of claim 2 wherein the rigid polymeric foam has a glass transition temperature of at least 60° C.
6. The frame wall construction of claim 2 wherein the rigid polymeric foam has a thickness of 51 to 153 mm.
7. The frame wall construction of claim 2 wherein the rigid polymeric foam has a density of 24 to 80 kg/m 3 .
8. The frame wall construction of claim 2 wherein the rigid polymer foam is a polyurethane foam.
9. The frame wall construction of claim 2 , which lacks an oriented strand board, plywood or particle board sheathing layer on said first side of the frame.
10. The frame wall construction of claim 1 , wherein the rigid backing is a rigid polymeric insulating foam.
11. A frame wall structure comprising:
a) a frame comprising multiple, spaced-apart, substantially parallel stick members affixed at their ends to headers, the stick members and headers each being nominal two inch-by-four inch, two inch-by-six inch, two inch-by-eight inch, two inch-by-ten inch or two inch-by-twelve inch wood, aluminum or steel members, the stick members and headers defining first and second side of the frame and wall spaces between the stick members, the wall spaces having a depth defined by the width of the stick members from said first side to said second side of the frame;
b) a fiber mesh positioned against a first side of the frame and covering the wall spaces between the stick members;
c) a rigid polymeric foam adhered to the stick members and at least partially filling the wall spaces between the stick members, the rigid polymeric foam extending out of said first side of the frame and encapsulating the fiber mesh; and
d) a rigid backing comprising a rigid polymeric insulating foam on the first side of the frame outside of and spaced apart from the fiber mesh by a distance of 1.5 to 12 millimeters, said rigid backing defining an outer surface of the rigid polymeric foam c).