Drainage and ventilation mat for building exterior wall, roof and basement assemblies
View Patent ↗A drainage and ventilation mat for use in building exterior walls, roofs and basement assemblies that addresses all three of the following major concerns: drainage, cross ventilation/air flow, and compressive strength. The drainage and ventilation mat includes two layers of parallel, square strands that are overlaid at angles to create a diamond-shaped netting of two layers which provides an air space for horizontal and vertical air movement and protects the drainage plane behind it. The mat features a high compressive strength that creates an air space that can withstand extreme construction and environmental forces. The netting is configured with or without a scrim to accommodate a variety of exterior wall, roof and basement assemblies drainage and ventilation needs.
1. A drainage and ventilation mat for use in building construction, the mat adapted to be placed in a space between a building substrate and a building outer layer of material, comprising least two layers of parallel strands that are overlaid at an angle relative to each other and coupled to define a netting arrangement which provides moisture drainage and air movement, the netting arrangement being resistant to compression by the building substrate and the building outer layer, wherein each strand has a square cross-sectional geometry, and wherein the at least two layers of parallel strands are arranged so that they form parallelogram shaped apertures, the apertures each having one vertex oriented vertically downwardly, the mat netting arrangement being disposed between a building substrate and a B building outer layer, whereby when moisture accumulates in the space between the building substrate and the outer layer, the mat netting arrangement is configured to drain the moisture downwardly towards the downwardly oriented vertices of the apertures.
2. The drainage and ventilation mat of claim 1 , wherein the building substrate is a substantially vertical wall sheathing, and wherein the building outer layer is selected from the group of materials consisting of underlayment, siding, block, brick, stone, lath, stucco, shingles, tiles, and panels.
3. The drainage and ventilation mat of claim 1 , wherein the building substrate is a substantially non-horizontal roof sheathing which slants downwardly at an angle, and wherein the building outer layer is selected from the group of materials consisting of underlayment, shingles, tiles, and panels.
4. The drainage and ventilation mat of claim 1 wherein the at least two layers of parallel strands are arranged so that they form diamond-shaped apertures.
5. The drainage and ventilation mat of claim 4 , wherein the diamond shaped apertures have two acute angles.
6. The drainage and ventilation mat of claim 1 , wherein the at least two layers of parallel strands are extruded plastic netting.
7. The drainage and ventilation mat of claim 1 , wherein the at least two layers are thermally bonded to each other.
8. The drainage and ventilation mat of claim 6 , wherein the plastic netting is constructed of high density polyethylene (HDPE).
9. The drainage and ventilation mat of claim 8 , wherein the plastic netting remains flexible to −40 degrees Fahrenheit.
10. The drainage and ventilation mat of claim 1 wherein the netting has a thickness between 0.1875 in. and 0.25 in.
11. The drainage and ventilation mat of claim 1 , wherein the netting arrangement has a compressive strength such that it will maintain an airspace intact when compressed between the building substrate and the building outer layer.
12. The drainage and ventilation mat of claim 1 , further comprising a scrim layer disposed on one side of the mat disposed towards the interior of the building.
13. The drainage and ventilation mat of claim 12 , wherein the scrim layer is constructed of a fabric material.
14. The drainage and ventilation mat of claim 12 , further comprising a weather resistive barrier (WRB) disposed on the opposite side of the mat disposed towards the exterior of the building.
15. A drainage and ventilation mat for use in building construction, the mat adapted to be placed in a space between a building substrate and a building outer layer of material, comprising
a. a first layer of stranded material, the first layer of stranded material having a plurality of strands disposed a predetermined distance apart and parallel to each other;
b. a second layer of stranded material, the second layer of stranded material having a plurality of strands disposed a predetermined distance apart and parallel to each other, the second layer of stranded material being overlaid on and bonded to the first layer of stranded material so that the stands are angled and form at least one vertex oriented vertically downwardly, and whereby the first and second layers define a netting arrangement with parallelogram shaped apertures including the downwardly oriented vertex, the netting arrangement being disposed between a building substrate and a building outer layer;
c. the first and second layers of stranded material each having a square cross-sectional geometry;
d. at least one scrim layer disposed on and parallel to the first and second layers of stranded material; and
e. whereby the mat provides moisture drainage towards the downwardly oriented vertices and air movement between the building substrate and the building outer layer, the netting arrangement being resistant to compression by the building substrate and the building outer layer to form and maintain an airspace between the building substrate and the building outer layer.
16. A drainage and ventilation mat for use in building construction, the mat adapted to be placed in a space between a building substrate and a building outer layer of material, comprising
a. a first layer of extruded high density polyethylene plastic stranded material, the first layer of stranded material having a plurality of strands disposed a predetermined distance apart and parallel to each other, each strand having a square crossection;
b. a second layer of extruded plastic stranded material, the second layer of stranded material having a plurality of strands, each having a square crossection and disposed a predetermined distance apart and parallel to each other, the second layer of stranded material being overlaid on and thermally bonded to the first layer of stranded material so that the stands are angled and form at least one vertex oriented vertically downwardly, and whereby the first and second layers define a netting arrangement with diamond shaped apertures, including the downwardly oriented vertex, the netting arrangement being disposed between a building substrate and a building outer layer, wherein the netting has a thickness of between 0.1875 and 0.25 inches, and wherein the square cross-sectional geometry of the strands in the netting arrangement provide a compressive strength such that the netting arrangement will maintain an airspace intact when compressed between the building substrate and the building outer layer;
c. at least one scrim layer constructed of a fabric material, disposed on one side of the mat, parallel to the first and second layers of stranded material;
d. at least one weather resistive barrier (WRB) disposed on the opposite side of the mat, and disposed towards the exterior of the building; and
e. whereby the mat provides moisture drainage towards the downwardly oriented vertices and air movement between the building substrate and the building outer layer, the netting arrangement being resistant to compression by the building substrate and the building outer layer.