What is a Rainscreen?
rainscreen cross-section drawingThe components of a Rainscreen system must be designed to control and manage the elements of nature that act upon a wall assembly
(Click image to enlarge)
Rainscreens are time tested wall systems that have been in use for over a century. The rainscreen design is generally defined by the separation of cladding from a structural wall in an effort to manage moisture and energy transfer through a wall assembly.
Advances in technology over the past few decades have optimized the design from a simple two stage weather-tightening system to the inclusion of a ventilated airspace and high-performance products that make up the entire assembly.
A rainscreen typically consists of the following components:
Exterior cladding (with or without open joints)
Ventilation and drainage cavity
Insulation
Air barrier
Structure of building