To prevent the degradation of exterior
foundation insulation from backhoes,
ultraviolet radiation, and kids'
bikes, rigid foam should be covered
above grade.
Two products, Polyskirt (Plymouth
Foam Products) and Retro-Tek (Retro
Technologies), provide alternatives to
real stucco or pressure-treated plywood.
Polyskirt is a rigid foam insulation
panel covered with a plastic laminate.
The plastic – polyolefin – can be cut
with a utility knife and reportedly
expands less than vinyl Based on a
sample we saw, the panels seem strong
enough to withstand a modest bump
from a lawnmower but a fast baseball
would probably break the surface. In
freezing temperatures, it seems even
more brittle. Joints between panels are
covered by a plastic I-channel (a
noticeable improvement to T-moldings
used with