MBC Foundation EPS protection

[Leaway]

Whats the best material for covering the MBC foundation from the local nature / pests? 

Thinking about aluminium or mesh any previous experience?

[Jeremy Harris]

I just used galvanised mesh, buried just below the lower edge with crushed stone infill to the base of the cladding around the house.  Shop around, and the price for expanded mesh varies a lot.  I managed to get some surplus stuff at a good price.  Leave the heavy duty DPM/radon barrier stuff folded over the EPS and place the mesh tight up against it.

[dogman]

Hi

I asked MBC the same question

They recommended expanded mesh and cement render

 

[TerryE]

That can be quite a high maintenance option.  We've got an outer ring beam up to ground level but with an EPS wrapper below GL We're surrounding our house with course crushed gravel and paving out to 45cm apart from some engineering brick boxed planters.

[JIH]

I laid a non woven geo-textile down prior to the insulation and left oversized. I then stuck this up onto the insulation after concrete poured, resulting in all the insulation encased within geo-textile. Before ground level comes up I will clad over the upper portion with a PVC board. BC were happy with this build up.

[Leaway]

How did you fix the mesh to the EPS or was it laid in then the back fill used to keep the mesh in place?

[TerryE]

Galvanised or stainless steel or aluminium alloy wire staples pushed into the ESP would do the job, but in our case the "exposed" EPS is below ground level so we've just used a crushed gravel perimeter which will be topped by a line of paving stones -- the type and details still TBD.