We recently used Reflectit, a relatively new product brought to the market by Dryvit, on an interesting urban project.
Station 22, a Birmingham fire station circa 1930, sat empty for years. Our customer and our team both thought that if the station could be saved, it could provide an interesting link between the current Lakeview entertainment district and the adjacent historic neighborhoods. Working with the National Historic Trust, the fire station was saved and now shares a parking area with a new Walgreen’s.
In this process, we used Reflectit on the Walgreen’s exterior and found it to be the just right fit, a modern look contrasting the traditional stucco of the fire station.
The Reflectit product is a highly durable 100% acrylic EIFS top coat with a pearlescent finish. It can look just like metal panels or stone, and has a sleek appearance at a fraction of the total cost . These are the advantages we have found, looking at the total picture:
- Can be applied over a new or existing Dryvit finish, utilizing the same installing trade as the EIFS. Fewer subs mean a faster and less expensive install.
- Lighter than traditional claddings, resulting in concrete and steel savings.
- Lowers the heating and cooling costs over the life of the building. Carbon footprint is five times smaller than brick and almost three times smaller than stucco.
- Can contribute to LEED certification.
- Designed to require minimal maintenance.
Gone are the days of “Dryvit” bringing fear and chills to contractors and building owners alike. Innovations, including their “drainable” systems, have taken care of the problems we saw in early installations. For us, we’re seeing savings and visual interest using the Reflectit product.
