Architectural Profile Highlight
EIFS Starter Boards
A clean wall starts at the bottom edge. FoamWorks starter boards give your crew a straight, ready-made terminating edge at the base of walls, around windows, and at caulk joints. Installers don’t have to set plastic starter strips first, but get the same benefits. We cut every board from EPS or GPS foam on our CNC hot-wire equipment in Central Pennsylvania and ship across the continental USA.
We were founded by an EIFS installer with more than 15 years in the field, so we understand issues that arise without proper moisture management and believe these are a must for contractors!
Why Contractors use FoamWorks Starters
Moisture management
When EIFS is started without our Starter Boards, the back-wrapped mesh, base-coat, and finish layers can seal the bottom edge and trap water between the wall and EPS, which is why a PVC Starter Strip is normally installed. FoamWorks Starter Boards come with mesh and base-coat already applied, so there’s no sealed pocket created during install for the water to build up inside of.
Clean Straight Lines
Hot-wire cutting gives you consistent, repeatable boards with crisp edges, so the bottom of the wall reads straight from one end to the other.
Customizable board thickness & shape
Standard starter widths run from 1” to 6.5” in 1/2” steps to match common EIFS insulation board thicknesses. We can also customize starter to different heights or to include a sloped top
Faster installation
The terminating edge comes ready to set. Installers on site skip the extra steps of installing the plastic strip, the back-wrapped mesh, and base-coating the bottom edge. As experienced installers of EIFS, we can vouch for how much time and frustration is saved using Starter Boards
Starter Dimensions
Available Sizes
1.0” Starter
1.5” Starter
2.0” Starter
2.5” Starter
3.0” Starter
3.5” Starter
4.0” Starter
4.5” Starter
5.0” Starter
6.0” Starter
5.5” Starter
6.5” Starter
Starter Sizes & Options
Sizes
As shown above, Standard Sizes for EIFS Starter boards are 1.0” through 6.5” wide x 8” tall x 96” long.
Material
1lb density EPS is our standard that we keep in stock, while other densities of EPS & GPS are available on request
Mesh Weight
We carry various weights of Blue mesh, Orange mesh, and our standard for Starters - White mesh
Profile
An 8” tall rectangle with a 1/8” deep step going across the lower section around the back, bottom, and front.
Reinforcement
All of our Starter Boards come with a fiberglass mesh and a cement base-coat pre-applied in our climate controlled shop
Custom Profiles
Need a different height, step depth, or edge detail? Send us a drawing, sketch or sample and we’ll quote it!
EPS or GPS?
EPS is the industry standard with 1lb density EPS being more common billets we keep in stock and cut shapes out of. For customers who need more insulating power, we offer higher densities of EPS or even GPS - containing graphite and even more R-Value at lower densities of foam. Both are compatible with EIFS systems.
Full foam property data can be found at the link below:
Need Starters for your Next Job?
Send us the following information for a quote on starters: Width, Linear Footage or 8’ Piece Counts, Material & Density (1lb EPS is assumed unless specified), Mesh Requirements (White Mesh assumed unless specified)
Average quote turnaround: 24 hours. We ship to supplier addresses and job sites across the continental US in addition to local pickup
Or reach out here (814) 201-6641 | sales@foamworksusa.com
Starter FAQs
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No - when using FoamWorks Starter Boards, you ensure that water has a clear path to continue running behind the wall
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According to a video created by Dryvit, installing a Starter Board is 3-4x faster than installing the PVC starter strip, back-wrap mesh, and manually base-coating the bottom and front sides around the base of a wall.
Video for reference: Starter Boards | Install EIFS 3-4x Faster and Save Labor Costs
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Depending on availability and order quantity - between 3 days and 2 weeks.
We keep our most frequently ordered items in stock to get them into your hands faster. Starter inventory varies week by week so reach out for an accurate answer.
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EPS is the industry standard for EIFS installations with most of our clients requesting 1lb density foam. Though GPS is fully compatible with EIFS systems and has far greater insulation capabilities, it’s used less frequently because of the cost associated. You likely want to match the rest of your wall system here!
Starter Board Spec Sheet
One-page Starter Board spec / submittal sheet.