For What It’s Worth

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