In this segment we took a look at a very interesting product where thin "bricks" made out of concrete extrusions are hung on metal racks. The end result is very similar to a fancy brick wall.
How does it keep the rain out? Actually the same way a regular brick-and-mortar wall does, or a vinyl- or aluminum-sided wall. It sheds most of the rain, and anything that manages to get past the siding is channeled down the air space behind the siding and out the bottom of the wall. We call this a rain-screen wall, where the outermost part of the wall sheds most but not all the rain, protects the wall from physical damage, and drains any water that gets behind the wall out the bottom. A rain-screen wall is the best way to build a wall in Canada. In fact, every time we try to completely seal the wall on the outside, we end up trapping moisture inside and causing problems.
One very nice feature of the Easy Rock Siding system is that because each piece is individually hung on the racks, you can remove a single brick from the middle of the wall for repair or cleaning. Yet it is just heavy enough that no wind will blow it off.
I liked this system enough that I asked them to come on the show to demonstrate it for you.