# Forum Home Renovation Cladding  Direct fix vs Cavity Batten

## turbopsi

Hi All 
I'm in a bit of a spin deciding which method to use for our home. 
We have a mixture of corrugated custorm orb metal and vertically grooved sheets such as James Hardie Axon, Weathergroove, etc. 
James Hardie Australian install manual only shows a direct fix method so I was going to run with that but the technical teams from the insulation wrap companies are pushing me to go with cavity battens. 
This decision is holding up our build as it also affects our window reveal sizes. 
I would greatly appreciate some assistance with this detail. 
Cheers.

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## pharmaboy2

Cavity is better from a longevity pov.  It's about having a building that can dry out and breathe .  It's a bit more efficient for temperature for the building, The cavity is a break between cladding and frame.  Good installation technique with wrap also makes building airtight. 
cons - how long to keep the house because this will cost more.  You will find it difficult to find a builder with experience in your product choice - they will probably like to build like they have always done and how project builders do it. 
there are some threads here that have some discussion about window detailing.  If using reveals outside of the frame (if you are ordering bigger reveals), they have to be behind the wrap - so the window flashing needs to be carefully attached to the frame underlapping wrap and taped down.  Your top of window colorbond flashings need to also allow for that. 
all this obviously depends on how much eave coverage, weather exposure you have etc. 
if you are tight on budget and it's not a fixed quote, don't consider - it's a better quality building option, not a cheap one

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## DavoSyd

Weathertex has a cavity batten installation guide for their panels if that helps you...   http://www.weathertex.com.au/wp-cont...de-low-res.pdf

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## r3nov8or

I recently read up on Weathergroove and recall it said *not* to use reflective building wrap directly under it. Something about it getting too hot I think. Of course non-reflective wrap costs much more...

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## pharmaboy2

> I recently read up on Weathergroove and recall it said *not* to use reflective building wrap directly under it. Something about it getting too hot I think. Of course non-reflective wrap costs much more...

  Maybe physics  has arrived at the building industry and someone's informed them that foil helps with radiant heat not as much conductive or convective heat.  So good under a metal roof that re radiates heat not so much help just about anywhere else. 
a good guide is also  http://www.cemintel.com.au/media/143...-fc152-web.pdf 
pic 52 might be of help. 
i will add, I did it because I'm in a high risk building for weather penetration, and I'm expecting the building to last well past a century.

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## Moondog55

> I recently read up on Weathergroove and recall it said *not* to use reflective building wrap directly under it. Something about it getting too hot I think. Of course non-reflective wrap costs much more...

  And of course why we need to batten out, RFL won't really work without the gap

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## turbopsi

> Cavity is better from a longevity pov.  It's about having a building that can dry out and breathe .  It's a bit more efficient for temperature for the building, The cavity is a break between cladding and frame.  Good installation technique with wrap also makes building airtight. 
> cons - how long to keep the house because this will cost more.  You will find it difficult to find a builder with experience in your product choice - they will probably like to build like they have always done and how project builders do it. 
> there are some threads here that have some discussion about window detailing.  If using reveals outside of the frame (if you are ordering bigger reveals), they have to be behind the wrap - so the window flashing needs to be carefully attached to the frame underlapping wrap and taped down.  Your top of window colorbond flashings need to also allow for that. 
> all this obviously depends on how much eave coverage, weather exposure you have etc. 
> if you are tight on budget and it's not a fixed quote, don't consider - it's a better quality building option, not a cheap one

  Thanks for that, I was thinking along the same path but I can't find anyone experienced enough to make it happen. I may have to settle for a minimal cavity using the 10mm weathertex cavity battens. I might be able to get away with them and have my reveal close enough to the outside stud face. Some walls have 4mm ply brace.

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