Applying Slab Edge Insulation

To protect the foundation from freeze/thaw, I'm using a Shallow Frost Protected Foundation. In my climate zone, this requires insulation around the slab edges (see my post about the foundation design for more details on this type of foundation).

I attached the insulation (2.5" of Bora-Foam) to the slab using Loctite PL Premium. I scuffed up the surface of the insulation, applied some vertical beads of adhesive, then attached the insulation.

Once the insulation was attached to the slab, I scuffed up the outer surface of it, sprayed it with 3M Super 77 Spray Adhesive, and attached fiberglass stucco mesh to add some reinforcement to the face. The spray adhesive was key to get the mesh to stay attached.

Foundation coating

After applying the mesh, I troweled on FlexCoat foundation coating. The product details say it covers 80 sq ft, but I found I only had enough for about 60-65 sq ft. Thankfully it was enough to cover all of the boards.

Adding Z-Flashing

After applying the FlexCoat, I adhered galvanized steel z-flashing (sourced from a local metal shop) to the top of the insulation using Loctite PL Premium Max. I also ran a bead of it along the top where the flashing meets the slab to keep water out.

Backfilling the Foundation

I spread a yard of fill dirt around the foundation to backfill it and bring it back up to grade. I tried to slope it slightly away from the foundation when backfilling so water will run away from the foundation instead of toward it.

The next step is framing! More to come soon.