Description

HomeRAB™ Pre-Cladding and RAB™ Board by James Hardie are a range of rigid wall underlay products. They are sealed medium density fibre cement sheets.

HomeRAB™ Pre-Cladding and RAB™ Board by James Hardie are intended to be used as a rigid wall underlay behind wall cladding systems and provide a temporary weather-protecting sheathing on timber-framed buildings

Scope

1. HomeRAB™ Pre-Cladding is certified for use on timber-framed buildings

• a) complying with NZS3604:2011 and within the scope limitations of NZBC Acceptable Solution E2/AS1, Paragraph 1.1 with regards to building height and floor plan area; and
• b) situated in Wind Zones up to, and including, Very High as defined by NZS3604:2011, and
• c) for bracing applications as per the bracing system details published in the installation manual, and
• d) with the following claddings:
  
  • i) absorbent wall claddings directly fixed to framing;
  • ii) non-absorbent wall claddings directly fixed to framing with a flexible wall underlay over the HomeRAB™ Pre-Cladding;
  • iii) absorbent and non-absorbent wall claddings installed over a nominal 20 mm or more drained cavity;
  • iv) masonry veneer in accordance with NZBC Acceptable Solution E2/AS1

2. RAB™ Board is certified for use as on timber-framed buildings:

• a) of the following scope:
  
  • i) complying with NZS3604:2011 and within the scope limitations of NZBC Acceptable Solution E2/AS1, Paragraph 1.1 with regards to building height and floor plan area; or
  • ii) specifically designed in accordance with Verification Method B1/VM1 with a building height not exceeding 25 m; and Design Wind Pressures of 4.5Kpa (uls); and with inter-storey deflections designed for up to height/180 of horizontal in-plane movement during seismic SLS events (based on a 3 m inter storey height); and
• b) for bracing applications as per the bracing system details published in the installation manual, and
• c) with the following claddings:
  
  • i) absorbent wall claddings directly fixed to framing over the RAB™ Board ; and
  • ii) non-absorbent wall claddings directly fixed to framing with a flexible wall underlay over the RAB™ Board;
  • iii) absorbent and non-absorbent wall claddings installed over a nominal 20 mm or more drained cavity;
  • iv) masonry veneer in accordance with NZBC Acceptable Solution E2/AS1; and
• d) where the wall cladding system is suitable for use with maximum wind pressures for structural and weathertightness design for:
  
  • i) where maximum wind zones is up to Very High as defined by NZS3604:2011 with studs at 600 mm centres maximum, and
  • ii) design wind pressures up to 3 kPa (SLS) and 4.5 kPa (ULS) where studs are at 400 mm centres maximum.

3. The RAB™ Board and HomeRAB™ Pre-Cladding by James Hardie must be specified, installed and maintained in accordance with the following documentation referenced as the applicable technical literature:

• a. BRANZ Appraisal – James Hardie Rigid Air Barriers Appraisal no 611 (7 DECEMBER 2020)
• b. HomeRABTM Pre-Cladding and RABTM Board Installation Manual, dated August 2024
• c. James Hardie SDS Fibre Cement Products June 2022