Construction Techniques For EIFS Fiberglass Mesh On Narrow Parapet Copings Of Balcony Railings

Strip cutting to avoid excessive overlap thickness

Cut the mesh roll into separate strips, allowing an extra 100 mm for turnaround on each side based on the coping width. Each strip should not exceed 2 m in length for ease of placement. Always cut along the fibre direction – never tear diagonally – as that would reduce the tensile strength of the EIFS Fiberglass Mesh.

Apply base mortar first, then embed the mesh

First, spread a thin layer of polymer mortar (about 2 mm thick) on the top surface and both side faces of the coping. Then press the pre‑cut strip into the mortar from one end to the other, using a trowel to make the mesh closely adhere to the substrate and ensuring the mortar fully penetrates the mesh openings. At internal corners where the coping meets the wall, cut the mesh separately for each plane to avoid a "bowstring" effect caused by stress concentration.

Turnover wrapping and secondary trowelling

After flattening the top surface, fold the reserved side margins downwards to cover the vertical faces, overlapping the adjacent wall by at least 100 mm. Then apply a second mortar layer over the mesh, keeping the total thickness within 3–5 mm, and repeatedly trowel with a stainless‑steel float to hide the mesh texture. Finally, roll a special pressure roller along the coping edges to ensure full integration of the EIFS Fiberglass Mesh with the mortar.