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Design Guide

This design guide is intended to provide an overview of designing with the LiveWall product. It breaks down the tools needed to install the LiveWall system, the components required (and where they are to be sourced), and demonstrates the design process in a straight forward, step by step manner.
Tools for Installation (Furnished by Installer)
Drill/Driver Drill Bits Hex Driver Tape Measure Laser or Bubble Level Chalk Line and Plumb Bob Ladder Chop Saw with Carbide Blade for Cutting Aluminum Allen Wrenches Hole Saw and Wrenches for Drain Pipe Assembly

Components Furnished by Installer


Drain Fastener and Drain Pipe Wall Fasteners Perimeter Facing Material (Wood or Metal) Irrigation Pipe and Water Feed Self-Drains or Blow-Out Valve Backflow Preventer For Gutter To Affix VertiRails to Wall For HideAway Irrigation Chase To Connect to Irrigation Valves For Winterization To Meet Irrigation Code

Components Furnished with LiveWall Order...Be Sure to Specify Quantities


VertiRails Nylon Washers/Shims GutterRail GutterRail Endcaps Marine Adhesive RainRails

Co-Engineered Furring Brackets If Connecting VertiRail to Metal or Step-Sided Siding Lowermost Connector/Drain Pan To Cap GutterRails To Affix Gutter Endcaps To Hold the WallTer Wall Planters and Serve as Irrigation Conduits For Correct Spacing of RainRails To Mount RainRails to VertiRails To Connect RainRails in End to End Fashion To Connect RainRails to Irrigation Feed or to Terminate RainRail When Capped Set Screw for SlipSeal Couplers, and SlipSeal Connectors To Install Into RainRails For Wrapping Irrigation Nozzles For Irrigation Chase Concealment For Holding Planted WallTer Inserts Limiting Screw for WallTer Wall Planters If Specified for WallTer Wind Stabilization For Holding Soil/Plant Materials To Provide Optimal Growing Medium For Use as Aesthetic and/or Culinary Accents

2 GapTools RainRail Fasteners SlipFit Couplers SlipFit End Connectors S.S. Set Screw Irrigation Nozzles - Specify Size Teflon Tape HideAway Brackets WallTer Wall Planters (16" and 8" length) WallTer Limiting Fasteners WindClips Deep WallTer Inserts (16" and 8" length) LiveSoil Brand Soil (Specific to Plant Types)

LiveWall Plants

Design Guide
Step 1 Basic Planning
Determine the wall's suitability for LiveWall Verify type and extent of wall's breathable moisture-barrier. Choose appropriate wall anchor for attachment of VertiRail vertical aluminum furring tracks to building structure (to be sourced and provided by installer).

Step 2
VertiRail vertical aluminum furring tracks will be used in almost all applications, (the exception being certain vertically ribbed siding). Choose VertiRail spacing 16" to 24" on center (o.c.), consistent with the building's framing VertiRails come in 8' standard lengths They can be cut to length to fit custom needs

Vertical Aluminum Furring Tracks Stud Framing

Sheathing Exterior Cladding

Wall Anchors (Provided By Installer) Minimum of One Anchor per 16 Vertical Inches

3/16" Pre-Punched Holes at 1" o.c. 16 to 24" o.c. Spacing

Anchors (fasteners) for VertiRail attachment to building are chosen by installer or architect to be appropriate for the particular construction of the building.

Design Guide
Step 2A Nylon Washers/Shims
For metal walls, specify nylon washer/shims (available from LiveWall, LLC) as insulators between wall and VertiRails to prevent galvanic reaction. Likewise, for lapped patterned walls (Cedar, Vinyl, Concrete), specify nylon shim spacers to bridge VertiRails in low spots. VertiRails have pre-punched holes 1" o.c. for ease of installation at high points.

Metal Wall Application

Step Sided Application

Fasteners (By Installer) with Nylon Washer/Shims Available from LiveWall, LLC

Fasteners (By Installer) with Nylon Washer/Shims (available from LiveWall, LLC).

Exterior-Cladding (Steel Siding)

Exterior-Cladding (Lapped Siding)

Design Guide
Step 3 Irrigation Strategy
Determine irrigation source and drainage tie-in points.

Diagram Depicts

Runs of up to 64 feet.

Irrigation chase requires 16 inches when each RainRail has its own supply valve.

Step 3A
Maximum 64 feet of RainRail in one horizontal run One valve per 64 feet of VertiRail length Matched nozzles (.2 GPM) are compatible with up to 64' of VertiRail if in a single horizontal run serviced by a single irrigation valve
GutterRail 2" PVC Mainline

in 8' lengths

Bracket Irrigation Infrastructure (valves, 15 PSI pressure regulator, fittings, & lateral lines)

Diagram Depicts 8' x 8' Arrangement

Step 3B
Up to 8 rows (tiers) of 8' RainRails can be stacked vertically as an 8' x 8' section with a single irrigation valve when specific irrigation nozzles are matched to each row (tier) as compensation for vertical pressure drop: .2 GPM nozzles top two tiers .15 GPM nozzles middle three tiers .1 GPM nozzles bottom two tiers
SlipFit Fittings with end plugs go in terminal ends of RainRails. "Stacked" arrangements like this require 8 inch space for irrigation chase.

8'

Irrigation Infrastructure (valves, 15 PSI pressure regulator, fittings, & lateral lines) (6 ea.) .20 GPM Nozzles (6 ea.) .20 GPM Nozzles (6 ea.) .15 GPM Nozzles

8'

(6 ea.) .15 GPM Nozzles (6 ea.) .15 GPM Nozzles (6 ea.) .10 GPM Nozzles (6 ea.) .10 GPM Nozzles SlipFit Fittings go in Irrigation Feed End of RainRails

Design Guide
Step 3C Select Proper Pairing of Irrigation Nozzle Size to Equalize Precipitation Rates
When water is pushed upward, it loses pressure for every foot of distance it is lifted. This would normally cause uneven irrigation rates. But the solution is simple with LiveWall; one simply changes to higher precipitation rate nozzles (in the RainRails), as you go higher up in the panel. To illustrate, in these 8 ft. x 8 ft. panels (8 rows of RainRail), you would use the .10 gal./min. precipitation nozzles (shown in yellow) on the bottom two rows, then .15 gal./min. nozzles (shown in green) in the center three rows, and .20 gal/min. in the top two rows. Other schematics illustrate irrigation nozzle configurations for 8 ft wide applications using 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 rows of rain rail.
8 inch space for irrigation chase is required with "stacked" arrangements of RainRails
8'

8'

Configuration 'B' for Standard 8'x8' Panel

16'

8-Row Configuration 3 panels + 1 panel

8-Row Configuration 2 panels

2-Row Configuration 5

3-Row Configuration

4-Row Configuration

5-Row Configuration

6-Row Configuration

7-Row Configuration

Design Guide

This page illustrates irrigation configurations of 64 foot length. In this case, you can use .20 gal./min. nozzles across the entire length of 64 feet, as each run of RainRail will have it's own valve supplying it with water. Unless the installation is very tall, there is probably no need to equalize irrigation, even by changing run time per zone, as each valve will have its own pressure reducer which will equalize the flow rate of water regardless of height of the installation--provided there is a good feed of water in the mainline.

Key
Valve .20 GPM Nozzle .15 GPM Nozzle .10 GPM Nozzle GutterRail Irrigation Line RainRail

Typical InLine Configurations Note: One valve supplies maximum length of 64 linear feet of Rain Rail with .20 GPM nozzles.

12 inch space for irrigation chase is required with arrangements like these where each RainRail has its own dedicated supply valve.

Up to 64'

Design Guide
Design Assistance
LiveWall, encourages creativity in design and realizes projects can vary in complexity. Our design team is happy to share our experiences with you and help you to develop a specific strategy based on your design requirements.

Step 4 Creating Design Layout


Call on us to design the basic infrastructure see page 44. We will need drawings or photos, and dimensions.
Irrigation Conduit

Irrigation Nozzle

12.0" oc GutterRail

Gutter Endcap

Exterior Siding Sheathing Framing Wall

Design Guide
Step 5 Account for HideAway Irrigation chase feed concealments around the perimeter and around windows. 8
HideAway brackets can be faced with wood or metal and outside edge of bracket should be spaced 8" from end of RainRails for "stacked arrangements, such as 8'x8' arrangement, and 16 inches for the end of the RainRails for runs of RainRail where a single RainRail is fed with its own valve.
Stacked arrangement requires 8" HideAway bracket spacing. Spacing and quantity of HideAway brackets to be sufficient to support facing and to resist wind. No greater spacing than 24 in. o.c. for basic installation.

Bracket 7' 2" 8 inch spacing is required for HideAway Chase when RainRails are stacked and fed from a single valve such as illustrated in this diagram.

Example of Brackets covered with trim boards

Long linear arrangement requires 16" HideAway bracket spacing.

Facing material is sourced by contractor.

16 inch spacing is required for hideaway chase when irrigation feed is at the end of the RainRail such as when RainRails are used in runs of up to 64 feet.

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Design Guide
Step 6
Architecturally, you may need to plan for columns, windows, and doors. RainRails come in 8' lengths and can be joined together on a single irrigation valve for a total length of 64' per irrigation zone with LiveWall slip connectors. RainRails can be custom cut but must be divisible by 16" because of irrigation nozzle locations. Take into account HideAway space as required. (8" or 16" on each end of open areas). See page 53. RainRails come predrilled and threaded to accept FloodJet Type K nozzles. Your layout plan will show RainRail configuration and nozzle precipitation rates as defined in Steps 3A, 3B, 3C.

Standard RainRail Configuration


8'

8"

16"

16"

16"

16"

16"

8"

Irrigation Nozzle 16" o.c.

Irrigation Nozzle 16" o.c.

Irrigation Nozzle 16" o.c.

Irrigation Nozzle 16" o.c.

Irrigation Nozzle 16" o.c.

Irrigation Nozzle 16" o.c.

Typical Nozzle 9

Design Guide
Step 6A Custom Layouts
Multitiered sections may be less than 8' tall but one irrigation valve is limited to 64 linear feet total of RainRail

For Standard Layouts see LiveWall.com

Example of Custom Irrigation Around an Opening


Ends may be terminated with SlipFit Fittings and Caps Irrigation Valve Zone 1 53.2 linear feet

Irrigation Valve Zone 2 37.2 linear feet

1" Lateral Pipe

2" PVC Mainline

Typical LiveWall Sizing Exercise


1' 5'-4" 18' 5'-4" 3'-0" 8" Chase 1'-6" 8" Chase 5'-4"

CL

10'

CL

8"

Chase

8"

Chase

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Design Guide
Step 7 WallTer Wall Planter Layout and Aesthetics
The WallTer modules are designed to give the LiveWall system a staggered brick-like appearance. This pattern provides an attractive architectural appearance in winter months, when plants may go into dormancy. An important step in the basic infrastructure design is to develop the layout of the WallTer wall planter modules. These are staggered, like bricks, and typically the first row is developed with all 16" long WallTers. The second row uses 16" WallTers bookended with 8" long WallTers, and this pattern is repeated in an alternating fashion from row to row as one descends the walls.

Step 7 Choose Colors


WallTer color(s): Cool Gray, Cedar, Beige, Sage Green, Wheat and Salsa.

Specify color and material type for facing HideAway brackets (to be sourced by installer).

Cool Gray

Cedar

Beige

Sage Green Wheat Salsa

Wall Planters

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Design Guide
Step 8
Indicate water source and specifications.

Step 8C
Assess water quality - if water is hard, refer to page 42 of this guide.

Step 8A
Indicate mainline size and type of backflow preventer.

Step 8D
Choose controller - a simple programmable controller is required; available from LiveWall, LLC.

The Baseline moisture sensor is recommended and is available from LiveWall, LLC.

Step 8B
LiveWall irrigation system operates optimally at around 15 PSI per valved section. Toro 1" TPV valves recommended and available from LiveWall, LLC. 15 PSI pressure regulators are available from LiveWall, LLC.

Step 8E
A 150 micron filter is required and is available from LiveWall, LLC.

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Design Guide
Step 8F Pipe and Fittings
Specify appropriate header pipe and fittings for irrigation feed. LiveWall Light-Block no-glue fittings and pipe are recommended and available from LiveWall, LLC.

Step 9 LiveWall Plants


Choose and design a planting scheme. Choose the type of plants appropriate to the sun/shade exposure of each wall. Sedums and Succulents (Long-Term, Mostly Sun) Annuals (One-Year, Sun or Shade) Vegetables (One-Year, Sun) Perennial Plants (3-5+ Years, Sun or Shade) Herbs, Medicinals and Fragrance (Variable, Mostly Sun) Tropicals and Interior Plants (3-5+ Years, Sun or Shade)

LiveWall can be planted monochromatically, randomly, and in geometric color patterns. Colors, textures and scents change throughout the year. Schedule 40 PVC in black or opaque gray can also be used for all lines. White pipe must never be used as it will grow algae which will plug irrigation nozzles. When this type of pipe is used, Schedule 80 solvent welded PVC fittings must be sourced by installation contractor. Include self-drains and/or blow out fitting for winterizing in cold climates. Many plant recommendations are discussed in this catalog. However your local grower/ distributor should be consulted for specific regional recommendations.

Step 8G
The Profeeder integrated fertilization system by Fertile Earth is recommended and is available from LiveWall.

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Design Guide
Step 10 Match LiveSoil to Plants
It is important to specify the proper type of soil with the various types of plants in each LiveWall installation. Therefore, LiveWall, LLC has developed a series of LiveSoils, specific to the particular plant material chosen for the system. The different soils are designed to match the needs of the particular plants and are categorized as follows. LiveSoil for Sedums and Succulents LiveSoil for Annuals and Vegetables LiveSoil for Perennials, Herbs and Tropicals Refer to this LiveWall catalog or LiveWall.com for a comprehensive guide to plants and associated specifications.

Step 11
Illustrate system design showing VertiRails, RainRails, irrigation infrastructure, WallTers and planting design. LiveWall, LLC is pleased to develop the infrastructure design for you, and we have a handy electronic Design Dr. that allows you to layer your planting design right over the infrastructure design. Please see page 44 for details. Attach 3-part specification when finished. Electronic spec writer feature available on LiveWall.com.

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