HOW-TO
How To Be Environmentally Responsible
Everyone is very conscious of and can see the influence of climate change, with the frequency of weather events creating havoc on our way of life and structures we live in and use. The incentives to build green, which were developed more than 10 years ago, are...
ICF Tips & Tricks 324: Concrete’s Magic Number
Can you tell me again what is the concrete square feet per yard for a 12-inch core wall? If you’ve been distributing or installing ICF for a while, I’m willing to bet you’ve been asked the following: “Can you tell me again what is the concrete square feet per yard for...
Find the Value Proposition in ICFs
This magazine reviews submittals for recognition awards in various categories of ICF projects every year. Each year the project submissions are more outstanding, which makes it harder to get into the top three for voting, but it also makes the judges’ jobs more...
How To: Make a Residential Window Opening
Every house or building design requires numerous rough openings for doors and windows. Incorporating these openings into an ICF wall assembly requires a number of fundamentals to be established in the pre-design. Don’t try to layout the block coursing to suit the...
Evaluate ICFs Versus Wood or CMU
The major question everyone is posting regarding building materials and wall assemblies is related to cost, specifically the initial capital costs for the options of building with ICFs versus traditional wood framing or concrete block. This is not a simple question...
How To: Planning ICF Construction Sequences
For a new ICF installer there is considerable information from the ICF manufacturers about how to lay the blocks, but one of the main questions being asked on social media is about the construction sequencing or phasing — how many courses to install and when to place...
How-To Plans and Permits
The hardest part of building a home for yourself is the design — deciding on the floor plan, not to mention materials. Every successful building project requires a detailed set of design or working drawings as a necessary tool for estimating, building, and permit...
How To Select An ICF Product
The decision has been made to build with ICFs. Now, how do you select which product to use? Every ICF block or product line is unique in attributes and features which impact the installation speed and efficiency, the engineering requirements, and the overall energy...
Select the Right ICF Concrete Core Size
A majority of ICF companies provide forms with concrete core sizes at 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 inches. The range allows for different applications and engineering design criteria. The structural advantage of reinforced concrete design allows for thinner walls than those...
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