HOW-TO
Turnbuckle Bracing: A Market Comparison
In the mid-to-late 1990s, a product was introduced that revolutionized the ICF industry. Turnbuckle bracing gave installers the ability to make slight adjustments to the wall after it was filled with concrete. No longer did installers have to struggle with assembling...
Window Bucks
For many years, ICF contractors faced a simple choice when it came to window bucks: wood or vinyl. But over the past five years, a number of companies have developed systems specifically designed for ICFs that offer unique advantages. Today, building owners can choose...
Building Your Business With Bracing
Turnbuckle braces not only helps keep your walls straight and plumb, but they can also play a major role in improving company profitability and help win bids on larger projects. The importance of a good ICF wall bracing system cannot be overstated. “A wall alignment...
Better Faster Footings
The vast majority of ICF foundations are poured using a two stage method. But, by coupling an innovative fabric form with adjustable supports, it’s now possible to pour footings that are level and square at the same time as the first few courses. Besides eliminating a...
Concrete Consolidation
Internal ‘pencil’ vibrators consolidate concrete extremely well, especially when used by an experienced operator. Good concrete consolidation is essential. Lack of consolidation can cause voids, rock pockets, honeycombing, and poor bonding with the rebar. In extreme...
Vertical ICFs
This style of ICF eliminates form compression and float, reduces bracing requirements, and may make it easier for concrete contractors to transition to foam forming. In recent years, a new style of ICF has been steadily gaining popularity. While the majority of...
Using ICFs for Retrofits and Remodels
The remodeling market offers outstanding opportunities for ICFs. The cost of remodeling this home with ICFs will be recouped in less than four years thanks to the energy savings. With tight economic conditions in all parts of North America, an increasing number of...
Self Consolidating Concrete
Imagine a concrete mix design that would fill an ICF perfectly—no voids, no honeycombing, perfect encapsulation of rebar—without using any type of vibration. It already exists. “Self-consolidating concrete, also known as self-compacting concrete and SCC, is a highly...
Interior Finishing Options
A range of interior ICF finishes can achieve virtually any look and texture. The walls of this exclusive “healthy home” on Bald Head Island, North Carolina are coated with earth clay from American Clay Plaster, which comes in 43 integral colors and can...
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