The superior fire resistance of concrete walls gives buildings built with insulating concrete forms distinct safety advantages. The reinforced concrete can withstand very high temperatures and stay intact. In fact, ICF walls can attain up to a 4-hour fire rating using a flat wall system. Of all construction materials, concrete is one of the most fire-resistant materials available which means it makes for a great fire barrier. Learn More About ICF Disaster Resistance Here Are ICFs Safe in a Fire? Non-toxic, ICFs do not emit VOCs nor do they off-gas other chemicals like many engineered wood products. The R-value of EPS remains constant over the life of the product because the manufacturing process uses normal air, rather than a special gas, to expand the beads in the product. The Long-Term Thermal Resistance (LTTR) of XPS is, therefore, less than its “initial” R-factor. XPS cells contain insulating gases in addition to air that eventually diffuses out of the cells, thus lowering the insulating value. There are two primary reasons for this: XPS has a lower permeability rating of water in the ground and EPS is inert, with no CFCs, HCFCs, Formaldehyde or any volatile organic compounds. Most ICFs are made using EPS and not XPS material. As a result, homes built with ICFs offer roughly a 70% noise reduction compared to an average home. ICF walls have a Sound Transmission Class (STC) of 50 or higher, so noise stays outside or stays inside. ICF walls can withstand hurricanes and tornado force winds while keeping noise to a minimum. Also, the reinforced concrete inside the ICF forms provides a moist cure which creates much stronger concrete than conventionally poured walls that have forms stripped usually within a day of pouring. Since the EPS foam panels remain in place after the pour the building season can be extended in colder climates because the concrete is protected. ICFs meet or exceed standards set by building codes. Lastly, window and door openings bucks are made of lumber, composite wood, vinyl or steel and can be pre-made and placed as the walls are erected. This means that temperatures are more even throughout the structure with very little difference between floor and ceiling. This keeps the floor system inside the envelope eliminating cold and hot spots. Multiple floors are easy to install using special embedments made specifically for ICF construction. Thermal bridging is the process of heat transfer through the path of least thermal resistance (R-Value). Testing shows that beyond 5” of foam (2 ½” on each side) the added insulation does little to justify the added cost due to the concrete mass’s ability to slow thermal bridging. with the industry-standard being 2 ½ inches. The thickness of the EPS or XPS will vary between 1 ½”, 2”, 2 ½” etc. Spacing for the vertical nailers can range from 6”, 8” or 12” depending on the manufacturer. These plastic webs act nailer or strapping, for interior and exterior finish attachments. Molded plastic webs are an integral part of the form’s technology. Also, most companies offer training and technical support in addition to providing installer manuals, pre-engineered tables, CAD details, and engineering models.īuilding with ICFs is easy! Learn how to build an ICF home by registering for our free online training course. Most bracing systems have adjusting turnbuckles which allow the walls to be perfectly straightened as the pour is finished. Vertical steel is placed before each pour and if the structure above is a continuation of ICFs, then a cold joint dowel would be placed to tie the next pour to the first. The concrete is then poured, generally, one level at a time. These bracing systems have foot plank brackets for the placement of the planking to complete the stacking of forms. Next, when walls become too high to reach from the ground, bracing or alignment systems made specifically for ICFs are installed. You can easily construct radius walls, multiple elevations, and other architectural features using ICFs.įirst, horizontal reinforcing (Rebar) is installed as the forms are being placed. ICFs allow for unlimited design flexibility. Some blocks are fully-reversible, adding to the ease of construction. Most manufacturers offer corner blocks, 45-degree blocks, brick ledge forms and taper top blocks along with various accessories and fittings. The most common wall sizes are 6 and 8 inches. The thickness or the width of the cavity can vary from 4 to 12 inches or more. Evenly spaced webs create a cavity that give the block its strength. Height and length may vary in some instances depending on the manufacturer. ICF buildings are constructed using a running bond interlocking manner with the most common size of 4 foot long and 16 inch high blocks. Manufacturer Construction and Engineering Statement.BuildBlock Insulating Concrete Forms (ICFs) vs Concrete Masonry Unit (CMU).
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