In my last video, we toured a factory that produces Insulated Concrete Forms or ICF blocks. Today we’re going to look at how an ICF wall is built with Fox Blocks as well as the pros and cons of this type of construction. NOT SPONSORED.
Chapters
0:00 Intro to Fox Blocks
1:02 Types of blocks
2:10 So how do you build ICF walls?
4:00 Advantages of ICF
6:04 6-in-1 assembly
8:22 Disadvantages of ICF
10:30 Summary
All Fox Blocks are made of molded polypropylene plastic ties which secures two pieces of 2 ⅝” thick Expanded Polystyrene foam pieces. The distance between them can vary from 4” to 12”. The blocks have teeth so they interlock on the next block, like Legos. The blocks should be staggered in a running bond method to avoid continuous seams. Horizontal rebar sits inside the ties to strengthen the wall assembly. Concrete is poured inside this sandwich and vibrated to eliminate air pockets, pack the aggregate, increase the density and strength of the wall.
After excavating the site, the concrete footing is poured on the perimeter walls with rebar sticking out of them. Next, the corner blocks are placed to define the edges. Straight blocks are then stacked in a running bond, staggered layout towards the center of each wall. Rebar or reinforcing steel bars, snap into the polypropylene ties of every single ICF block. The concrete in ICF walls must have a slump of 5” to 6” which is higher than a concrete mix for a floor which may be at 3”. The aggregate in the concrete must be between ⅜” to ¾”.
Advantages: Strength of the wall. They will withstand hurricanes and tornadoes, floods and they are fire-resistant. Air-tightness provided you use good quality doors, windows and a roof. The continuous interior and exterior insulation prevents mixing of cold and warm air, thus reducing condensation and mold. They have 1 to 1.5 ACH. They have a HERS rating of 30-50. Low sound transmission, STC rating of 50. Good R value. Great DIY wall assembly. Fox Blocks uses full-height ties and they have an extensive BIM library.
Fox Blocks markets their wall as a 6 in 1 assembly. The EPS foam acts as a natural vapor barrier, and provides continuous double layer insulation. The solid concrete core acts as an air barrier. The polypropylene ties have inbuilt rebar support and also act as fastening or furring strips for any finish. Their reversible interlocking design saves construction time and reduces waste.
Disadvantages: It is more expensive than wood construction in the States. They are not as good in cold climates. Waterproofing is expensive. Running electrical and water lines through the house, and even installing electrical boxes in your walls requires you to melt and cut out the EPS foam or even the ties. Any connections to the outside have to run through PVC sleeves which are placed before the concrete is poured. ICF homes can have humidity issues if it isn’t properly ventilated. The walls also occupy a lot of space. Concrete has a massive carbon footprint and is pretty destructive to the environment. But you also need to compare the short lifespan of a poorly built wood home to the 100+ year lifespan of an ICF home. Remodeling the exterior walls of your ICF home is nearly impossible. Less forgiving construction.
I think homeowners are slowly going to demand better-built homes because of all the information that is available on the internet. Right now, most people are just concerned with interior finishes like the type of granite used, shiplap walls, and hardwood flooring. They don’t realize that the bones of the building should take precedence over the stuff that you fill your home with. I can see ICF homes becoming more and more popular especially with custom builds.
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Fluffy by Smith The Mister [ Ссылка ]
Smith The Mister [ Ссылка ]
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#insulatedconcreteform #icf #diybuild #diy #construction #architecture #constructionscience
