How to Layout Scaffold on Fox Blocks' Insulated Concrete Form Walls
When you’re build­ing with insu­lat­ed con­crete forms, chances are you’re going to need to set up scaf­fold­ing.
Using Fox Blocks' Online Estimator for Your Next ICF Project
We know esti­mat­ing for an ICF project can be daunt­ing if you don’t know where to start, so we’ve cre­at­ed this help­ful video tuto­r­i­al.
Interview with ICF Specialties ICF Contractor Don Coleman on Using Fox Blocks
ICF Con­trac­tor Don Cole­man with ICF Spe­cial­ties gives the low­down on work­ing with Fox Blocks’ insu­lat­ed con­crete forms.
The Fox Block Interlock
When the Fox Blocks inter­lock was designed our Engi­neer­ing staff made the choice not to focus on being with­in 1÷2” to 1” from the build­ing dimen­sion but to give the strongest inter­lock pos­si­ble.
New Training for the Fox Block Interlock
We have found it to be a waste of time and ener­gy to attempt to off­set or stag­ger the block as in the pho­to to the left. By cre­at­ing a ver­ti­cal stacked seam you will be more accu­rate with the job dimen­sions and will increase your prof­it by gain­ing effi­cien­cy.
Remove Costs on your ICF Project
Two proven areas to remove costs are cor­ners and truss wire.
Industry Standard ICF’s: Feedback from Contractors
Jan­u­ary through April is when we plant our seeds for the year by dis­play­ing our prod­uct for the mar­ket in trade shows. I’ve par­tic­i­pat­ed in these trade shows for 17 years now in the ICF indus­try and it has always been the same old thing, but this year was notably dif­fer­ent.
Truss wire – Do we need it?
I was a believ­er in using truss wire when installing oth­er ICF’s but now that I’m using the Fox Blocks ICF I have been con­vinced by con­trac­tors that it is not nec­es­sary.
Can you vibrate or consolidate the concrete in ICFs?
Yes, con­sol­i­da­tion of the con­crete is one of the key ele­ments in the place­ment of con­crete in an ICF wall. Fox Blocks rec­om­mends inter­nal vibra­tion with a pen­cil vibra­tor, quick­ly in and slow­ly out.
Is an ICF home quieter than a stick framed home?
Absolute­ly. The exte­ri­or walls are two lay­ers of con­tin­u­ous insu­la­tion, the den­si­ty of sol­id con­crete and a lay­er of ½” gyp­sum board on the inside all con­tribute to supe­ri­or sound sup­pres­sion of STC 50 for the whole build­ing enve­lope. Note: A wood frame sys­tem of equiv­a­lent STC rat­ing would be 2 x 4 studs spaced 16˝ o/​c, with 3½˝ absorp­tive mate­r­i­al, 1 lay­er of 5 /8˝ Type X gyp­sum board on resilient chan­nels spaced 16˝ o/​c, and 2 lay­ers of 5 /8˝ Type X gyp­sum board on the oth­er side. (Cour­tesy of 1995 NBCC Sec­tion A9.10.3.1 Wall #W5a)