ICF (Insulated Concrete Forms)
Insulating concrete forms or insulated concrete forms (ICF) are a building system to create reinforced concrete walls or floors with integral insulation. They are dry-stacked (without mortar) and filled with concrete. The units interlock somewhat like Lego bricks and create the formwork for reinforced concrete that becomes the structural walls, floors or roofs of a building. The forms stay in place after the concrete is cured and provide a permanent interior and exterior substrate for finishes. The forms come in different shapes, sizes and are made from different materials depending on the manufacturer. ICF construction has become commonplace for both low rise commercial and high performance residential construction as more stringent energy efficiency and natural disaster resistant building codes are adopted.
ICF (Insulated Concrete Forms)
We were involved in this project in northern Arizona. This home was literally cut into a hillside. We built a substantial stem wall on this home. As you can see, the ICF blocks come with rebar installed within them. Vertical rebar is placed every 2 feet or so which adds great strength and integrity to the structure. After all blocks have been installed, the voids are filled with concrete which creates an extremely solid structure. In the last photo you can see a nozzle coming from above which is used to pump concrete into the blocks. At the proper stage of construction, finishes are typically applied to both the exterior and exterior of the ICF wall. The exterior is typically stucco or siding. The interior is most often drywall but there are plenty of other options. This was more than just a stem wall. The space within the ICF walls is the garage, and the floor was later poured with concrete. The stem wall did in fact serve its purpose as a stem wall, as SIP panels were mounted on top of them to form the structure of the house.