Asked & Answered: Is there an advantage to using wood bucks for window/door openings versus BuildBuck?
The majority of heat loss in an ICF home comes through wall openings such as windows and doors. You want to ensure that you have maintained as much insulation as possible around your openings. We have ...
Asked & Answered: Recycling Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) Foam
Recycling Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) FoamInsulating Concrete Forms (ICFs) are made up to two different types of materials EPS foam and polypropylene plastic webs. One of the questions we frequently ge ...
BuildBlock FieldNotes – 006 ICF Safe Rooms
We’ve all seen what happens on the news when disaster strikes: shattered homes and lives after the tornado or hurricane, smoking ash after the wildfire, and collapsed rubble after the earthquake. Disa ...
Asked & Answered: What is the Prescriptive Method and why do we talk about it?
What is the Prescriptive Method? The Prescriptive Method for Insulating Concrete Forms in Residential Construction is the accepted method for installation, general engineering, and standard for ICF h ...
Asked & Answered: Do ICFs Need a Weather Barrier?
One of the questions we are frequently asked is the need for an additional weather barrier or house wrap in ICF construction. The short answer to the question is no. ICFs are a more effective and hi ...
Asked & Answered: Unfinished Basement Fire Barrier
What's required for my unfinished ICF basement?The BuildBlock Intertek IRR1003, requires a 15 minute fire barrier for all EPS that is exposed to the interior of the building. This can be drywall, whic ...
EPS Foam Significantly More Energy Efficient Than XPS
There are many reasons BuildBlock ICFs are the premiere ICFs on the market, our use of EPS foam is one of those reasons. As reported by Concrete Construction, "what makes EPS and XPS different is ...
BuildBlock Field Notes
BuildBlock Distributor Jim Deering takes a few minutes to discuss his method and strategies for installing ICF walls. This 15-minute video lays out a few ways that BuildBlock makes your job on site ea ...
Fastfoot & Rising Damp
BuildBlock uses and recommends FastFoot products on any home construction job to protect the foundation, walls, and structures from unwanted moisture. A link to their article is here: http://www.fab- ...