Hilldale Elementary Builds 11-Classroom Safe Room
Hilldale Elementary Builds 11-Classroom Safe Room addition, which will be able to protect all of its students, teachers and staff during severe weather or a tornado.These classrooms will be a warm, comfortable learning environment all year, sound proof and energy efficient. Should the need arise, they would also function as a…
Press Release: BuildBlock ICFs Releases BuildBuck ICF Door & Window Bucking
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEBuildBlock ICFs Releases BuildBuck ICF Door & Window BuckingOklahoma City, OK – BuildBlock Building Systems is excited to announce the release of BuildBuck ICF Door & Window Bucking. BuildBuck is the ideal insulating bucking solution for door and window openings in a BuildBlock ICF project. BuildBuck is the…
Press Release: BuildBlock ICFs Releases BuildShield Fire Stop Protection
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEBuildBlock ICFs Releases BuildShield Fire Stop ProtectionOklahoma City, OK – BuildBlock Building Systems is introducing BuildShield, a barrier for firestop protection in an ICF wall. BuildShield is a combination of two materials when combined offer fire stop protection providing additional protection in fire prone areas. This product will…
Asked & Answered: How Do I Design Door & Window Openings in an ICF Home?
Door & Window Openings in an ICF HomeGenerally, there is little difference in door and window placement in an ICF home when compared to standard wood-framed construction. The biggest thing to keep in mind are openings really close together or really close to corners. Since the supporting structure to the wall is the…
The Lloyd House: An ICF Project
We are going to step inside the Lloyd House: An ICF project showcasing the resiliency and versatility of BuildBlock ICFs. This project was a flagship project for Lloyd Concrete Services and BuildBlock of Central Virginia. The natural beauty of this lot inspired the homeowner to make as little impact on the environment as…
Asked & Answered: Why don’t walls with corners layout in even foot dimensions?
Why don't walls with corners layout in even foot dimensions? This is an interesting question we receive occasionally from designers, engineers, and builders.It is possible to create a building that will have even foot dimensions. This is typically achieved by shortening blocks at some other point in the wall away…
Asked & Answered: ICF Myths, Half-Truths, and Misconceptions
[message type="custom" width="100%" start_color="#eee" end_color="#eee" border="#ccc" color="#333333"] Download the Brochure [download id="13855" template="filename2" align="left"][/message] Separate fact from fiction and dispel ICF Myths, Half-Truths, and Misconceptions. ICFs are too expensive… ICFs cost 3%-7% more on average compared to using traditional wood construction. This difference can be reduced by smaller HVAC requirements,…
The Puddingstone Cottage
The Puddingstone Cottage is a 1,200 square foot all ICF earth bermed home. Even the retaining walls utilize ICFs for their toughness.Puddingstone Cottage is an all ICF home that utilizes full height earth berms on three sides of the house to achieve its ultra-high energy performance and added protection from…
Asked & Answered: What is the expected lifetime of the expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam?
Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) is essentially inert. There have been multiple studies of EPS in the soil for 15 to 30 years demonstrating only minor degradation of the EPS foam. EPS foam is expanded using steam. It is the entrained air that provide the insulation value in the material. EPS is…
Project Spotlight: Building an ICF Castle Part 4
Micheal and Sue Drew are building an ICF castle to last, but wish they would have done ICFs all the way up to the gables. http://youtu.be/ZYDeb3voZFs Micheal and Sue Drew are building an ICF castle in eastern Michigan. Being the last video of the series, we learn why they initially…