BuildBlock Installation Video Series: Site Review

On August 8, 2016   /   Video  
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Site Review

The BuildBlock ICF Site Review gives you a great start in preparing for your ICF project. In this episode of our Installation Video Series we’ll cover one of the most important first steps for your project; site review.  This video talks about the building site and things you need to consider before building your ICF home. Topics include solar gain, aesthetics, water runoff and drainage, elevation footings and more. Knowing how much solar gain you will have on your structure is important when planning where to put your home. The amount of heat from the sun on your structure will help

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BuildBlock Installation Video Series: ICF Construction Overview

On August 8, 2016   /   Video  
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Construction Overview

The BuildBlock ICF Construction Overview gives you a great start in preparing for your ICF project. Welcome to the BuildBlock Installation Video Series ICF Construction Overview. The videos in this series are intended to cover the entire ICF construction process with important topics, tips, and techniques. This video covers many of the important steps you need to be aware of before beginning your BuildBlock ICF project. These steps include site review, solar gain, drainage, aesthetics, elevation and prevailing winds. These videos will hopefully make your project easier. Stay tuned as we’ll be publishing more steps in the building process in the coming weeks. The

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White Paper- ICFs Offer Shelter From the Storm

On February 22, 2016   /   Asked & Answered, BuildBlock News, White Papers & Research  
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ICFs Offer Shelter From the Storm News of natural disasters appear almost daily in the media. While some events, such as floods and earthquakes, are restricted within certain geographic regions, wind storms respect no such bounds. Some areas of the country are more prone to tornadoes or hurricanes, but high wind gusts can hit anywhere. The potential for hurricane damage increases as more and more people willingly accept or ignore the associated risk of living in coastal areas. Yet, year after year, houses are demolished, and people lose their lives. The challenge is to rebuild in a way that will

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NBC Bank Utilizes BuildBlocks ICF Disaster Resistance Capabilities

On August 19, 2015   /   BuildBlock News  
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NBC Bank Utilizes BuildBlock ICF’s Disaster Resistance Capabilities for security of important documents and equipment.  As far as banks go, this is one of the most energy-efficient banks in Oklahoma. Banks are high traffic, and considerations for foot traffic must be accounted for in the design. ICFs coupled with the spray foam roof insulation lower the utility costs by more than 40%. This project was designed to blend into the surrounding residential area. The owners chose ICF because this branch was outfitted with a data center housing networking and computing infrastructure utilized by the bank.  This room had to be protected from the

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Form-A-Drain (FAD) Accessory Product Changes

On July 29, 2015   /   Asked & Answered, BuildBlock News, White Papers & Research  
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The Form-A-Drain (FAD) product is no longer available with fabric attached to the lineals. This change to FAD happened for several reasons. There is a tendency for the fabric to blow off, or otherwise become unattached in shipping, variance of codes around the country and detailing different application scenarios for the fabric. Some jurisdictions prefer to have the fabric attached directly at the FAD, while others prefer to have a layer of stone against the drainage system, with silt cloth laid over the stone. With the variance in codes, and the storage and manufacturing issues with keeping two nearly identical products in stock,

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BuildBlock ICF Above Ground Safe Rooms

On June 8, 2015   /   BuildBlock News, White Papers & Research  
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Tornado season is upon us, and once again, we in the Midwest and Southeast will see thunderstorms forming and rolling across the plains, and we will look up and wonder if that is just a low hanging cloud, or something more ominous. Safety is of primary concern during a tornado.  It is an immensely powerful, destructive force, which can devastate anything in its path. Historically we in the plains states have been told to move to the middle of your home and either open or close windows depending on who you have listened to.  If you had the luxury of

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Press Release: Reiner Family Builds Ultimate Energy Efficient BuildBlock ICF Home on Lake Miltona

On December 18, 2014   /   Press Releases  
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Reiner Family Builds Ultimate Energy Efficient BuildBlock ICF Home on Lake Miltona For Immediate Release- MILTONA, MN— Dorothy and Glen Reiner are building a lake home using BuildBlock Insulating Concrete Forms (ICFs) and GlobalBlock, BuildBlock’s new all foam ICF.  This system creates the most energy efficient structures possible with modern technology. Located on the stunning Lake Miltona in Miltona, MN; the Reiners decided to build a home that incorporates some of their favorite features from past projects while also introducing new technology and energy efficiency through BuildBlock ICFs. Building a BuildBlock ICF concrete home saves energy and money. The greater

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BuildBlock FieldNotes – 006 ICF Safe Rooms

On September 8, 2014   /   FieldNotes, Technical  
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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. Disasters happen when we least expect them,but are something we need to be prepared for. We wear seat belts and have airbags because we have car accidents.  Our buildings have smoke alarms and sprinkler systems because we have fire.  We keep weather radios and have radar to keep us aware of severe weather. The majority of residential homes in the US are built out of wood.  There is a better way

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Asked & Answered: Do ICFs Need a Weather Barrier?

On August 25, 2014   /   Asked & Answered, White Papers & Research  
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Asked-&-Answered

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 higher class vapor and water barrier than any house wrap product. ICFs must only be protected from sunlight and impacts through coverings such as brick, stone, stucco, EIFS, siding, etc. Building wraps such as DuPont™ Tyvek® and other house wrap products are designed to shed bulk water such as heavy, wind-blown rain. They also allow the moisture that occurs in cavity walls to escape. Cavity (stud)

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Educare Childcare & After School Program Building 75+ Person Safe Room & Media Class Room in Perkins, OK

On June 12, 2014   /   BuildBlock News, BuildBlock Projects, Featured, Press Releases  
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Perkins Safe Room Stacked Ready for Pour

Educare Childcare & After School Program Building 75+ Person Safe Room & Media Class Room in Perkins, OK Educare child care is using BuildBlock ICFs to build EF5 multi-purpose safe room tornado shelter for children and staff at First United Methodist Church in Perkins, OK. (Oklahoma City, OK, June 12, 2014) Educare child care and after school program located at the First United Methodist Church in Perkins, OK is building an EF5 FEMA compliant safe room and multi-purpose media room for their 75 students and 18 staff members using BuildBlock Insulating Concrete Forms (ICFs). The Educare Board decided build this

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