Mitering an ICF Ledge Corner III
July 27th, 2010 | Common Troubleshooting, Lets Get Technical!
If you’ve been reading with us for the last couple posts we are now on part 3 of the ICF Construction- Mitering a Ledge Form tutorial. We decided to get this communicated out there as sometimes it can be tricky in the field if you haven’t done so before. But after you do it once or twice you’ll be a pro.
Altering the ICF Form Teeth
At this point both sides of the ledges are cut now you need to make sure the proper modifications are made in order for forms to stack on top of a regular corner form and a corner form will sit snugly on top. As well as making sure the cavity is conducive to concrete flow and support of the entire ledge.
Notice the raised flat foam areas in the 90-degree corners. The interlocking teeth will not seat all the way down in those locations.
Rasp down half of the height of the interlocking teeth on the interlocking teeth that will bear on the flat raised foam areas so that the ledge form sits down properly on the 90 degree corner.
Now that the ledge form fit snugly on top of the corner form, we need to remove some foam to allow for free flowing concrete. Where the two mitered pieces of ledge form meet at the very corner, trim the foam within the concrete core corbel area at a similar angle of the corbel on both sides.
This opens up the concrete corbel area for sufficient concrete volume.
Cut and remove half of the interlocking teeth on top of the ledge form that will meet the flat raised areas of the 90 degree corner that will stack on top of the mitered ledge form.
Once the mitered corner is cut and dry fit for acceptable appearance and function, glue the mitered cuts together and stack on top of the 90 degree corner.
Lastly, Secure Your ICF Corners!
Use horizontal and vertical wire hooks to secure the mitered ledge form to the immediate straight forms. The mitered ledge could also be taped together to add further support to the glue.
For Thursday on our Mitering a Ledge Form Series we will go over cutting and placing the one and only xLerator- ICF Ledge reinforcement system. And then we’ll go over BRIEFLY how to do an inside miter cut (The principles are the same, just reversed really)
Mitering an ICF ledge corner II
July 22nd, 2010 | Common Troubleshooting, Lets Get Technical!
Our last post we started our ICF ledge corner tutorial and it will continue on today with a couple more steps! Before you know it you will have some clean cut and sturdy ledge corners…maybe even better than our own Darryl U’s!
Cutting the Ledge Form
Now that you’ve cut the ledge side of the block now you have to do the other. Mark and cut the straight foam panel, opposite the ledge side, at the 90 degree bend location where the outside foam starts. (Noted by the arrow)
After the both cuts are made, the plastic tie insert must be cut to separate the two pieces.
Sounds simple enough huh? Now you have one side of your corner cut. Repeat those procedures to cut the other corner return as well.
Cutting the Second ICF Return
Reminder: Make sure ledge form extends past the corner far enough to allow for a 45 degree cut on the ledge side AND make sure plastic furring strips are lined up.
ICF
For the other ledge form for the opposite return, cut at the inside 90 degree bend where the core starts. The cut is to be a square cross cut. After the both cuts are made, the plastic tie insert must be cut to separate the two pieces.
Now use the rasp to smooth out corners edge to ensure a snug joint and even surface to apply foam glue.
For next Tuesday we will go over some slight ledge form adjustments you’ll need to make to make sure the forms will stack correctly on top of the ledge as well as go over the xLerator modifications so it fits in the corner properly.
Mitering an ICF ledge corner
July 20th, 2010 | Common Troubleshooting, Lets Get Technical!
Common ICF Question
We get a lot of questions on mitering our ICF ledge form in order to make inside and outside corners. Most people get hung up on dimensions and measurements but really there isn’t a whole lot of need for measuring. You need the proper tools to get things done correctly and use a little patience while putting your ICF ledge corners together.
In the following posts I will be outlining a few steps each time to successfully miter you corner ledge forms and reinforce them properly. After we cover those items I will go over a proper bracing strategy for ledge forms as well.
Mitering a 90 degree ICF Ledge
The first thing you need to make sur you have is the proper tools. This will ensure you can move smoothly through the process and make the whole task simpler. Tool you need are:
- Saw
- Straight edge
- Speed Square
- Rasping device
- Tape measure
- Also don’t forget- Tape or Glue and a wire cutter to cut xLerator
Next you need to place the ledge form on top of a 90 degree ICF corner. Make sure to place the ledge form far enough past the corner to allow enough room for the 45 degree cut and be sure the furring strips are lined up with each other.
Using the speed square and straight edge, mark and cut the LEDGE side at 45 degrees from the INSIDE edge of the 90 corner form.
Come back on Thursday for Mitering a Ledge Form part II, as we continue on our ICF ledge form corner tutorial.
Cascade Meadows Science Center
June 17th, 2010 | Project Showcase
| PROJECT NAME: | Cascade Meadow Science Center |
| LOCATION: | Rochester, MN |
| ARCHITECT: | LHB Corporation |
| CONTRACTOR: | Alvin E. Benike, Inc. |
| OWNER: | Cascade Meadow Wetland Corporation |
Project Details:
Quantity of Insulating Concrete Forms – 2,200 13″ Forms
Ready Mix used: 11,000 cubic yards
The Cascade Meadow Science Center is a research and education facility dedicated to environmental education, with a focus on energy, water and wetlands. Upon completion, the Center will house a reception area, interactive exhibit spaces, a large conference and meeting space, a science lab for the study of native wetlands, a conference room, and offices for staff and on-site educators. The grounds will feature a restored wetland and lake with outdoor learning stations and trails.
In pursuit of LEED® Platinum Certification, one component of the 16,000 square foot center is Reward® Insulating Concrete Form (ICF) technology for the above grade exterior walls. ICFs offer many sustainability benefits for both commercial and residential structures, including energy savings of up to 50-80 percent over traditional wood framed buildings. ICF walls have also been tested to withstand tornado winds exceeding 200 mph. They are far quieter and provide for a clean indoor air environment that eliminates the possibility of mold growth within the exterior walls.
“The Cascade Meadows Science Center will serve as a catalyst for meaningful and enduring learning that promotes sustainable living through exhibits, events, seminars, conventions and more. Cemstone and Reward are proud to play a role in this important and significant endeavor by demonstrating how the use of ICF technology can help create a more sustainable structure. The ICF portion of the Cascade Meadow Science Center went really smoothly. We’ve done several ICF projects together with Reward and Cemstone. It’s easy construction in terms of design – and our contractor has lots of ICF experience. The most important advantage for the building owner is energy efficiency and a higher R-value. In addition, ICF buildings are quieter inside, which is very important in many residential applications. Using concrete in an ICF building also helps contribute to LEED points. It’s also a benefit to LHB to have representatives from Reward and Cemstone available to answer questions. We’d recommend ICF construction – the buildings speak for themselves!”
Anne Ryan, Project Architect, LHB, Inc.
Concrete Floors and ICFs
May 18th, 2010 | Lets Get Technical!
Commercial and larger projects that require longer floor spans, fire rated and noncombustible floors or stronger and thinner floors can be constructed with one of the concrete floor options discussed below. Each of the options has its own advantages.
Precast Hollow Core Concrete Floor
Precast hollow core planks are manufactured at a factory and delivered to the job site. Overhead cranes are used to lift the planks into position. The planks are usually 3 or 4 feet wide with grooves on the sides. After the planks are craned into place side by side, the grooves are grouted together and a concrete topping is placed over the entire top of the hollow core floor.
The hollow core floor is connected to the insulating concrete wall by 90-degree bent rebar placed between the planks in the grouted groove area. The vertical rebar or vertical rebar dowels must extend past the first and second concrete pour a minimum of 40 bar diameters. The minimum bearing area, concrete wall and rebar connection must be designed by an engineer of record.
It is very important to pre-plan by figuring out the elevation of the floor with respect to the hollow core depth and the iForm height to optimize the construction efficiency and minimize form support. The iForm is usually stacked so that the top of the plank elevation will be at the top of an iForm course. This will minimize form support on the exterior of the wall.
The planks can be installed to either bear directly on the wall or to bear on the Ledge ICF. The Ledge Form from Reward, reinforced with the xLerator, has a uniform bearing capacity of 1,700 plf. The planks can not be placed on the Reward wall until the concrete in the insulated concrete form has reached adequate strength.
And for the daily followers out there there will not be a post until June 3rd due to blog master Troy leaving for a couple weeks to get married and to honeymoon in Hawaii.
Concrete Home in the Mountain
May 6th, 2010 | Project Showcase
ICF Mountain Getaway
Sitting on top of a breezy mountain edge, overlooking valleys of Colorado, and surrounded by wildlife sits a newly finished insulated concrete form home, constructed by Brady Contracting and Developing. Talk about a getaway…I’ll wait to be invited for the weekend. Some unique features, which are highlighted in photos below, are the photovoltaic panels, battery backups, a gorgeous radius wall and a winding staircase.
Currently we are gathering energy use data. We will report that once that is shared with us if the owner doesn’t mind.
Located near Boulder, CO
About 1,100 13″ Reward ICFs used
ICF construction photos
Finish Photos
So there you have it. If I make it on the roof of that ICF house for a dinner party, I’ll be sure to let you all know.
Concrete Consolidation Update
May 4th, 2010 | Lets Get Technical!
I’m re-posting a new segment to our technical bulletin that will reflect in all of our product manuals and official recommendations in regards to the consolidation of concrete in our insulating concrete forms. The need for revision comes from the fact our ICFs have ties 6 inch on center , which allows for more support of the EPS panels to handle internal vibration, whereas forms with wider spacing between ties, run the risk of not being able to handle the internal pressure.
Officially Going on Record
We recommend internal vibration as it is the best method for proper consolidation and our insulated concrete form is designed to perform better than any other insulated concrete form out there.
The changed verbiage is below:
A good flowable concrete mix is the first step towards ensuring a well consolidated solid concrete wall. Additionally, to prevent voids and honeycombing and ensure that solid contact is made with the reinforcement bars, it is very important to consolidate the concrete as it is being placed in every lift. While ICF professionals often employ various methods to accomplish this, Reward Wall Systems recommends using the internal vibration method.
Internal vibration can be used with a light-duty pencil vibrator. The wand should not be greater than 1” in diameter. When vibrating the wall internally always keep the vibrator moving fast in and slow out. Do not leave it in one spot very long. This is the best method but appropriate caution should be used to avoid deflections or blowouts in the wall.
Internal vibration has proven to be performed effectively with the Reward product without creating bulging or blowouts within the wall. The Reward iForm has plastic tie inserts spaced 6 inches on center that support the foam panels every 48 square inches. This provides a strong form for placing concrete and internally vibrating the wall.
Earth Day and ICFs
April 22nd, 2010 | From the Field, Holiday, Marketing
I know it’s Earth Day and all, however being in the ICF industry and trying to sell the world a better building product to reduce energy use every day seems like Earth Years at Reward Wall Systems. So, in lieu of a cheesy “save the planet” blog, I was going to re-post a blurb on an ICF home surviving severe weather. I was reminded of this as we are due for severe weather here in Nebraska in the next day or so.
ICFs and Severe Weather
Sandwiched between the “insulating” and the “forms” is Concrete. Steel reinforced concrete used in ICFs are perfect for homes and businesses where their top concern is occupant safety (shouldn’t that be everywhere?). Concrete homes have documented track records of withstanding all types of natural disasters including tornadoes, hurricanes, and earthquakes. ICF walls have been missile tested numerous times and shows the wall easily repelling projectiles without any structural damage, where as CMU, brick, and 2×4 construction fell apart and allowed penetrations. The house below, was in the process of being built when an F4 tornado went directly over its neighborhood.
Concrete Home Still Standing After Tornado Strikes Stoughton, Wisconsin
The ability of ICF homes to withstand hurricane- and tornado-force winds has long been known, but was made even more evident on August 18th when a tornado destroyed most of the homes in a Stoughton, Wisconsin neighborhood. When the air cleared, one home was still standing with almost no damage: a concrete home, currently under construction, built with insulating concrete forms (ICFs) from Reward Wall Systems.
The pictures are worth more than the words I can type. Happy Earth Day and be safe this severe weather season.
ICF Student Residence Hall Part III
March 11th, 2010 | From the Field, Marketing, Project Showcase
Wrapping up this project highlight I wanted to give some special credit to the guys who actually put this thing together. As Reward is just the insulating concrete forms, some one has to know how to stack ICFs, align ICFs, and pour concrete as well…oh yeah and DESIGN using ICFs.
ICF Construction and Design Team
Owner: Pegasus Group/Carleton College
Architect: LHB
General Contractor: J.E. Dunn Construction
ICF Installer: Northland Concrete and Masonry
ICF Distributor: Cemstone
Some Cool ICF Pictures
The picture above shows a sunny, however frigid day in Minnesota. If you have been up there in the winter months you know it can get pretty serious. But with the dorms needing to be ready for fall semester they worked through the winter in sub freezing temperatures. Many days hit below zero, but luckily ICFs allow for concrete placement and curing with sub freezing temperatures.
This picture below is a meat thermometer(highly sophisticated measurement) stuck in an ICF and the concrete after placement. It shows what the curing temperature is of the concrete…100 degrees. The outside air temperature was under 20 degrees.
Finished Insulating Concrete Form School
Please enjoy the pictures of this awarding winning school.
As the year goes on and hopefully this projects racks up a couple more awards and we’ll post some updates on the continual energy use and any more ambitions from that campus.
Reward on PBS Series Hometime
March 9th, 2010 | From the Field, Marketing
Hometime Television Series and ICFs
Once in awhile an opportunity comes up where we can get our product on TV. It worked out at the end of the year in 2009 to partner with Hometime on PBS, as they planned to build the foundation of a beautiful home out of ICFs just outside of Minneapolis. The show also teamed up with Cemstone, and their pretty blue trucks, in Minnesota for the concrete placement.
Below is the show broken into 5 parts, for ease of downloading. If you would like to request a full version to use for your home shows involving Reward please contact us and we will see what we can do.
I got rid of the embedded players, so to view videos they will download and start when you click a link. Files sizes range from 5mb to 10mb, so please be patient.
ICFs on Hometime Part 1
ICFs on Hometime Part 2
ICFs on Hometime Part 3
ICFs on Hometime Part 4
ICFs on Hometime Part 5