Hey all, new member here, been scouring some posts before joining and there is some fantastic info on this forum! As the title suggests ICF vs traditional wood frame. I have, over the past year or so, been investigating ICF construction and really like what I see, read & hear! I have 2 projects in mind right now, a new home and a new commercial workshop. I really like the concept of ICF, but my architect is suggesting a traditional 2x6 wood frame and poured basement will work out less expensive for the home. But when I price out the materials, there really isn't a lot of difference in the cost. I have a background in construction earthworks, and have also renovated and sold, for profit, a few homes, but never built anything of this scale from scratch. (as my user name suggests) The house, currently in sketch phase, has a 2300sq/ft footprint with a ground level accessible basement and main floor, I am considering building the whole structure from ICF with a suspended concrete slab for the main floor. The commercial space in mind would be a 60x40x22 workshop. I am debating a steel building on a slab or an ICF structure on frost walls. Another thought with these 2 projects, both built with ICF is that the cost of bracing etc. could be amortized between the house & commercial workshop then offered for rental once I have completed my projects. I would most likely build the commercial space first, it would be a practice run for the home and also a learning experience. I'm looking for a little feedback from both experienced and first time ICF builders. Are there any pitfalls I should be aware of, or something, I have perhaps, not thought of? Ahead, thank you for the feedback!

The big takeaways with ICF are:

A ) Pay close attention to your bracing

B) You simply CANNOT over-reinforce your seams in the wall So if you're AT ALL worried about blow-outs during the pour, reinforce
- Corners
- The bottom of the first course (seal these too if you can).
- Any wall sections where you have an ICF T-wall
- Curves
- Non-overlapping seams in the middle of walls.
- Above and below (if possible) wall penetrations.

C ) Pay careful attention while the concrete pour(s) happen.

D) Vibrate the wall INTELLIGENTLY. Think Goldilocks and porridge.

E ) Talk with your concrete supplier (not necessarily the transporter, the person(s) MAKING the concrete. Take advantage of their knowledge about various mixes when it comes time to order.

F ) ALWAYS order more than the absolute minimum. Excess concrete can be turned into pavers, retention blocks, etc. Coming up short can screw the whole project and last-second loads can add enormous cost while delivering possibly inferior concrete.

G ) Look into the Zont system for wall bracing. While some hardware is involved, the bracing is mostly lumber. Lumber that can be pulled apart and re-used later in the project. (Less construction waste.)

Posted By Dilettante on 30 Jan 2020 05:32 AM
The big takeaways with ICF are:

A ) Pay close attention to your bracing

B) You simply CANNOT over-reinforce your seams in the wall So if you're AT ALL worried about blow-outs during the pour, reinforce
- Corners
- The bottom of the first course (seal these too if you can).
- Any wall sections where you have an ICF T-wall
- Curves
- Non-overlapping seams in the middle of walls.
- Above and below (if possible) wall penetrations.

C ) Pay careful attention while the concrete pour(s) happen.

D) Vibrate the wall INTELLIGENTLY. Think Goldilocks and porridge.

E ) Talk with your concrete supplier (not necessarily the transporter, the person(s) MAKING the concrete. Take advantage of their knowledge about various mixes when it comes time to order.

F ) ALWAYS order more than the absolute minimum. Excess concrete can be turned into pavers, retention blocks, etc. Coming up short can screw the whole project and last-second loads can add enormous cost while delivering possibly inferior concrete.

G ) Look into the Zont system for wall bracing. While some hardware is involved, the bracing is mostly lumber. Lumber that can be pulled apart and re-used later in the project. (Less construction waste.)

Great thank you for the reply. When I order concrete I've always added 10% to my estimated volume for discrepancies in form work and a further 10% for batching error. That method hasn't let me down yet

If it's not too late, can I suggest StaXBloX Polyurethane BloX. Stax Blox is a redesigned Polyurethane ICF, we just achieved a Class 1 fire rating with a 5' per hour burn rate. Polyurethane is a little more than an R 7 per inch and our BloX are 2.5" thick per form panel, making it a total of 5" of insulation resulting in over R 35 insulation resistance.

Call us at 801-449-1033, please leave a message if the line is busy

Hello. We are a small family owned and operated ICF patent holder. Our blocks are a simple design, easy to install. I read your post and have configured the quantity of blocks required for your workshop. Without window information, you will need 630 blocks total. I could sell you those blocks for $17.95 a piece for a grand total of $11308.50. We also sell foam adhesive and applicator guns if your interested. You can find us at ICF4Less. Happy Building!

I only see recommendations to use white block ICF in this thread. Why not research using gray block ICF, an insulated composite concrete form (ICCF). No bracing required. The forms are heavier and don't move or float when being grouted. No purchase or rental cost for bracing. No bracing to stake, so now you can pour your slab and build your walls safely from a slab instead of the dirt. Made from 100% recycled EPS and cement. Super green and environmentally friendly. It's fireproof! It does not burn. White foam melts and burns. Screen-grid design uses much less concrete grout. Costs less to build than white block ICF. Worth a look, don't you think? Whether you choose ICF or ICCF, both are a million times better than building with wood.