I just had a general question to throw out there.  I have to invest in quite a bit more bracing and was wondering what type of bracing everyone uses and why the do, as well as if they would buy it again or look at a different system the next time around. I'm an ICF distributor and have about 50 braces currently and have to add more this spring.  As always it good to get real life feedback from experiences to make a wise decision.

Thanks in advance,

Dave

The amount of bracing you are going to need will depend on how busy your business is going to be. Are you selling ICF to homeowners and DIYers? How many jobs will be on the go at the same time? My ICF distributer has about 2,500 sets, from 8', 9', 10' and 12' he also has turnbuckle extensions for tall wall pouring. He is also one of the top distributors in North America for the block he sells.

50 sets of bracing won't get you too far on a job depending on spacing. I space my braces closer than most people, I could maybe get 200 feet of wall with 50 sets. That is a really small house!!!

To be a good distributor is all about the service you provide and having ample braces is key to that success. I would rather have 10 extra braces on the wall than be 1 short!!

Having different lengths is also important. If I am pouring a 8' basement I don't want to have to lug around 12' channels. I rent from my distributor and he brings what I need depending on the job.
That said I am probably going to buy some this year anyway. Those will be 9'.

I imagine that I have just spent about $40,000 to $60,000 of your money by now to outfit your operation with a variety of different length bracing, but thats my honest opinion. The more braces the better!!!

Interested to see what others say.

Paul Stevens

PS Chris J. if you read this give me a call and let me know how you made out with those projects you were telling me about.

Paul

Send me an email - [email protected] - I lost your number...blew out the sunroof

Chris

P.S. sorry to hi-jack the thread

I like light bracing but with a heavy duty steel channel three sides plus a lip. Someone makes one aluminum with three sides and no lip and I don't feel they are strong enough.

Ease of use and no pinch points is nice

Chris the aluminum one is the the one my brother and I developed and manufacture.

To my knowledge this is the only one on the market that has been lab tested by a third party lab to exceed the OSHA requirements.

It is also the only one that is labeled according to OSHA standards.

Most all of the products on the market today meet those standards but have not been tested to varify. I have also noticed that most do not properly label the product to the OSHA standards.

What ever product is choosen the most important part is proper installation and use of the product, most failures on ladders, staging, scaffold, and bracing are due to incorrect use and install.

Bill...That is correct...most failures are the users...like the time a GC fell off mine because HE was not using it correctly, ended up with a compound fracter (sp?) tried to sue and when photos were presented and the Cal-OSHA book was laid out it was dropped in a hearbeat, also may have had something to do with me 'offering' to have an onsite meeting with OHSA to review everything and his jobsite was a receipe for violations.

I just purchased another 60 3 weeks ago and my new ones have OSHA approval (minor changes from the old). The one you invented was nice and light, can carry 4 - 12' channels without sweating, 6 if you push it. Without the lip I was getting too much flex in them, add the lip and lets talk I'm always adding to my inventory every year

we used several different bracing systems before knowing the shortfalls of them all and gave up and made our own.

 

we now have done walls upto as high as 40 feet with no scafolding. that was a 3story house with walk out basment.

the slab wasnt poured, and no floor joist at all. striaght up we went. :)

i guess this really doesnt help you much. i tried to paste a picture but its not letting me.

what we found though was that most of the systems will move upto as much as an inch when doing the final steps before the pour. now we dont have that problem. havent had to use our scafolding in years.

our crews are pouring an average of 50yrds and hour. :) just thought i would add that in.

email me @ [email protected] if you would like some of those pictures.