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Hi, Please can I ask for some advice from Nudura users about end caps.

I am building my own house using Nudura forms.  I have reached window level and still can't decide on how to do the bucks. I have bought the Nudura end caps but where I live (an island north of Scotland) is very exposed.  Storms with winds approaching 100 mph occur every few years and there are plenty of windy periods each year (well, most months really!).  I had intended to use timber at the top of the window and use the end caps down the sides, fixing the windows into the fixing strips in the end caps.  My question is whether the end caps provide a weaker fixing point than I would get if I used timber.  Will the fixings flex more in the end caps than they would in timber?

Given that I already have the end caps I would obviously like to use them but I don't want the windows working loose after a few storms!  How feasible would it be to use the end caps and then use extra long window fixings to go through into the concrete?

Thanks very much.

Andrew

Andrew, I would not use the endcaps alone for this purpose. This might work fine in most climates but you have something a bit more extreme. Perhaps you could still use the endcaps in the opening and then as you suggest anchor the frame back to the concrete. Regards.

Thanks for the advice. I'll look for some long fixings!

Andrew - if your concerned about the the end cap/fixing strip to concrete strength, drive long spikes or screws through them now, before pouring the concrete. Its much easier.

aa-uk in our area (Eastern Canada) we mostly see 38mm wood framing used for window openings.
Windows are often surface flanged, and then nailed to the wooden jambs for attachment.
The wood also allows for easier window surround trims inside etc.

Foam end caps, on the other hand provide a better thermal break ,
 and some installers use canned foam to glue their windows into the opening,
which works quite well, being careful to not allow the foams expansion affect the operation of the window unit.

If you're concerned about thermal bridging with the attachement for the window, extend the exterior panel to proper lenght to eliminate the bridging and as Eric said, drive some long spikes in the attachement method for windows before the pour.
Good Luck!

Thanks for all the suggestions. I have had a look at the end caps again and they fixing strip extends out of the back of the end cap so that it will be gripped by the concrete. I will still look at putting some extra spikes in it.

Thanks again.

Andrew

We just completed a home on the coast of south west Ireland.

We used a End cap by a different ICF form, however their much the same.

In our case the windows were “tack” screwed, just to temporally hold the window in place.

An adhesive foam ( Enerbond) was sprayed into the void around the RO and the window.

This is much stronger than any other attaching method I know of.

The window still needs to be flashed as you would normally flash in Scotland.

You can see a You Tube link for this house. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqIDK6P2TXU

Thanks for that Eldon. I enjoyed the video - your weather looks like ours!

Posted By TexasICF on 27 Mar 2011 02:55 PM
Andrew, I would not use the endcaps alone for this purpose. This might work fine in most climates but you have something a bit more extreme. Perhaps you could still use the endcaps in the opening and then as you suggest anchor the frame back to the concrete. Regards.

Very well said. I second this advise!!


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