Thanks for everyones response so far. My site doesn't look near as nice as some of those pics, but my rep said it looked great, for whatever that's worth.

It should be noted that on the second picture, the undulations at the beginning and the end of the wall (near the corners) were do to the zip ties that he cranked on so much that they warped the block. I mentioned this to him and he said to just cut the zip ties after the pour. I did, and, as you can see, it didn't make a bit of difference. The good thing is that it's really only one block deep, but it would make for a hell of a time to get my corners for my next level to run right. I think I'll be chopping the nubbs off and starting fresh.


I remeasured today and the worst wall, which is the second pic, was 3/4" off at it's worst point. Some are around 1/2" off. Some I can live with, I guess . . .

Sorry, duplicate post

JEEPSTER
Fiirst thats beautifull countryside! did you not cover the tops of the interlock and nubs when you poured? That looks like alot of work coming your way if not??

Posted By peterswet on 05 Jun 2011 07:16 PM
JEEPSTER
Fiirst thats beautifull countryside! did you not cover the tops of the interlock and nubs when you poured? That looks like alot of work coming your way if not??

I covered the outside, because I'm going with a 6" upper level, which doesn't lock with the inside of the 8" blocks. 

Oh, it is beautiful country.  Sunsets are will usually stop you in your tracks, but only last for about 10 minutes.

Sean

Someone needs to make full wall height or width hot wire cutter that runs against steel rails at the edges and slices away foam to make it perfect. Then glue more foam on if there is no thickness left.

Or just go back to metal forms :-).

Jonr. How many times do I have to tell you guys that we have already engineered the stupid out of ICFs? Take a look. And stand by for Big News before the end of the summer.

I dunno Bruce..your corners look pretty weak to me. Sorry no sale.

Eric, my friend. Do the homework. Withstands over 1,600 lbs per sqft of lateral pressure. At 2,000 lbs, the testing machine broke. Nothing else comes close. This ICF functions on a scale that others can not even conceive of. Look at the pictures -- they don't lie. How strong is your preferred form? By the way, this wall as shown is 8 ft tall.

This 10 foot pour was done in about an hour and a half. The braces were never adjusted and the walls are perfectly plumb and flat.

I don't know but the shadow/light on the left wall looks like there's a significant gap between the wood brace and the top row of forms. The other rows look like they are touching the brace but the top row doesn't.
Are you sure that wall is perfectly flat? The picture doesn't show it.

Galore, you have a good eye. That section was not poured yet.There is a small amount of slack in the steel cross which allows the form to be folded. When the concrete is pumped into the wall, its weight takes up the slack and locks the successive courses of icfs together. From the unbraced side of the wall, it does not look flat before it is poured. It really is a brilliant innovation.

Hi Jeepster,

I have been reading your posts and have also seen the pictures. This is very disappointing too see and feel that everyone has given some valuable information with respect to ICF and NUDURA's forms and how well they perform. I would invite you to call NUDURA directly and talk with them regarding this project (toll free 866-468-6299). This is something that they would want to know about to ensure it doesn't happen again.

Posted By BrucePolycrete on 05 Jun 2011 02:28 PM

You know Bruce, for all your bragging about how strong and straight Polycrete blocks are, and how well they assure your wall will be straight, it sure looks like there are a h*** of a lot braces on the wall above. With that many braces any block will give you a laser line straight wall!

How much effort are you going to put into bracing before it's not much more effort to use metal forms? Maybe like CertainTeed ThermaEZE (interior fireproofing not required) or Bartley Corporation Thermomass (durable concrete on both sides).

It's best to brace every five feet along the wall, that way you get two braces on each form. Remember, the scale here can be deceptive. These ICFs are 2' tall and 8' long, so that piece of wall is 14' tall and the piece that you're looking straight at is 70' long (wide). The camera angle creates an optical illusion on the right hand wall (about 120' long). Makes the bracing look tighter than it really is. And that's a 10" wide ICF. This install crew is very well organized -- looks neat, huh? Also, what looks like a wiggle along the top of the wall opposite is actually an optical illusion created by the hand rail on the scaffold.

Post deleted

Posted By Scarpy88 on 06 Jun 2011 12:21 PM
Hi Jeepster,

I have been reading your posts and have also seen the pictures. This is very disappointing too see and feel that everyone has given some valuable information with respect to ICF and NUDURA's forms and how well they perform. I would invite you to call NUDURA directly and talk with them regarding this project (toll free 866-468-6299 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            866-468-6299      end_of_the_skype_highlighting). This is something that they would want to know about to ensure it doesn't happen again.

I haven't dropped any names.  And looking back, I realize that the block manufacturer is noted in the pics.  Anyone who uses these blocks would know for sure just by description.  I've got nothing against the block.  I'm really impressed with their construction.  The thing that sold me on this block is the fact that they click together, so therefore they shouldn't float, and they didn't.  I measured about an 1/8" compression.  Not bad for seven blocks - 10'6".

I talked to my rep today and although we was simpathetic, he didn't know what to say.  I told him that we should have adjusted the braces after the first lift to get it closer, and he said that wouldn't work, that it needs concrete in the top half of the form to straighten out.  I wasn't going to debate him, since it really doesn't make a difference at this point.  But what a dumb thing to say.  When a brace is anchored to the footing, the brace will travel in an arc.  It doesn't matter if there's concrete in the forms or not.  But like I said, what's the point in debating that.  He said it's textbook to wait till the forms are completely filled.  Therein lays the problem.  Textbooks don't cover real life situations. 

He also said to just attach the next level to the top of my basement course and the blocks will straighten themselves out.  WHAT????  How is that possible.  He said run a string line at the top and true it up as I go.  Great!  So I have two levels of un-plumbed walls.  He still didn't get it.  I tried explaining to him that if the top of the basement wall is not straight, that means the first course of block won't be straight; that means my braces won't be straight along the bottom.  If I have braces that don't run in a straight line on the bottom, and I run them in a straight line up top, I will have effectively made a wall that is out-of-plumb in places and bowl shaped as viewed from the outside.  Think about that shimming nightmare.

Oh well.  Life goes on.  I need to move to the next step, try to correct this at the next level, then deal with the shimming nightmare when it comes to siding.

If any of you know of any pours happening in the St. Louis, Indianapolis, Nashville regions, please let me know.  I'd like to help and learn before my next pour.

Sean