Hello All- First time user. I am planning a home build on acreage in North Central Colorado at 7K ft. I am keen on using ICF construction and have been researching extensively. Single level, on-slab with radiant (geothermal) heat/cool. Three rectangular bedroom/bathroom "pods"(18'x 30') and one rectangular great room (27'x 38') all connected by 5' wide connectors. The walkway connectors will also be radiant slab and ICF walls. Bedroom walls 10' high and great room possibly 14' high. Flat roofs on all buildings. Large windows on N and S ends for solar gain and ski hill views. I am GC-ing this build myself. I have reached out to various contractors in my region with most trying to talk me out of ICFs. Apart from proper bracing, am I missing something? It feels like there is some big secret about ICF's that no one is sharing. Thoughts?

Many people don't like change. ICF is a little tricky on electrical and hanging drywall and cabinets...

I kinda disagree about the drywall and cabinets. We run 1/2" plywood where cabinets go and you can use less drywall screws since the drywall in not a structural component like a framed house. Plus I like using gun foam behind everything. With icf you have a sold base to attach everything. For boxes an electric hot wire cutter works best and electric chainsaw for the electric runs. Messy but quick. As far as bracing use the zonts and zuckles from Fab Form. Use them, then put them out for sale after you're done. I've switched over to them. Simplicity.

Yeah that sounds about right.

I am assuming the 1/2" plywood takes the place of drywall in those areas? Is that 1/2" enough to solidly hang the cabinets? Thank you for the info.

With ICF it is harder for the drywallers to hit the plastic studs and the plastic strips out....If the block isn't assembled right there might not even be plastic studs there to attach to....

Transitioning from drywall to plywood seems like an extra step that will cause a raised area in the wall and cabinets to not sit flat on.

It will be harder and cost more to find electricians that will work with foam....boxes cost more and more labor intensive.

Once a wall is poured it can't be moved or straightened....it has to be right the first time.

Sill plates are more work along with joist hangers.

We love our last two ICF houses, but there is more to build them. They are worth it....

The plywood is strong enough for cabinets with aunt Tilley's china in it . The reason for the plywood is the cabinets may not line up with the webs. A web has a pullout strength of at least 175 psi. You can pepper the plywood with screws and nails.
You want to cut the plywood slightly smaller than the cabinets so the drywall goes behind the cabinets for backsplash continuity. As far as drywallers hitting the webs, most are continuous from top to bottom and 1.5" wide and 8" on center or 6" on center. One trick is to mark the webs on the sub floor with a heavy carpenters pencil before the drywall goes on. Usually my drywaller will only put 2 crews in the field per web and the rest on the edges. As I said I like a squirt of foam behind the board. As a experiment we even used a coiled roof nail gun to install the drywall.

Good intel. Thank you.

Posted By smartwall on 04 Feb 2021 11:35 PM
The plywood is strong enough for cabinets with aunt Tilley's china in it . The reason for the plywood is the cabinets may not line up with the webs. A web has a pullout strength of at least 175 psi. You can pepper the plywood with screws and nails.
You want to cut the plywood slightly smaller than the cabinets so the drywall goes behind the cabinets for backsplash continuity. As far as drywallers hitting the webs, most are continuous from top to bottom and 1.5" wide and 8" on center or 6" on center. One trick is to mark the webs on the sub floor with a heavy carpenters pencil before the drywall goes on. Usually my drywaller will only put 2 crews in the field per web and the rest on the edges. As I said I like a squirt of foam behind the board. As a experiment we even used a coiled roof nail gun to install the drywall.

Appreciate the tips.

Posted By get benji on 05 Feb 2021 04:27 AM
Good intel. Thank you.

That screw detail wont pass code and my inspector will not pass you....he found one missing screw in one wall that had to much spread...Was able to fix it while he was there. Code is Code unless you got an architect that will sign off on it.

Exactly the same Engineer/Architect I use on all my builds. As I stated here many times I only pour mono pour. Footing, walls and floor. I also don't use a top plate, with the energy heel trusses installed in icf hangers in the wall. Everything I do saves time and leads to a better product for my customers. She's on board with all my ideas if they prove sound. When spring hits in the next few months I going to bring out something that I can't believe nobody in the industry has figured out. It will be interesting.

Exactly the same Engineer/Architect I use on all my builds. As I stated here many times I only pour mono pour. Footing, walls and floor. I also don't use a top plate, with the energy heel trusses installed in icf hangers in the wall. Everything I do saves time and leads to a better product for my customers. She's on board with all my ideas if they prove sound. When spring hits in the next few months I going to bring out something that I can't believe nobody in the industry has figured out. It will be interesting.

Exactly the same Engineer/Architect I use on all my builds. As I stated here many times I only pour mono pour. Footing, walls and floor. I also don't use a top plate, with the energy heel trusses installed in icf hangers in the wall. Everything I do saves time and leads to a better product for my customers. She's on board with all my ideas if they prove sound. When spring hits in the next few months I going to bring out something that I can't believe nobody in the industry has figured out. It will be interesting.

Posted By smartwall on 05 Feb 2021 03:38 PM
Exactly the same Engineer/Architect I use on all my builds. As I stated here many times I only pour mono pour. Footing, walls and floor. I also don't use a top plate, with the energy heel trusses installed in icf hangers in the wall. Everything I do saves time and leads to a better product for my customers. She's on board with all my ideas if they prove sound. When spring hits in the next few months I going to bring out something that I can't believe nobody in the industry has figured out. It will be interesting.

The problem is you are telling people to do things that, unless they have an architect willing to sign off on, they potentially will have problem with their inspector about. Good tips and ideas though.

Just checked out of curiosity and you can reduce screws in the field if you use an adhesive according to the IBC It should be a moot point because the purpose of drywall over a icf is for fire code and not structural anyway.

Posted By smartwall on 06 Feb 2021 01:32 PM
Just checked out of curiosity and you can reduce screws in the field if you use an adhesive according to the IBC It should be a moot point because the purpose of drywall over a icf is for fire code and not structural anyway.

Thank you for investigating. Makes perfect sense.