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[Music]
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so
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[Music]
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you're looking at an alternative to
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frame home building that's catching on
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all across north america stacking these
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lightweight insulating concrete forms we
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call them icfs for short it's fast
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and easy
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when you fill them with concrete you get
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solid above grade walls
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it's a cost-effective method to build
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great homes like this homes that fit
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right into any neighborhood anywhere
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with all the advantages of concrete
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like energy efficiency comfort
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durability strength
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and the peace and quiet of a beautifully
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soundproofed home
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right now you're watching a video in a
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five part series that will show you
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step-by-step how to build quality
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concrete homes using insulating concrete
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forms you'll like working with icfs
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they're light
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and easy to use and with a little
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learning up front you'll find that
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switching to icf home building is fast
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and smooth
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okay let's get started
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[Music]
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as you can see there are several
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different kinds of icf systems made by
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several manufacturers now they all work
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on the same basic principle you fill
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foam forms with concrete but unlike
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conventional form work you leave the
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forms in place in other words the
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concrete functions as the structure and
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the foam functions as the insulation
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resulting in strong durable
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energy-efficient walls
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now you can identify the different types
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of icf systems by looking for three
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key differences
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the first key difference is obvious the
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systems vary in unit sizes and
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connection methods
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block systems are typically four feet
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long and 12 to 16 inches high
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the edges have teeth or tongue and
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groove that interlock
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the ties are molded into the foam by the
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manufacturer you stack these units like
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building blocks
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plank systems consist of long narrow
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planks of foam anywhere from four to
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eight feet long and eight to twelve
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inches high
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the planks are held apart with ties that
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fit into notches in the edges of the
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planks you use ties to connect the
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planks to each other
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panel systems have the largest units
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four by eight feet or larger you use
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ties to hold the panels apart and
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channels wire or glue to connect them
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together
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the second key difference to look for is
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the shape of the cavity
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a flat cavity produces a solid concrete
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wall of constant thickness
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this is how a flat block wall would
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appear if you peeled away the
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polystyrene
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grid cavities
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on the other hand are wavy in both
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horizontal and vertical directions
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if you strip these forms away the
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concrete would look like a breakfast
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waffle
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some grid cavities actually have foam
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penetrating the wall with foam stripped
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away the concrete would resemble a
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screen rather than a waffle
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the third key difference to look for in
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icf systems is the type of tie and
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fastening surface
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many systems have a fastening surface
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embedded into the units that will take a
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nail or screw to attach drywall trim
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siding all the things you need to fasten
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to the wall
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often the ends of the ties function as
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the fastening surface depending on the
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system you're using the fastening
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surface can be made of plastic or light
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gauge steel
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some systems are all foam including the
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ties and they have no embedded fastening
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surface some of these systems offer
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optional plastic or steel fastening
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strips
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many block system manufacturers offer
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pre-formed corner units for right angles
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some offer pre-formed units for other
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angles too
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for many plank and panel systems you
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create corners in the field by cutting
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the inside face shells of two units
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short so they butt to form a right angle
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some manufacturers provide pre-cut
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corners they cut the 90 degree corners
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in advance you assemble the halves into
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corner units
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with any system you can always make any
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angle you need by field cutting your
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icfs
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[Music]
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well we've covered some details of the
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major types of icf systems now let's
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talk about the materials in the icfs
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themselves
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the predominant material on icf systems
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and one of the major materials that make
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up the finished wall is plastic foam
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insulation
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most icf systems are made with a
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material called
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polystyrene
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there are two major categories of
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polystyrene
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expanded polystyrene often known as eps
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is used in vending machine coffee cups
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it has tightly fused beads of foam
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extruded polystyrene xps is smooth and
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continuous without the beads and used in
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grocery store meat trays
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eps is made by heating and expanding
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plastic beads and injecting them into a
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mold
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it can be molded into its final shape or
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into larger blocks and cut into sheets
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or planks
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xps is made by heating and expanding
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plastic resin and extruding or pushing
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it through a die
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most xps comes in sheet form
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most systems supply the foam plastic for
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you however some plank and panel systems
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let you specify the phone or buy it
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separately
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in this case the manufacturer usually
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recommends a particular type of
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polystyrene the other major material for
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icf walls is concrete once you place it
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in the form work and it hardens it
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becomes the structure for the
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house concrete is a mixture of portland
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cement water fine aggregate usually sand
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and coarse aggregate usually gravel or
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crushed stone
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your concrete supplier can vary the
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ingredients to change things like
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strength and slump and slump by the way
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is a measure of flow ability the higher
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the slump the greater the flow
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for instance you can use more cement in
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the mix this increases the strength but
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usually adds cost
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or you can increase the amount of water
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which increases slump but lower strength
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one good alternative calls for adding a
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chemical admixture to the concrete
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called a plasticizer it improves flow
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without lowering strength
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[Music]
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some icf systems need glue at the joints
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to hold them down hold them together and
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prevent concrete leakage
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common wood glue most construction
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adhesives and adhesive foam will get the
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job done however some of these can
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dissolve foam so look for an adhesive
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which is compatible with polystyrene you
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need a supply of adhesive foam to seal
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surface nicks and cuts in the icf units
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to prevent leaks and blowouts during
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pouring
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most icf systems have cradles that hold
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rebar in place but a few bars need to be
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wired together or to ties in the icfs to
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keep them in place during the pour
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almost any steel wire will do but rolls
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of pre-cut tie wires or wire coils and
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belt mounted coil holders are more
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efficient
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most rebar is pre-cut and pre-bent but
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you'll need to process a few bars in the
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field you can cut and bend rebar with
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the tools you already have but you may
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want to rent or buy a cutter bender to
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speed things up
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with icfs you're going to need more
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control over the placing of concrete
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than with conventional forms you're
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going to need another standard tool as
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the concrete is poured you can level out
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the concrete along the top of the form
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wall with any straight edge but for
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efficiency use an ordinary mason's
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trowel
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one of the many things you'll like about
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working with icfs
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cutting chases
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fast and easy
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if you want you can use a heavy utility
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knife but it's tough to get a consistent
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cut
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for cutting narrow electrical chases and
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rectangles a router cuts fast and
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accurately use a router with a half inch
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drive to get a cut that's deep enough
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just like any house you'll need to
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attach things to the walls like roof and
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floor framing drywall electrical boxes
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trim and fixtures now if your system has
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fastening surfaces you can use common
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ordinary fasteners like this drywall
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screw in fact it's the only thing you
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want to use for fastening to steel ties
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it also works for screwing into systems
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that have plastic ties
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but if you want to use nails with
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plastic ties use ringed or hot dipped
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galvanized nails
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make the heaviest connections with a j
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bolt or steel strap
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you embed these by suspending one end in
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the cavity and keeping it there during
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the pour
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the unembedded end of the j-bolt is
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threaded so you can bolt lumber or
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anything you want to the wall after the
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pour you can use a variety of concrete
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nails for fastening you can even buy
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powder actuated pins that fire out of a
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gun like a bullet you can also use screw
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anchors these require drilling with a
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concrete bit before you insert the
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anchor
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what about the foam itself
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most icf systems come with the phone
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there are exceptions for some flat panel
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and flat plank systems you buy your own
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foam
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the most commonly used foams are
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expanded polystyrene often known as eps
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it has tightly fused beads of foam
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and extruded polystyrene xps it's smooth
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and continuous without the beads
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the two types can differ in cost
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strength r value and water resistance
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now if you are buying your own foam make
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sure it's the type density and thickness
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recommended by the icf manufacturer
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you should also consult the
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manufacturer's recommendations and the
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architectural drawings for the type and
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amount of rebar you'll need
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the size and spacing of the reinforcing
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steel depends on the requirements of the
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system you use now your architectural
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drawings will often tell you what
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compressive strength you need and your
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icf manufacturer will also have
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recommendations for the best concrete to
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use in their forms
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but you should also work closely with
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your concrete supplier once again if
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you're using a pump make sure you
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mention it to the supplier
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sizing hvac can be tricky to take
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advantage of the icf's high insulation
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and low air infiltration properties the
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hvac contractor should have experience
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with super insulated houses so the
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equipment doesn't wind up being
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oversized
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[Music]
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here we go again setting forms for
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another icf home and we're going to show
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you step by step how to set forms and
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give you some very important tips that
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will help you prepare your formwork
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because of differences in icf units
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setting procedures vary from system to
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system
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before we get started you need to know
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one basic requirement for all systems
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you must
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set the units
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so the vertical cavities
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align precisely all the way up the wall
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this is critical especially for grid
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systems if you don't you could weaken
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the wall because the concrete cast
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inside will have narrow points or even
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complete breaks
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flat block and plank systems must be
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aligned precisely too these ties must
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align so you can fasten interior and
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exterior finishes to them easily here's
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another basic requirement
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for all systems you should pre-build
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window and door bucks to rough opening
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size
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there are two types of bucks the stucco
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buck is designed for recessed in wall
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mount windows
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it leaves a layer of foam on the outside
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that you can stucco
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it's a good idea to use pressure treated
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lumber for the sills you can use kill
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dried lumber or paper wrapped lumber for
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the jams and lentils unless your local
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code requires pressure treated
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if you're using doors and windows with
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flanges you'll need to build flanged
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bucks they start just like the stucco
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buck except the jams and lentils use
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lumber as wide as the total width of the
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blocks and the sills are parallel two by
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threes or two by fours whichever leaves
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a three to four inch gap between them
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for large openings put two by fours
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inside as braces during the concrete
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pour there should be a brace every three
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feet vertically and every four feet
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horizontally
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use nails you can easily remove
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finally put fasteners onto the outside
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perimeter of the buck which will be cast
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into the concrete to hold the buck
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firmly in place
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you'll need to make a few more
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preparations before you start setting
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form work
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the first story of icf form work almost
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always rests on some type of concrete
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foundation of course this is where we
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start stacking forms
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first snap chalk lines on the foundation
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one for the inside surface of the wall
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and one for the outside
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then around the entire perimeter
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concrete nail two by fours or other
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guides along the lines to hold the
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bottoms of the forms during the pour
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some systems have plastic or steel
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channels for the guides check with your
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icf manufacturer
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now if your system calls for it thread a
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collar cut from one and a half inch pvc
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pipe so it rests on the concrete this
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will receive a vertical rebar when the
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wall is fully set
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erect and then plumb door bucks in place
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with diagonal braces or kickers as
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they're sometimes called
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finally mark the points along the wall
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where the windows will go
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now you're ready to begin setting the
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first course
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for block systems begin by setting
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corner blocks in every corner
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some systems include pre-molded corner
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blocks
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and some use a standard or end block
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butted into the corner
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still other systems come with pre-cut
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corners or require you to cut your own
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corners in this manner
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consult your manufacturer's literature
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for cutting instructions you will butt
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and glue these blocks with 45 degree
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cuts to form a 90 degree corner
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for plank systems the setting sequence
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corner placement and joint staggering
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varies widely from manufacturer to
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manufacturer
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some recommend setting one course at a
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time by installing each corner first and
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then filling between corners like the
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technique you would use for block
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systems
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others recommend starting at one corner
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and working around the perimeter in one
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direction setting corners as you go
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you set some systems with the vertical
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joints aligned on the outside and inside
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planks
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you set some systems with the vertical
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joints staggered between courses consult
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your manufacturer for the corner
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placement and joint pattern
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no matter what type of system you use
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you must build corner braces to keep the
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corner plumb during setting and pouring
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nail a two by six and a two 2x4 along
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their edges to form an l channel
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stand its end on the guides
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plum it with two kickers that run to the
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guides
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then toenail it to the guides
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if your corners are pre-cut or assembled
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from more than one piece you also need
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inside braces
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tie the inside and outside corner braces
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together with wire just above the blocks
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or planks
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now you're ready to continue setting the
00:16:50
first course now you can pick any wall
00:16:52
you want to begin setting
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first set a level for the entire course
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by attaching the ends of a string line
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to the tops of two corners
00:17:01
set a standard block or plank next to a
00:17:04
corner unit and measure its deviation
00:17:06
from the string
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shim or shave it to bring it to level
00:17:12
now run a thin bead of adhesive foam or
00:17:14
glue along the edges of the front and
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back faces of the icf
00:17:18
then butt it tightly to the corner block
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until the glue grips
00:17:23
some types of blocks and planks are
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designed to stick to one another by
00:17:27
virtue of the friction of the
00:17:28
interlocking edges and these need no
00:17:30
glue at all
00:17:33
every time you come to a dowel in the
00:17:34
foundation thread the block over it
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when you reach the end of the wall you
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will probably have to cut a block or
00:17:41
plank to fit precisely against the
00:17:43
corner
00:17:44
cut it one quarter inch short glue the
00:17:46
edges and set it snugly in place finally
00:17:49
if the design calls for horizontal rebar
00:17:52
in the first course set it on the ties
00:17:54
inside the forms wiping the ends of the
00:17:57
adjacent bars
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set the second course and higher courses
00:18:01
much the same way as you set the first
00:18:04
with all block or plank systems begin
00:18:07
again at the corners
00:18:09
you need to stagger the vertical joints
00:18:11
for block systems and some plank systems
00:18:13
from course to course for strength
00:18:16
check with the manufacturer for the
00:18:17
correct staggering pattern
00:18:20
you'll probably have to cut a block or
00:18:22
plank to fit when you reach a door buck
00:18:25
to resume setting on the other side of
00:18:26
the buck the next block or plank must be
00:18:29
cut so that its end falls precisely as
00:18:32
it would if there was no buck this way
00:18:34
the vertical cavities and ties will be
00:18:36
aligned properly
00:18:38
when your wall extends above the sill
00:18:40
level of the lowest windows it's time to
00:18:42
set the bucks find the marks for the
00:18:44
windows and draw lines on the surface to
00:18:46
mark the bottom of the rough opening cut
00:18:49
the marked opening to create a notch
00:18:52
place rebar as required below each
00:18:54
opening now lift the buck into place
00:18:58
and attach kickers to hold it plumb
00:19:00
on higher courses set the blocks or
00:19:03
planks up to the bucks and resume on the
00:19:05
other side just like you did for the
00:19:07
door bucks when you get to the lintel
00:19:09
you cut blocks or planks to fit over the
00:19:11
buck
00:19:12
attach the forms to stucco bucks with
00:19:14
insulation nails or screws all around
00:19:17
the buck on both sides to hold the forms
00:19:19
in place
00:19:21
for non-stucco bucks nail 2x4 or 1x4
00:19:24
flanges around the perimeter on both
00:19:27
sides
00:19:28
you'll remove them after the concrete
00:19:29
hardens
00:19:30
place rebar as required above each
00:19:33
opening in some cases you'll need to
00:19:35
install bottom bars and stirrups
00:19:39
now that we've set the top course of the
00:19:41
first story it's time to set the
00:19:43
vertical rebar
00:19:45
here's a look at how vertical rebar is
00:19:47
set in most systems
00:19:49
slide each bar down its vertical cavity
00:19:51
guiding its bottom end into the collar
00:19:54
around the dowel at the bottom
00:19:56
you also need to secure the top so the
00:19:58
bar does not fall against the sides of
00:20:00
the forms during the pour
00:20:02
you can tie the vertical rebars to the
00:20:04
horizontal rebar at the top of the wall
00:20:07
if you are building a second icf story
00:20:10
use rebar that extends beyond the top of
00:20:12
the wall to lap the bars above
00:20:15
wherever you find a gap between the
00:20:17
forms fill it with adhesive foam before
00:20:19
we place the concrete we have some more
00:20:21
bracing to do you see the top edge of
00:20:23
the wall needs bracing to keep it from
00:20:25
spreading out during the pour
00:20:28
they also prevent the forms from lifting
00:20:30
or floating during the pour and provide
00:20:33
a nailing surface for additional kickers
00:20:36
you don't have fasteners
00:20:38
simply construct ladders from parallel
00:20:40
two by fours
00:20:42
remember to double check the wall for
00:20:43
plumb at this point
00:20:45
you can adjust it by moving the kickers
00:20:47
attached to the bucks
00:20:50
if you have long expanses of wall
00:20:51
without bucks you'll need to install
00:20:54
intermediate kickers to keep the wall
00:20:55
plumb
00:20:56
place two by fours vertically on each
00:20:58
side of the wall and nail them to the
00:21:00
bottom guides and the top edge bracing
00:21:04
install a kicker at every vertical on
00:21:06
one side of the wall make sure the wall
00:21:08
is plumb
00:21:10
install vertical and kicker about every
00:21:12
six to eight feet along the wall
00:21:16
some icf manufacturers have bracing
00:21:18
designed specifically for their system
00:21:21
[Music]
00:21:28
well the concrete is here and ready to
00:21:30
place we've double and triple checked
00:21:32
our icf walls because if you do it right
00:21:35
you have a solid super insulated wall
00:21:37
that's easy to finish off
00:21:41
okay so we've set our forms we've
00:21:43
installed the bracing and the
00:21:44
scaffolding we've made sure the walls
00:21:46
are plumb and we've double checked the
00:21:48
dimensions now we're going to show you
00:21:50
step by step how to place concrete in an
00:21:53
icf wall
00:21:56
icf walls are very easy to correct
00:21:58
before they are filled once concrete
00:22:01
sets obviously it gets a lot harder so
00:22:03
here's what i recommend for your first
00:22:04
icf home get everything ready on your
00:22:08
formwork down to the smallest detail
00:22:10
before you order your concrete leave an
00:22:13
entire day for inspection and double
00:22:15
checking everything on the site
00:22:18
now here are some of the finishing
00:22:19
touches you'll need to make
00:22:22
run sleeves through the wall for things
00:22:24
like wiring vent pipes and water lines
00:22:27
to make a sleeve get a piece of pvc pipe
00:22:29
that is just larger than the item that
00:22:31
is to go through it for instance three
00:22:33
and a half inch pipe for a three inch
00:22:35
vent
00:22:36
or three quarter inch pipe for ordinary
00:22:39
electrical cable you get the idea
00:22:42
use a sheetrock or keyhole saw to cut
00:22:44
the hole slide the pipe flush with the
00:22:46
walls and then glue it in place finally
00:22:49
to be on the safe side you should be
00:22:50
ready to fix formwork if it breaks
00:22:52
during the pour by preparing a blowout
00:22:54
kit
00:22:55
blowouts or breaks in the forms are rare
00:22:58
and get more rare with experience but if
00:23:00
one occurs you'd better be prepared
00:23:03
simply cut six squares of half inch
00:23:05
plywood about two and a half feet on the
00:23:07
side in case of a blowout use the
00:23:09
plywood to cover the brake
00:23:12
if your icf system has fasteners you'll
00:23:14
screw the plywood onto the form so have
00:23:16
drywall screws and a screw gun ready to
00:23:18
go
00:23:20
if your icf system doesn't have
00:23:22
fasteners drill 3 8 inch holes in each
00:23:24
corner of the plywood you also need 12
00:23:27
pieces of quarter inch threaded rod and
00:23:30
24 washers and nuts in case of a blowout
00:23:33
you will hold the plywood to the forms
00:23:34
with the rods passing through the wall
00:23:37
now it's time to double and triple check
00:23:40
everything in fact i like to say
00:23:42
check thrice or once check for anything
00:23:46
that might cause difficulty later
00:23:48
because right now problems are still
00:23:50
easy to fix
00:23:52
you can cut sections out of the formwork
00:23:54
for additional openings or you can fill
00:23:56
sections in
00:23:58
you can still rearrange rebar
00:24:00
extra sleeves can be removed or new ones
00:24:03
added you can still add braces at any
00:24:05
point adjust the plumb with the kickers
00:24:08
make sure you have the necessary guard
00:24:10
rails up for your scaffolding
00:24:12
and finally make sure your crew is
00:24:14
dressed for safely working with concrete
00:24:17
boots gloves hard hat and eye protection
00:24:22
[Music]
00:24:28
you should carefully follow any
00:24:29
instructions from the manufacturer for
00:24:31
placing concrete however here are some
00:24:34
general techniques
00:24:36
if you have a three-person pour crew put
00:24:38
two up on the scaffolding and one below
00:24:41
if you have four crew members put two up
00:24:44
and two down
00:24:45
begin with the window closest to the
00:24:47
starting corner placing the concrete
00:24:49
through each window sill place the
00:24:51
concrete until it comes up to the bottom
00:24:53
of the buck sill or is three feet high
00:24:56
whichever is lower
00:24:57
repeat this procedure for all openings
00:24:59
in the first wall
00:25:01
for large openings place concrete in the
00:25:03
sill every two feet
00:25:06
now go back to the starting corner and
00:25:07
place concrete two feet from the corner
00:25:10
fill the formwork there up to a height
00:25:12
of three feet to verify the height have
00:25:15
the down crew hit the formwork with a
00:25:17
two by four block where it is full they
00:25:19
will hear a dull thud and feel a more
00:25:21
solid wall
00:25:22
both crews should be on the lookout for
00:25:24
voids air pockets caused by concrete
00:25:26
that is hung up the up crew can spot
00:25:29
these when the concrete suddenly appears
00:25:31
to be unusually high in the cavities and
00:25:33
they can correct it by sliding rebar or
00:25:35
strapping up and down to dislodge the
00:25:38
concrete
00:25:39
the down crew can check for voids by
00:25:40
hitting the wall in the area of the pore
00:25:43
if they hear a hollow sound they can tap
00:25:45
above until they find the stuck concrete
00:25:48
then they can dislodge the concrete by
00:25:50
placing a 2x4 against the wall and
00:25:52
hitting it with a hammer
00:25:54
most of the time the down crew should be
00:25:56
busy tapping the wall to consolidate the
00:25:58
concrete and fill small crevices once
00:26:01
the concrete is up to three feet the up
00:26:03
crew moves the hose four feet and
00:26:06
repeats the procedure
00:26:07
some icf manufacturers recommend power
00:26:10
vibrating equipment instead of just
00:26:12
tapping others don't recommend it
00:26:14
because it may increase the
00:26:15
possibilities of blowouts consult your
00:26:18
manufacturer's literature for directions
00:26:21
continue to the end of the wall with the
00:26:23
hose positioned two feet before the
00:26:25
corner after you place the concrete up
00:26:27
to three feet in the first wall pour the
00:26:29
second the same way
00:26:31
then continue around the perimeter until
00:26:33
you return to the starting corner
00:26:35
before you start another pass you need
00:26:37
to allow the concrete to stiffen
00:26:39
slightly it's usually stiff enough by
00:26:41
the time you finish the first pass
00:26:43
begin placing again along the starting
00:26:46
wall if the story is nine feet or less
00:26:48
fill up to the top in this pass if it is
00:26:51
higher only fill an additional four feet
00:26:54
place as you did the first pass
00:26:57
if there are any window openings with
00:26:58
sills more than three feet high fill
00:27:01
them before filling the remainder of the
00:27:03
wall
00:27:04
place over door and window buck lentils
00:27:06
to fill up to the top of the form work
00:27:10
again after finishing the first wall go
00:27:12
to the next one and repeat this
00:27:14
procedure until you get back to the
00:27:15
starting corner with all systems
00:27:17
concrete can occasionally push through a
00:27:20
weak spot in the form work this is
00:27:22
called a blowout now this rarely happens
00:27:25
especially if you carefully follow
00:27:27
installation procedure but if you have a
00:27:29
blowout this is how to handle it
00:27:32
the best defense is to prevent blowouts
00:27:35
during the pour tell the down crew to
00:27:37
regularly sight down the wall to look
00:27:39
for bulges
00:27:41
if they spot one
00:27:42
call for the up crew to move down the
00:27:44
wall temporarily
00:27:46
then take one of the plywood squares
00:27:48
from your blowout kit and attach it to
00:27:50
the wall with screws if your system has
00:27:52
fastening surfaces
00:27:54
if it doesn't brace it flat against the
00:27:56
wall with kickers
00:27:59
now the up crew can continue placing
00:28:00
concrete in the wall
00:28:03
if the formwork does blow out call the
00:28:05
up crew to the next wall temporarily
00:28:08
if your system has fastening surfaces
00:28:10
screw a square of plywood on both sides
00:28:13
of the wall
00:28:14
if your system doesn't
00:28:16
secure the plywood through the formwork
00:28:18
with threaded rods from your kit
00:28:21
try to place the rods through foam ties
00:28:23
so you can easily pull them out later
00:28:26
the up crew can now continue placing
00:28:27
concrete
00:28:30
[Music]
00:28:36
after the pour a little cleanup will
00:28:38
save you a lot of time later
00:28:40
clean up any splattered concrete about
00:28:42
one to two hours after the pour by then
00:28:44
it's had time to stiffen and comes up in
00:28:46
clumps but it's still not hard enough to
00:28:49
adhere to the floor ground or anything
00:28:51
else that got splattered
00:28:53
24 hours after the pour you can remove
00:28:56
the bracing
00:28:57
don't forget to save the lumber for
00:28:59
bracing the next story or interior wall
00:29:01
framing or for your next project what
00:29:04
about curing
00:29:05
since the foam form works so effectively
00:29:07
insulates the concrete few weather
00:29:09
conditions affect an icf pour the
00:29:12
concrete will cure just the way it's
00:29:14
supposed to almost regardless of outside
00:29:16
temperature or humidity
00:29:18
you can place concrete in light rain but
00:29:20
not heavy if rain water accumulates in
00:29:23
the concrete it will cause voids and
00:29:25
weak spots
00:29:26
you can also place in wet form work but
00:29:29
drain away any accumulation before you
00:29:31
start
00:29:32
well there you have it one solid wall
00:29:34
that's going to be there a long time
00:29:37
doesn't look much like a frame or stick
00:29:39
build home does it
00:29:40
and i know it may not look like it to
00:29:42
you now but
00:29:43
most of the finishing techniques are
00:29:46
very familiar to you
00:29:53
icf walls can hold just about any wiring
00:29:55
and piping that frame walls can but the
00:29:58
installation is a little different
00:30:00
one practical way to run something from
00:30:02
the inside of an icf wall to the outside
00:30:05
is a pre-installed pvc pipe pushed
00:30:08
through the block before the pour
00:30:11
the trades will find this to be a handy
00:30:12
way of running their wires pipes and
00:30:14
vents through during the rough ends once
00:30:17
the line or vent is installed seal the
00:30:19
gaps with a heavy sealant and have the
00:30:21
siding crew cover over the embedded pipe
00:30:24
you can easily surface mount electrical
00:30:26
wiring and boxes by cutting recesses in
00:30:28
the foam surface
00:30:30
when you have a choice locate the boxes
00:30:32
where the foam is the thickest if the
00:30:34
foam is thin you may need to use a
00:30:36
shallow box
00:30:38
you can use an ordinary knife to cut the
00:30:40
recesses and the chases but a router or
00:30:42
hotknife works much better
00:30:45
set the depth of the chases to the
00:30:47
setback required by local code usually
00:30:50
one and a half inches
00:30:52
the width should be as wide as the cable
00:30:54
so the cable fits into the chase
00:30:57
you can concrete nail or screw anchor
00:31:00
through the back of the box
00:31:02
finally pull each cable all the way to
00:31:04
the box then press the cable into the
00:31:06
chase
00:31:07
you can install pipes between one and
00:31:09
two inches in wall chases as well on
00:31:12
most icf systems
00:31:14
you can fasten the pipes to plastic or
00:31:16
metal ties or use concrete nails if you
00:31:19
have no ties
00:31:20
now for larger utility lines like vents
00:31:23
stacks drains or ducts build a frame
00:31:25
chase
00:31:27
when you're ready to make your hvac
00:31:29
decisions bear in mind that icf walls
00:31:31
produce higher r values and lower air
00:31:34
infiltration than frame construction
00:31:37
so you'll need smaller furnaces and air
00:31:39
conditioning compressors probably to the
00:31:41
tune of two-thirds the btu capacity and
00:31:44
two-thirds the ac tonnage as you would
00:31:46
with a similar size framed house
00:31:49
because of the low air infiltration a
00:31:51
number of experienced builders install a
00:31:53
fresh air intake or an air-to-air heat
00:31:56
exchanger
00:31:57
consult your hvac contractor when you
00:31:59
make your decision let's start at the
00:32:01
bottom and work our way up
00:32:03
you'll need to damp proof any foam below
00:32:05
grade first sand or rasp any extremely
00:32:09
sharp jags in the surface and any
00:32:10
exposed plastic ties that might have
00:32:13
cupped during the pour
00:32:15
now you don't have to get it completely
00:32:17
smooth but smooth enough to accommodate
00:32:19
damp proofer or waterproofer make sure
00:32:22
it's compatible with plastic foam
00:32:24
you can use paint on damp proofer or a
00:32:27
spray on material
00:32:29
membrane waterproofing systems can also
00:32:32
be used as long as the seams don't have
00:32:34
to be heat sealed the heat would melt
00:32:36
the foam
00:32:37
you install windows and doors just like
00:32:39
you do for frame construction by
00:32:41
attaching them to the bucks you might
00:32:43
want to use extended seals on your
00:32:45
windows and extended jams on your doors
00:32:48
well we finished another one and just
00:32:51
like all the other icf homes we've built
00:32:53
rough carpentry tied in with the
00:32:55
formwork beautifully our subs got the
00:32:57
utilities installed quickly and easily
00:33:00
and
00:33:01
it finished out into a beautiful
00:33:03
extremely livable home in fact
00:33:06
that aspect far exceeded the
00:33:08
expectations of the home buyers
00:33:10
so we have some very happy customers
00:33:13
[Music]
00:33:15
and on the outside well it's just as
00:33:18
beautiful a perfect fit for this
00:33:20
neighborhood
00:33:21
or yours
00:33:24
[Music]
00:33:51
you
