From the exterior it is hard to even know a home is of concrete.
ICF (Insulated Concrete Forms)
Most custom home builders know that ICF, or concrete homes, simply put are better built homes then wood framed homes. The hold back in prior years to building a concrete home for most was that they costed a bit more up front, about 10%. With the current 2021 value of wood built homes now equaling that of concrete built homes it now makes concrete built homes a better choice.
Beautiful homes – From the exterior it is hard to even know a home is of concrete. ICFs can be used to build virtually any home plan, using any finish; brick, stucco, siding, and more. Built to last – All concrete homes are designed to exceed standard seismic codes and is recognized as a safer form of construction when hurricane, tornadoes, earthquakes or fire threatens. Concrete built homes on average last up to 4 times longer than wood built.
ICF is a system of forms for concrete usually made with a rigid thermal insulation. The foam blocks will stay in place as a permanent substrate for walls, floors, and roofs adding for greater insulation. The blocks lock to each other as they are stacked and then filled with concrete. Kind of like Legos for builders.
Energy efficient – The mass of concrete slows down the transfer of heat and cold making your home warmer in winter and cooler in summer with less energy.
Lower maintenance – Two of the top causes of exterior maintenance are termites and rotting which concrete homes have a natural defense against.
Environmentally friendly – Building with concrete helps save our precious forests. The amount of land used to extract the materials to make concrete is only a fraction of that used to cut down our forests for lumber. Scrap tires and other combustible waste that would otherwise take valuable land in landfills are often used as a fuel source in the cement manufacturing process.
Quiet and comfortable – The greater mass of concrete can reduce sound penetrating through a wall by over 80% when compared to wood-frame construction. Although some sound will penetrate through windows, a concrete home is often two-thirds quieter than a wood-frame home.
Solid investments – ICF is stronger than stick built homes and safer in hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes and fire. Insurance companies usually offer discounts on premiums.
Beautiful homes – From the exterior it is hard to even know a home is of concrete. ICFs can be used to build virtually any home plan, using any finish; brick, stucco, siding, and more. Built to last – All concrete homes are designed to exceed standard seismic codes and is recognized as a safer form of construction when hurricane, tornadoes, earthquakes or fire threatens. Concrete built homes on average last up to 4 times longer than wood built.
ICF is a system of forms for concrete usually made with a rigid thermal insulation. The foam blocks will stay in place as a permanent substrate for walls, floors, and roofs adding for greater insulation. The blocks lock to each other as they are stacked and then filled with concrete. Kind of like Legos for builders.
Energy efficient – The mass of concrete slows down the transfer of heat and cold making your home warmer in winter and cooler in summer with less energy.
Lower maintenance – Two of the top causes of exterior maintenance are termites and rotting which concrete homes have a natural defense against.
Environmentally friendly – Building with concrete helps save our precious forests. The amount of land used to extract the materials to make concrete is only a fraction of that used to cut down our forests for lumber. Scrap tires and other combustible waste that would otherwise take valuable land in landfills are often used as a fuel source in the cement manufacturing process.
Quiet and comfortable – The greater mass of concrete can reduce sound penetrating through a wall by over 80% when compared to wood-frame construction. Although some sound will penetrate through windows, a concrete home is often two-thirds quieter than a wood-frame home.
Solid investments – ICF is stronger than stick built homes and safer in hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes and fire. Insurance companies usually offer discounts on premiums.
As the blocks are locked together metal rebar is placed in the blocks to add strength to the walls.
Walls are fully built and the foam blocks left still in place to provide the added insulation.
This is the completed ICF home built by Brabec Homes in Vancouver Washington.