Integrated Concrete Form [ICF] Construction

ircoha

Wondering if anyone has any experience of using, or comments on the above, which had at least 3 exhibitors at the show last week.

www.integraspec.com
www.nudura.com
http://www.ecoform.ie/web/


One thing that strikes me as curious is that, generally, we tend to put the insulation on the outside [aka warm construction]
or on the inside [aka cold construction]
or in the middle [ aka dont know!]

In this system the insulation is on both sides of a poured concrete wall.

Any thoughts?

ardara1

Looking at the Integra spec - their make up is with 64mm EPS either side fo the concrete core, takin gth ecore at 175mm average and the EPD at Very high density - the U-value performance would be aroung 0.24 W/m2K - what were they claiming on the stand?
My concern with all these methods is the intergrity of the exterior finish. One concrete system I looked at on an apartment in Dublin I was interested in offrered on a 25 year quarantee on their expternal rainscreen - it would have had to been replaced before my mortgage was cleared!!!

Do-more

ardara1 wrote:

the U-value performance would be aroung 0.24 W/m2K - what were they claiming on the stand?

0.24 is exactly what Integra quoted me on the stand. I am surprised they weren't showing a warmer option as ICF's can be produced to give very low u-values.

There was also another company at the show Ecoform and one of their builds will be featured in the new season of "About the house" so watch out for that.

From the little bit of research I have done on ICF's, a critical part of the build is the bracing. Once the concrete has been poured the braces need to be adjusted to straighten the walls, so you need someone on site who is very experianced in doing this.

As for the render systems applied directly onto EPS I still need a lot of convincing! There is a closed panel TF close to me and the render is cracked in the corners of all the window reveals and in some places along the joins of the panels, this is after 4 years! The exterior wall is also easily damaged, in one place a mini-dumper took a gouge out of the wall. The companies repair solution was to place a vent grill over the damage!

AJL

Folks,

I am building and put up a SIP panel house. Very quick and clean and solid construction. U value of 0.2.

foamcutter

Some ICF companies use an extruded polystyrene which may have a better U value. (I think www.polarwall.ie use extruded polystyrene).

As for the render systems applied directly onto EPS I still need a lot of convincing! There is a closed panel TF close to me and the render is cracked in the corners of all the window reveals and in some places along the joins of the panels, this is after 4 years! The exterior wall is also easily damaged, in one place a mini-dumper took a gouge out of the wall.

It could that it was badly applied, most use a mesh re-enforcement to prevent cracking. Or it could be settlement in the foundations or just cowboys?

The companies repair solution was to place a vent grill over the damage

This might indicate the level of the quality of workmanship not the material?

Do-more

foamcutter wrote:

It could that it was badly applied, most use a mesh re-enforcement to prevent cracking. Or it could be settlement in the foundations or just cowboys?

They are a big company producing about 2000 houses per year throughout Europe.

The render has the mesh reiforcement in it.

Here is a photo of part of the trouble. The yellow areas were finished in the factory and the white areas were applied on-site at the joints of the panels.

The guys who fitted the vent were subbies and defo cowboys!

foamcutter

Do-More,

thats a bad split, I thought it was only a bad hairline crack!
I imagine that the mesh isn't overlapping or no angle bead.

The yellow areas were finished in the factory and the white areas were applied on-site

So much for doing good work off-site when you see how it's finished off.

AJL,

what kind of finish are you using with your SIPs panels?

AJL

Went with a 4 inch solid block on the outside. Worked a treat,

ardara1

The crackin was probably due to non-uniform moisture content in the different types/age/exposure of the insulation or substrate that it was adhered to. Differing moisture content will lead to differing drying rates - leading to cracking. - Why any body would trust a 10mm render to last more than a few years any way I don't know!

foamcutter

AJL,

Which SIP's system did you go with and how did you find them during the build?

AJL

Kingspan TEK. Very good and fixed any issues. Crowd called TTFC in Wexford.