Insulated concrete forms are hollow polystyrene molds that assemble like building blocks to build walls. They combine the benefits of concrete with superior insulation, stability, and environmental friendliness. They are made from recycled materials and have unmatched thermal and acoustic insulation. The molds come in three varieties: blocks, planks, and panels, and can be used for doors, windows, plumbing, and electricity. They require steel reinforcement and vary in thickness and cost.
Insulated concrete forms are hollow polystyrene molds that assemble like building blocks to build walls. The hollow shapes snap into customizable patterns and are held together by connectors and weaves. Once laid out and assembled, the forms are filled with concrete. The new technology of insulated concrete shapes combines the benefits of concrete with superior insulation, stability and environmental friendliness.
Those supervising residential and commercial construction benefit from many advantages of choosing insulated concrete forms over timber structures. Sure, concrete is extremely solid and durable because it can’t be eaten up by insects, inundated by floods, damaged by fire, or warped by moisture. The use of molds simplifies the labor-intensive process of forming concrete walls. The insulated concrete forms themselves are made from recycled material, such as plastic ties and foam cups, so they don’t negatively impact the environment with deforestation.
More importantly, the thermal and acoustic insulation of walls made with insulated concrete forms is unmatched, with R-values of 30-40. An R value estimates the insulating power of any material against noise, heat and cold. These shapes create quiet rooms that maintain their temperature and can save an incredible amount on your energy bill. This can offset the slightly more expensive cost of building with concrete versus lumber.
Construction using isolated concrete forms begins with a floor plan. Then the molds can be stacked from scratch into simple walls. Molds come in three varieties: blocks, planks, and panels. All types allow for doors, windows, plumbing, and electricity, and all require steel reinforcement such as braces and rebar. However, some use more concrete, vary in thickness, or work better in certain applications.
In flat walls, using blocks, a large amount of cement slurry is sandwiched between two sides of insulating material of varying width. The plank shapes are a little longer, allowing for less design flexibility, but require less concrete. In this type, the concrete flows in a waffle-like grid, so its thickness varies from a few inches to a half-foot throughout the wall. Finally, the panels are the largest unit, about the size of a drywall sheet. They form stud-and-beam walls because the concrete fits into a series of cylindrical vertical beams and horizontal studs, with the rest of the wall composed of foam. Because the concrete doesn’t fill the entire wall, the panel system is less expensive and lighter.
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