Featured here are the hollow core ICF wall system blocks. This pile represents most of the Styrofoam and cement slurry blocks we will need for this entire home. The blocks are 14 inches wide for exterior walls and 10 inches wide for interior walls. As you can imagine the interior walls are great for their sound barrier properties. We use them for the major support walls which only leaves a few minor walls and closets needing timber framing.
The blocks are for the most part dry stacked, with a small bit of spray foam applied to help keep any cement slurry from running out during the infill coat. Raising the walls is a straight forward process using small chain saws to cut smaller pieces. We have created a wooden “jig” in order to cut straight edges and to also cut blocks at a crisp 45 degree angle for corners.
As the larger blocks weigh up to 200 pounds each, we devised a clever way mechanical to assist with manual placement of the blocks. We also created a small platform much like a wheeled dolly for moving the blocks around quickly. We found with enough people placing and cutting blocks that the walls can go up in about a week, or less. Obviously the number of windows and doors in a home design will affect the wall raising time.
Rebar is placed throughout the walls in both vertical and horizontal directions for ultimate strength. The headers above doors and windows receive extra reinforcement when poured. One additional aspect of these blocks that we are fond of is the lack of plaster prep needed. For interior and exterior plastering, they do not need any prep such as chicken wire but can be covered with a few passes of a solid plaster. Of course the brown coat need be solid and a bit hearty if the final coat is a thinner consistency.