Concrete ICF home continues

[3RRL]

Shees Pat, lol ... couldn't you just have dangle some money in front of them to visit? Man that is one big nice place you will have there.

I did not need such a big basement but due to the slope, I would have had to have a partial basement and crawl.
That is exactly what happened to our log cabin home. Now, because of the super tall crawl space, I'm going to concrete it level and use it for storage. So I'm getting a full size basement, so to speak.

[ding2520]

Responding to the wiring, I wired my ICF home myself. I bought jigsaw blades and ground them shorter in length so that when I stuck it in the foam and turned the jigsaw on, the end just "bounced" on the concrete. The seam where the ends of the block come together leave a "V" shaped ridge that protrudes around 1/4", when the blade comes to that area you have to allow the saw to come off the blocks a little and then you can continue. I made two parallel cuts about 3/4" apart and popped the styrofoam out of the track. I had to do the "router" thing where I inserted a piece of 12" X 12" X 1/2" plywood in the foam where the the stand pipe and water lines for my washing machine was going to be. The router cut foam becomes full of static electricity and sticks to everything.

[BobRip]

I wired my ICF home myself. I used a charcoal heating iron (electric iron that sits in a charcoal grill to start the coals). I cut a groove in the foam for the wires and cut out a place for the electrical box. Very easy to do, with no scrap left over.

[Paddy]

BobRip,

Bet that smelled something awfull! I keep hearing the ele chain saw is very effective with a simple roller stop. I will try several methods to see what is best. Did you do concrete floors?

[BobRip]

BobRip,

Bet that smelled something awfull! I keep hearing the ele chain saw is very effective with a simple roller stop. I will try several methods to see what is best. Did you do concrete floors?

No, we did laminated I-beams and wood floors. We did put about 2 inches of concrete in the crawl space. It makes good storage and it's nice and dry.

The smell was not too bad. The windows were not in so it dissipated pretty quickly.

[dfkrug]

Bet that smelled something awfull! I keep hearing the ele chain saw is very effective with a simple roller stop. I will try several methods to see what is best. Did you do concrete floors?

Yes, the heating element method does stink, and the smoke is bad for
you. I have one of those elements and I have used it in several places,
but mostly I demonstrated it to contractors or DIY builders as one of
several options. Another method the manufacturers talk about is the
hot knife method. My experience trying them (I have never owned one)
is they make a great slot but are very slow and knife is expensive.
Yet another method is putting conduit inside the forms before the pour.

As for concrete roofs and floors, I would prob use Lite Deck or similar for
my roof, if I were to start my house today. I have never worked with it
but I may be helping a friend do it that way, if I can find a way to buy it.

[Paddy]

Dkkrug,

I looked at Lite Deck and other brands. I noted two draw backs, support was needed during the pour/construction until cured, 6' on center. the second point was running mechanicals. some do have a 3" void but nothing side to side. Remember there is a concrete beam running the length. I will be using a steel open web jiost. the joists allow for a 12" round to go through the 'web'.

Patrick T.

[BigFatJoby]

Anyone ever spraypaint a styrofoam cup? Depending on the styrofoam they use to make the ICF, spraypaint may desolve it. Use Red for elec, blue for water, yellow for gas, etc. Paint a stripe where you want things to go, it recesses the styrofoam and colorcodes the hole at the same time. Not sure if it will work for you but I have seen it done before on ICF walls. If paint doesn't work, grab some PB Blaster or starter fluid. Something in a can will disolve it.

Great looking house by the way, the view of the lake is going to be wonderful!

[Erik_in_Hoyt]

Now that you mention it, paint's not a horrible idea - I know the acrylic concrete sealer we used on the floor did a number on our thermal breaks at the doorways!

[dfkrug]

I looked at Lite Deck and other brands. I noted two draw backs, support was needed during the pour/construction until cured, 6' on center. the second point was running mechanicals. some do have a 3" void but nothing side to side. Remember there is a concrete beam running the length. I will be using a steel open web jiost. the joists allow for a 12" round to go through the 'web'.

Virtually all concrete decking will require shoring during the pour and cure.
Technically, an engineering stamp is required, but some jurisdictions may
let you get away without engineering for the shoring.

I have also used the TradeReady steel joist system, which sounds like
what you are describing. I got mine from Dietrich, which cold roll-forms
these C-shaped joists to your spec. I have some samples that are
2x16x 10guage with pre-formed 10-inch holes in the webs for mechanicals.
My deck used 2x10x14 guage, which were only about 1/2 the cost of
2x10 douglas fir PT. All were perfectly straight and weather-proof.
I would have used these a few years ago for my house joists and
rafters, but they were not competitive with TJIs then, as they are now.