Hello folks..
I read a few people mention surface bonding cmu block walls, but didn’t take it serious until I did some research.
Seems 50 years ago surface bonding was introduced, but the marketing somehow killed it. Maybe masons felt threatened and that SBC may eliminate jobs. Regardless, I’d like to consider it in this discussion because it could be used for a high performance wall system and it’s DIY..
If you were to use speed blocks, double open end bond beam H blocks and rebar throughout, the concrete grout poured inside the CMU would form a wall very close to the performance and strength of a ICF wall, but at half the cost. No insulation yet, but why would you want foam inside, insulating you from the expensive thermal mass anyway? Foam also shrinks and bugs love tunneling in it to name a few more cons.
Has anyone installed this type of wall and installed insulation on the outside? Thoughts?
It looks like a good choice for a DIY person with time on their hands, as labor is always more than half the cost of a home.
Thanks!
Replies
About 20 years ago I helped with a charity project in Colorado using this technique for homes. Don't know how they were going to insulate, though.
Thanks DanH..
Great testimonial, as there are very few.. How many homes did the church build SBC Dan? Are they still standing?
Here's a few search terms..
Whatever happened to surface bonding?
thenaturalhome.com
drystacked.com
My vague recollection is that there were about 5 homes on the site. They were going to build more, but (another vague recollection) the carpenter's union, who was providing some of the volunteer labor, objected, so they switched to conventional construction.
Have not been back to see how they held up.