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Building Stem Walls with Insulated Concrete Forms
After pouring the slab a few weeks ago we were ready to build the stem wall for our crawl space. After a little research we decided to use Insulated Concrete Forms. We were very happy with the product from Build Block, out of Colorado Springs, CO. Each 4′ block was heavily braced with plastic fins to create a a very study wall. We also utilized Build Block’s corner pieces which made our job very easy when pouring the concrete. The corners, typically a weak spot when using ICF’s, were very sturdy and needed minimal additional bracing.
For more information and pictures of our experience with ICF’s check out our blog, here
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We used ICF's on a Habitat for Humanity job years ago - the learning curve was steep but once we got the hang of it the job went along just fine. Nice system, which allows for adjustments along the way before the pour. Instead of a professional dip-style vibrating tool, we used an orbital sander w/o sanding disk of course to set the concrete. Worked great!
Bob