Offering the best products
Insulated Concrete Form walls provide a continuous layer of insulation, keeping the temperature the same everywhere.
Insulated Concrete form homes are quiet, comfortable, and provide even temperatures, protecting your family against the harshness of the outdoors.
ICF Companies
Based in Omaha NE, Fox Blocks has been making ICF’s since 2005 and is one of the Largest ICF manufacturers in the United States and Canada.
Their standard form is available in 4″ 6″ 8″ 10″ and 12″ core sizes and has an EPS thickness of 2 5/8″ on each side for an R-value of 23. It features a full height 16″ tall- 3/16″ thick, 1 1/2″ wide tie- 8″ on center for fastening interior and exterior finishes. Fox also offers their Compact system for lower freight cost as well as the Reveal One system which has the standard 2 5/8″ EPS panel on one side and a wood plywood panel on the other side which can be removed for a concrete finish. Fox has the Fox Buck, and EPS Buck system for window and door framing that eliminates the thermal bridging of wood and keeps air and water from penetrating between the concrete and buck. It offers the same benefits of the Gorilla Buck.
Manufactured in Watertown SD, Stronghold ICF is the newest form on the market and is available in 6″ and 8″ core with more sizes coming. It has an EPS thickness of 2 3/4″ on each side for an R-value of 24. It features a locking full height 16″ tall- 3/16″ thick, 1 1/2″ wide tie- 8″ on center for fastening interior and exterior finishes.
ICF Accessories
Window and Door Block Framing
Manufactured in Watertown SD, Gorilla Bucks made of EPS foam and polypropylene for window and door block framing offers better insulation and better air and water sealing compared to wood bucks. The EPS Bucks are lightweight, self aligning to the plane of wall and easier to cut than wood bucks. They also are much easier to cut holes thru for concrete placement below openings than wood bucks.
Basement and Waterproofing
Manufactured in Ontario Canada, Dorken Delta -MS – Below grade Dimpled Membrane with its exclusive Air-gap technology keeps buildings dry and protected. Made of high density polyethylene, the vacuum-formed dimpled pattern creates an air gap between the membrane and ICF wall, allowing water to drain if it gets behind the membrane, keeping basements dry and protected. It is the best waterproofing we have found for ICF’s and it costs less in both material and labor to install than peel and stick rubber membranes. Rubber membranes and spray or brush on membranes we have found to be easy to puncture during backfilling or with soil settling and often leak, as water pressure builds up without an air gap. Water under pressure will find its way through a pinhole and leak to the interior. Rubber membranes really need a protection board to be used on ICF walls to perform over the long haul, which adds additional cost in materials and labor.
Basement Drainage
Manufactured in Janesville WI, Form-A-Drain Plus is the 3 in 1 solution that forms footings, provides an integrated drainage system and can also be used to vent radon gas. We have found it is easier to install level footings as the lineals can be flexed and staked level unlike wood forms. It also puts the drains, inside and outside the footings in perfect location, level and below the slab height. Regular drain tile often is hard to install level, and the ups and downs allow silt to settle in the lower spots, contributing to cloggings of the drain tile. Often round drain tile is installed on top of footing outside of foundation which is often higher in elevation than interior slab height allowing water in the basement.
ICF Floor and Roof Connectors
The ICFVL CW and W ledger connectors are engineered to solve the challenges of mounting wood or steel ledgers for floor systems on ICF walls. The Simpson system is easy, fast to install and does not compromise the insulation of the wall assembly. For Roof connection we carry and recommend the META/HETA bracket with a 24″ strap that goes over the top chord of truss that ensures the roof will stay intact in the event of high winds or tornadoes. Originally developed for the coastal hurricane areas, these brackets offer many advantages over a wood top plate, both in superior uplift strength in the event of bad storms, but also has huge benefits in making the home more energy efficient by eliminating the thermal bridging caused by the wood in an area of the outside wall that is prone to heat loss in winter and heat gain in summer. As an added benefit the overall cost is much less than installing a wood plate with sill sealer, anchor bolts and a hurricane clip from plate to truss, especially when you take labor into consideration.
Polyurethane Foam Glue and Sealants
We have found that the Todol foam products made in Germany are superior to the other foam products on the market. We stock the EZ Flo which makes a great foam to foam adhesive as well as a window and door sealant that will not bow window and door jambs like so many do on the market. We also have Pur Stick adhesive that makes a great subfloor adhesive or for gluing drywall to wood or ICF’s. Todol also has a cold weather adhesive for winter installations. We also carry foam guns from eco to professional versions. Todol also offers 2 -part EZ-Flo foam kits for insulating larger area’s like over ICF walls between roof trusses.