Day 42: Installing the Insulated Concrete Forms

First here is a view of how the insulated concrete forms (ICFs) are shipped.

 They are shipped with cardboard tops and bottoms and straps to bind everything together.  Each one had 12 sections of ICFs.  I did keep the cardboard pieces to use in the bottom of raised beds or for future projects.  *We put a fence around all of the boxes to keep the chickens away.  Chickens love Styrofoam.*

This is a view from the top.  You can see how the Styrofoam interlocks together.  Inside are areas where rebar is clipped in.  You put it vertically and horizontally to improve the strength of the structure.  If you look further down into it, you may notice (on the left) spray foam.  This is what is used to attach the ICFs to the foundation just as a temporary hold during setup.  The spray foam is also used to patch any holes.  You will see more of the spray foam in a picture further down.  This channel between the two pieces of white foam is where the concrete will be poured.  Our blocks have a 4" channel.  Our exterior walls will be 9.25" thick 

In addition to the rebar, the sections of ICFs are held together with these clips.  These are put in vertically as well as horizontally just like the rebar.

Here is Leo showing off the results of his superior supervisory skills at the end of the first day of ICF installation.  The first layer was the worst slowest to install.  It was a matter of marking off where the doors would be as these areas are left open initially.  It was fairly simple to square up since the foundation was square and level.  The ICF corners are perfectly square.  Still the first round is the most important.  Work was also slowed down by the fact that it rained most of the morning.  It was nice to see progress no matter how little.