As the saying goes, a home is only as solid as its foundation. Concrete is well known for its dependability as a foundation building material, but Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs) deliver a superior concrete wall with greater protection from the elements. So when it comes to choosing the material for your clients’ basements, here are four reasons why ICFs from Nudura® are the way to go.

Durability

When your customers hire you to build the home of their dreams, they want it to last. This is particularly important if you’re building in an area where wildfires, tornadoes and/or hurricanes are a risk.

Nudura ICF foundations and walls begin with lightweight, stackable forms. Each form consists of two layers of 2 5/8”-thick expanded polystyrene (EPS) insulation. Once stacked, the forms are filled with concrete that is reinforced with steel rebar.

It’s also worth noting that, “ICFs are typically known for basements, but you can do so much more than that,” says Alberta-based builder Kody Horvey. “Any type of building can be built using ICFs.”

The finished walls can endure wind speeds up to 250 miles per hour (400 kilometers per hour), equivalent to an F4 tornado, and can stand up to flying debris better than wood framing. There are many examples of ICF homes left unscathed after an earthquake, hurricane, tornado or wildfire demolished neighboring buildings. In fact, owners in disaster-prone areas have used ICFs to create safe rooms inside their homes.

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