Federal Government Letter – Budget 2026 and investment in Canadian insulating concrete form manufacturing
View full letter here.
How to Find the Right Installer For Your ICF Foundation
If you’ve chosen ICF as the construction material for your foundation you might now be wondering how to find an installer capable of erecting ICFs with quality and efficiency. Well, we have some good news for you. First things first, your local dealer will usually be able to recommend reputable companies who have worked on ICF projects in the area. Secondly, ICF construction is straightforward, so most construction crews without previous ICF experience are able to master ICF installation techniques, as long as they receive adequate ICF training and technical support. In this post , we will walk you through the best ways to find an ICF-experience contractor, or get an installer who’s never worked with ICFs up-to-speed for your project. You can follow this link to continue reading…
Types of Window Buck Systems for ICF Construction
As you’re planning your Insulated Concrete Form (ICF) build, selecting the right window buck system affects everything from budget to installation complexity to your structure’s thermal performance. Window bucks create finished punched openings and serve as the foundation for transitioning the glazing system to the wall assembly, so they’re critical to get right. With numerous bucking technologies on the market for ICF walls, it’s important to know how each can impact your concrete building during and after construction. This blog post will help you understand the differences between PVC, EPS, steel and wood buck options so you can make the material selection that best matches your ICF project requirements. Traditional Wood Bucking Standard wood window bucks are a common and affordable route, but can require a lot of field measuring and cutting to get the right fit for your wall openings. With the pressure exerted during an ICF concrete pour, there are some concerns about the strength of these bucking systems. This concern extends post-construction, as the stay-in-place wood can be susceptible to warping, twisting, decay and termite damage. In addition, untreated lumber cannot be in direct contact with concrete. For the attachment of the lumber to the concrete, usually [...]
Navigating Interior Finishes in Your ICF Home
If you're looking to mount a TV, kitchen cabinets, mirrors or artwork in your ICF house, you'll be pleased to know that Nudura ICF walls have built-in studs that simplify the process of attaching interior finishes. However, these aren't your typical wood studs, so finding and using these internal fastening strips is a slightly different process than you might be used to with wood-framing. Keep reading to learn how to securely attach your décor to Insulated Concrete Form walls, making your space both functional and fabulous! How Drywall Covers ICFs After the Insulated Concrete Form walls of your home are erected, the interior trades can begin. Drywall panels are screwed to the face of ICF walls using coarse-thread screws, which are secured into the built-in fastening strips. With Nudura, these strips are embedded within the ICF foam blocks and run vertically every 8 inches, providing a reliable anchor point for drywall and other hanging objects. Learn more here.
How ICFs Keep Families Safe From Tornadoes: A Q&A with HGTV’s Dave Marrs
Host of HGTV's Fixer to Fabulous, Dave Marrs, and his family are based in Bentonville, Arkansas, an area prone to tornado activity. They have lived through two tornadoes in just the last five years and have experienced first-hand the fear that sets in when winds pick up, the tornado sirens sound and phone alerts go off. In that period, the Marrs family was spared with only some roof and vehicle damage, but others in their community were not so lucky. In talking with Dave about how to protect homes from tornadoes, he shared with us how he recommends building with Insulated Concrete Forms, or ICFs, to keep families safe from these dangerous storms. Learn more about Dave’s experiences with ICFs here and keep reading for a look at our Q&A with Dave Marrs. Q. Having kids, why is it important that a home can withstand extreme weather? Marrs: From my personal experience, it is absolutely necessary to create structures that can withstand extreme weather for anyone you love, especially your kids. Our youngest son, Luke, is still terrified of storms after enduring a tornado. As a dad, I never want my kids to experience that again. Continue reading full blog post here.
