Insulating Concrete Forms
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I
purchase your ICFs for my project?
You can purchase
BuildBlock insulating concrete forms at the following
locations: New Form Building Systems located in
Bucksport, Maine Green Building Store in Portland, and
any EBS (Ellsworth Building Supply) location, Contractor
Supply in Bangor as well as
through your ICF builder or contractor.
See List.
How do I know
how many forms to buy?
You can estimate
how many forms you need by following the
estimating guide
located on the button on the left.
What
accessories do I need?
For most
projects we estimate 4-6 cans of Foam2Foam adhesive per story
as well as a foam applicator gun and a can of foam2foam gun
cleaner. You may want to estimate more for more
difficult projects. We also estimate about 3 packs of
36" zip ties for each story. Not all builders use the
zip ties. For waterproofing you can use a peel & stick
product such as Bituthene 3000 or a dimpled drainage sheet
such as DMX. The amount of waterproofing depends on
backfill height. Bituthene 3000 covers 200 sf of wall
area per roll.
What are my
options for bracing?
You can use any
type of ICF bracing such as ReachCraft which is
usually installed on the inside of your project. If you are
diligent, you can also use lumber for bracing, although this
is the more difficult option. Bracing should be placed
every 5 feet.
How can I
install window and door openings?
You can buck out
the window and door openings with conventional lumber (2x12s
for the 6" forms) or with V-Buck vinyl buck system.
These systems need to be braced during pour and form your
nailer for your windows and doors. (Lumber must have
anchors into the concrete for attachment, V-Buck has a built
in J channel) Above each window and door, you must
determine your rebar schedule to build a lintel of
sufficient strength for your structure. This schedule
is determined from the
Prescriptive Method for ICF
structures.
How do I
figure out the rebar requirements?
Rebar
requirements are determined by the
Prescriptive Method for
ICF. Requirements for foundation only building vary
depending on backfill height and wall height as well as
concrete wall thickness (6" or 8" forms) For above
grade, it is also dependant on the number of stories, wind
speed and snow load upon the structure, but is typically
less than a backfilled wall.
Can I get
technical assistance?
You can
technical assistance from the location where you purchased
your forms or you can call us at: 1-877-846-5674
Who do I call
for concrete pumping?
Please see our
list of
concrete pumping companies listed under concrete
pumping on the button on the left hand top of the page.
Can I return
unused forms and accessories?
Return policies
vary depending upon the location of purchase. Please
contact Maine Green Building Store or EBS for their return policies.
If you purchased your forms directly from New Form Building
Systems, please read our
return policy.
New Form Building Systems, Inc.
90
Heritage Park Road, Suite 2
Bucksport, ME 04416
1-877-846-5674
