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Here are the many advantages
BuildBlock forms have over other manufacturers’ products:
1. Fully Reversible
BUILDBLOCK insulated concrete
forms are 100% reversible while the vast majority of all
ICFs are non-reversible or only partly reversible.
This means when you pick up a BuildBlock ICF block you don’t
waste your time determining if the ICF needs to be turned up or
down or left or right to be installed. With a reversible block
like BuildBlock, it always fits no matter which way you turn it.
When it comes to corners, one BuildBlock corner is the same for
right or left applications. Non-reversible forms come in left
and right hand corners which create several disadvantages.
First, there will be times when you have picked up the wrong
corner and will have to put it down and search for the right
one. This can waste valuable time and be quite frustrating. Our
distributors tell us they can’t count the times when they’ve
picked up the wrong corner with other manufacturers' forms and
marched to the far end of an installation only to find they
needed the other hand corner. This happens time and time again
during most installations. Second, when you get to the last
course there is a good chance you will have the wrong corners
(left or right) remaining. The waste factor for a fully
reversible form can be as little as 1 or 2%, while waste factors
of 5% or more are common with non-reversible forms. When
using products other than BuildBlock, you must take this into
account as well as the extra cost for the extra product needed
to do the job.
2. Corner Blocks
BUILDBLOCK 90° and 45° corner
insulated concrete forms are 6" longer on each leg than the
industry standard. One of the many advantages this gives to our
product is shorter offsets that get you past the crucial short
offset. This eliminates many hours of extra corner bracing, and
extra strapping. The longer corner blocks prevent corner pullout
and head joints from opening up leaving you with a wall that
isn’t plumb or straight. When corners pull out this can
typically lead to blowouts which are common in the industry
among other forms. The extended corner form significantly
reduces corner shifting and enhances the overall stability of
every pour. Our customers have commented time and again the time
savings this one feature has benefited them. On a 4 to 5 day job
this can amount to a full day’s savings in labor costs. Until
you experience it you will never know how good it gets.
3. Numbered and Marked Cut Lines
BUILDBLOCK insulated concrete
forms have horizontal and vertical cut lines on both sides of
the block which allow for much faster and more efficient
installation times. The ability to pick a horizontal line for
your window and door headers saves countless time in the field.
No need for a level to mark a level line to cut on. There is no
longer a need to measure your vertical cuts. Simply note the
measurement number on the block and cut on its line for a custom
cut piece that fits every time. It just gets better and better.
4. Horizontal
Connections
BUILDBLOCK is not a
tongue-and-groove or shiplap-style insulated concrete form.
There are a few brands of insulated concrete forms on the market
that still use the "old school" technology. They are much
inferior to modern forms since tongue-and-groove blocks don’t
have interlocking nubs. This causes other forms to be more
material and labor intensive (including using excessive amounts
of glue, strapping tape, zip-ties, form lock, bracing and crew
training). BuildBlock’s 1-inch repeating pattern and its molded
cut lines pre-align the installation of our blocks and eliminate
block alignment issues that other forms create. This eliminates
block misalignment and the built in furring strips from not
lining up. Giving you a better job every time. Just wait till
you have to explain to your sheet rockers why the furring strips
don’t line up with the use of older style forms. This self
alignment of BuildBlock forms solves all these headaches and
many more. And as a bonus this reduces the need for glue and
other methods of holding the blocks together. Waste on every
project is further reduced to the bare minimum.
5. Half Height Cutting
BUILDBLOCK insulated concrete
forms are easily cut in half to make half height blocks.
With BuildBlock's unique web design, the half height form needs
no additional bracing. This allows for special height
walls without wasting half a block or more on each cut. Use both
halves thus eliminating the waste and the extra cuts needed with
other forms. This also eliminates the need to order special
height forms with other systems (if they make them). Also, the
built-in rebar scallops on the inside of the web will
hold your rebar in place.
6. Block Bonding
BUILDBLOCK insulated concrete
forms bond out to even and odd inches from outside to
outside and inside to outside corners.
They also have a minimum bump factor of ½-inch when necessary.
Of all ICFs in the industry today that have interlocking nubs,
most of them have a bump factor of 1 inch or more. (Some forms
have up to a 6-inch bump factor.) BuildBlock's ½-inch bump
factor transforms into less waste on every project as
well as walls that match the floor plans of your designs.
Another great benefit of BuildBlock’s interlocking connections
is the self-draining nature of the design. When it rains water
doesn’t stay in the connections like it can with other forms.
And in freezing weather, there’s no water to freeze keeping you
from stacking the next day until everything thaws.
7. Tie Web Spacing/Attach Points
BUILDBLOCK insulated concrete forms have web
spacing on 6-inch centers. This is so very important to you, the
owner and/or installer. Most products come with 8 to 12 inch
spacing on the webs. This is a cost-cutting feature and as a
result reduces the over all performance and quality of the
project. BuildBlock's 6-inch spacing eliminates the scallop
effect of the concrete pressure distorting the blocks on the
outside during the pour. It reduces the chance of any blowouts
as well. Having two extra furring strips per block per side
(which are part of each web) give sheet rockers more attachment
points to fasten to. Webs are expensive and having two more webs
in our forms give you the most value-added product on the
market. All furring strips are 15" tall by 1½" wide per 16"
course and have two distinctive marked (sweet) spots on each
furring strip at 8 inch centers vertically and 6 inch centers
horizontally. Marked with a "BB," these spots have a screw pull
out strength that is roughly equivalent to wood or structural
steel studs (close to 500lbs). Deeper “snap-in” re-bar saddles
accommodate two #5 re-bar and the patented corner tie is 6" x 6"
wide and 2.5” tall for simplified corner attachments. All ties
or furring strips are recessed ½-inch to allow stucco or EFIS
applications as approved by the manufacturers.
BUILDBLOCK gives
you the finest ICF products available today.
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