What is ICF?
Are you looking for a “Green” building material? Then take some time to explore building with an Insulated Concrete Form (ICF) system.
ICF stands for Insulated Concrete Form. Insulated Concrete Forms, or ICFs, are a type of form used to build high performance, solid concrete wall structures for both residential and commercial projects. The Flexx-Block and Fold-From insulating concrete form products distributed by Upland Corporation are pre-assembled and interlocking “building blocks” that consist of parallel planks of expanded polystyrene spaced apart with patented folding “webs”. The patented folding web feature allows our ICF Blocks to fold flat for shipping – this allows for more efficient shipping of material to your job site and significant cost savings. The ICF Blocks are designed to create an easy and economical method for pouring insulated concrete wall. The magic of ICF Blocks is that they are light and easy to work with when building concrete walls from 4” to 16” thick. With ICF construction the insulting foam forms remain in place after the concrete is poured and remain in place as the exterior and interior building insulation. Continuous polypropylene strips molded in the block every 6” allow for easy attachment of interior and exterior building finishes.
- Energy Efficiency
- Wind Resistant
- Peace & Quiet
- Healthy Interior Environment
- Affordable
- Versatile
- Adaptable
- Environmentally Friendly
- Tax Advantages
- Fire Resistance
Efficiency: The poured concrete walls with 2” of polystyrene insulation on either side create a “high mass”, high performance wall with no air infiltration and no hot or cold spots. Minimum R-values of R-23 can be achieved, with an overall assembly “Dynamic R-value Equivalent” of up to R-40 possible.
Wind Resistant: Solid concrete walls formed with ICFs have proven to be the best protection against flying debris created by winds as high as 250 mph compared to conventional framed walls and hollow concrete block walls.
Peace & Quiet: Solid concrete is regularly used as an economical barrier to sound pollution. A structure’s resistance to sound penetration is described as an STC (Sound Transmission Class) rating. Higher STC ratings mean better resistance to sound penetration and pollution. ICF walls provide extremely high STC ratings.
Healthy Interior Environment: ICF and concrete do not contribute to mold growth and zero air infiltration rates mean less entry of allergens.
Affordable: Our ICF products are competitively priced in quantities you need to complete your project. We maintain warehouse inventory of the most often ordered ICF core widths and all the ICF accessories required to build a complete project. ICF construction currently qualifies for Federal and State Energy Tax incentives for energy efficient building. For the homeowner ICF construction requires smaller heating and cooling equipment sizes --- leading to lower long term utility costs. Structures using ICFs cost a little more to construct, but are less costly to maintain and operate over their entire life-cycle than those built using conventional systems.
Versatile: The ICF system is a cost-effective technique for building warehouses, office and retail complexes, multistory industrial structures, and special-use buildings.
Adaptable: The ICF system can be used to create special shapes for a more customized look. Year-round versatility is achieved by reducing the costs associated with concrete or masonry construction during cold or extremely hot weather construction.
Environmentally Friendly: ICF products contain recycled pre and post-consumer polystyrene. Polypropylene web pieces are recyclable. ICF high performance building components contribute to conservation of natural resources and reduce fuel consumption over the total life cycle of the building.
Tax Advantages: State and Federal Tax credits and rebates are available for some buildings constructed of ICF blocks. Check with your tax advisor or consult the ICF resource list for web sites that may help you determine if your project qualities.
Fire Resistant: Preferred for “fire” walls, ICF construction can achieve typical 2-hour fire rating on concrete walls with protected polystyrene or with removal expanded polystyrene forms.