Grancrete

[cancertomnpdx]

Does anyone know of any serious US construction projects using "Grancrete?"  The two links below are the most useful demonstration of homes built with Grancrete in Costa Rica:

http://quinnta.com/cp.html

http://la-tigra.com/home.html

From Grancrete.net:

"The Grancrete® house is a manufactured in-situ sandwich panel design.

"The core material used is generally 5 cm thick polystyrene board with strategically placed steel or aluminum stiffening. These core panels are positively anchored to the foundation using an appropriate number of nylon plugs and fasteners, and then secured together to form a rigid self supporting framework

"The Grancrete® house is a manufactured in-situ sandwich panel design.

"The roof is erected in the same manner and positively secured to the walls using steel or aluminum anchor straps.

"Window and door openings are cut in the core material and the frames installed.

"At this point the complete exterior of the structure is sprayed with the Grancrete® material.

"This material cures very quickly to form a hard, dense, concrete-like material that is fully bonded to the polystyrene core. In less than 30 minutes it is a strong as conventional concrete. While the exterior is being sprayed , the electrical and plumbing services are being installed on the interior walls. When this is completed the interior walls and underside of the roof are sprayed in the same manner as the exterior to form a completely seamless, rigid, structure that is completely resistant to wind, rain, vermin, termites, etc.

"The Grancrete® material is completely fireproof, it simply will not burn. There are no combustible materials used in the Grancrete® construction. Not only will it not burn, it will also resist tremendous heat, consequently an internal fire will not destroy or even weaken the basic structure.

"The internal and external walls, ceilings and roof can then be finished to the customer's specifications.

"Window and door openings are cut in the core material and the frames installed.

"At this point the complete exterior of the structure is sprayed with the Grancrete® material.

"This material cures very quickly to form a hard, dense, concrete-like material that is fully bonded to the polystyrene core. In less than 30 minutes it is a strong as conventional concrete. While the exterior is being sprayed , the electrical and plumbing services are being installed on the interior walls. When this is completed the interior walls and underside of the roof are sprayed in the same manner as the exterior to form a completely seamless, rigid, structure that is completely resistant to wind, rain, vermin, termites, etc.

"The Grancrete® material is completely fireproof, it simply will not burn. There are no combustible materials used in the Grancrete® construction. Not only will it not burn, it will also resist tremendous heat, consequently an internal fire will not destroy or even weaken the basic structure.

The internal and external walls, ceilings and roof can then be finished to the customer's specifications."

PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU VIEW THEIR VIDEO HOW HOW A HOUSE IS BUILT.

Thanks,
Tom in Portland, Oregon

[n74tg]

It looks like an interesting building concept; kind of a cross between SIPS and masonry.  

The construction video at the grancrete.net site is worth watching.

I too would be interested if anybody has heard of it being used here in the U.S.