Locally there was a big hub-bub about our local animal shelter. They needed money for a new building and were successful in raising said funds. They used a product called Apex Block:http://apexblock.com/ (http://apexblock.com/)
It's an ICF Hybrid. It's concrete mixed with polystyrene.
(http://apexblock.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/IMG_6174_block-72dpi-300x300.png)
You put the darn things together like legos and dump concrete in them. Unlike traditional ICF's you use less concrete. Lowes sells them locally for $35 and change each. They are 16" wide by 48" tall by 10" thick. R Value comes out to 52. The DH and I have debated and change dour minds so many darn times on building materials and styles, but we might actually agree that these might be the way to go. They did blow up a wall with C4 lol We want to build ourselves and hemmed and hawed about hiring out, but these look pretty darn forgivable if you fudge something up.
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For the price of lumber, sheathing, insulation and wrap... these look like they might be a good alternative. Any downsides or thoughts on these??
That is interesting stuff... sounds as though you are considering it for above ground application.
It might be a good choice if you live in hurricane or tornado prone areas, but it will add a bunch of component cost to your build. In just doing some quick calculations, a 8' x 20' wall (no windows) would cost $1050, not including the concrete filler (do corner pieces cost the same?).
A typical 2x6 framed wall will cost you about $450 for framing, insulation, osb, tyvek, and sheetrock.
Granted, the framed wall only gets you R19 to R22 or so. But at some point, enough insulation is enough, unless you a building an igloo cooler ;D
Plus, the big heat leak in a house is usually the windows.
It does look like an interesting system though. And would come in handy against squirrels toting hand grenades!
If we ever build we are def considering this. I wonder what the price would come out to be if insulation, sheathing etc were all accounted in the Price per foot? The corner pieces ARE regular blocks. You cut the end at an angle, double the rebar and fill.
(http://i.ytimg.com/vi/aVa8deCvgyw/0.jpg)
We're currently eyeballing a piece of property now that does have a house on it. Who's to say we won't eventually build on it or tear it down completely?
Quote from: Tinga on June 08, 2012, 11:34:51 AM
I wonder what the price would come out to be if insulation, sheathing etc were all accounted in the Price per foot? The corner pieces ARE regular blocks. You cut the end at an angle, double the rebar and fill.
A typical 2x6 framed wall will cost you about $450 for framing, insulation, osb, tyvek, and sheetrock for the 20x8, or $2.81 per square foot compared to $6.56 per square foot for apex.