Wood frame, steel frame and concrete block walls are 'hollow wall' construction methods consisting of various materials held together with nails, screws or mortar. Whereas, poured concrete walls are made up of ONE superior material forming a 'Solid Wall' system. The result is a massive solid barrier of protection for your home or business.

Solid concrete, whether it's walls or just the foundation, can provide many benefits for your structure:

• Poured concrete offers superior strength than that of block or concrete-filled block, which is the traditional foundation method.
• The solid, joint-free surface provides an innate water-proofing system for basements and foundations.
• The cost is very comparable to that of reinforced concrete-filled block.
• Poured concrete can be installed in thinner wall sections while still achieving greater compaction and overall strength.
• Virtually maintenance-free

Insulated Concrete Forms are essentially life-sized "Legos" made with a thick polystyrene (styrofoam) outer edge. Much like the red and blue toy building blocks from your childhood, ICF forms are stackable blocks with a hollow center. But unlike "legos," the hollow centers of insulated concrete forms are crisscrossed with reinforcing rebar. These durable and energy-efficient building blocks are used in all types of residential and commercial construction.

ICF Construction is a construction method that replaces traditional stick-frame materials with Insulated Concrete Forms (large "Lego" like building blocks). The thick foam blocks are precisely stacked and professionally filled with concrete to make-up the exterior walls for both residential and commercial structures. When utilizing ICF construction the end results are solid, permanent walls extending from the structures foundation to its roof.

Today's insulated concrete forms are manufactured to produce results. As such, ICF construction has an abundance of benefits over more traditional building methods:

• Structurally Superior – Stronger walls provide better resistance to high winds and severe weather. Concrete construction resists burning flames at much higher temperatures and for longer exposure rates than traditional building methods.
• Noise and Sound Reduction – ICF walls are solid, completely filled with rebar and concrete, allowing only one-sixth of common outdoor noise (such as barking dogs, lawn mowers, traffic, etc.) to pass through, leaving you with tranquil inside spaces.
• Mold, Mildew, Rot and Insect Resistance – Because ICF construction uses a solid material in the walls, there is no need to worry about rotting, decaying or insect infestations within your walls. The solid attributes of concrete also eliminate air and moisture infiltration into your home or commercial space, reducing mold and mildew growth.
• Energy Efficient – Structures built with ICF walls can expect to see an average savings of 20% or more on heating and cooling costs depending on geographic location.
• Environmentally Friendly – Many ICFs are made with recycled materials, are considered non-toxic by U.S. government agencies, and expel no emissions. The energy efficiency of ICF homes and commercial structures is another environmentally friendly benefit.

The flexibility and durability if insulated concrete form construction makes it a top-contender in virtually all areas of construction. From complete ICF homes and commercial buildings to retaining walls and safe rooms, ICF construction can be used just about anywhere:

Not typically, ICF construction can accommodate today's most popular design features, including high ceilings, large openings, long walls and even curved walls.