Shutters are installed to brace the polystyrene as it would burst under the weight of the concrete if left un supported.
Polystyrene walls filled concrete uk.
Warmerwall icf blocks are manufactured by polysteel uk ltd.
The polystyrene combined with the concrete offer provide a thermal mass allowing structures to be heated and cooled more effectively.
Superior walls precast concrete foundations are the best solution for residential builders looking for reliable scheduling efficient one day installation ready to finish convenience energy code performance and a manufacturer s limited warranty.
Polysteel is a member of the insulating concrete formwork association icfa.
Walls are generally constructed to first floor level before filling with concrete letting it dry and going up to next storey or roof.
The insulating concrete formwork icf system consists of expanded polystyrene eps components utilised as the formwork for plain or reinforced engineered concrete walls cast in situ.
Smartblock forms are made of expanded polystyrene eps they are an insulating stay in place formwork that speeds construction and yields a superior finished wall.
Once assembled the walls are supported with shuttering before the void or cavity is filled with concrete to form the wall structure.
In order to strengthen the polystyrene while the concrete is poured and then while it cures.
An insulating concrete formwork icf system becowallform is based on large hollow polystyrene block components that interlock together without intermediate bedding materials to provide a formwork system into which concrete is poured.
With all the systems the concrete pour is an absolutely critical phase.
Once set the concrete becomes a high strength structure and the formwork remains in place as thermal insulation with u values down to 0 11 w m k ideal for zero energy buildings.
It simultaneously acts as the forming.
In the most basic use of concrete in construction using smartblock accomplishes in one step what normally requires numerous steps.
The formwork is then braced and aligned ready to be filled with poured concrete.
The support and bracing on the polystyrene blocks also has to be adequate or there is a risk of the walls distorting or even bursting open at pressure points.
Insulating concrete formwork uses polystyrene connected with a web system that allow the forms to be stacked and steel reinforced.
These components come in the form of a block comprising of two leaves of eps of which the outer leaf may vary in thickness depending on the u value required.
The polystyrene forms are then built up on site and filled with ready mixed concrete.
The ready mix concrete is delivered on a truck and poured in lifts with the crew gradually moving around the building.