Replies

1. 
   BillBrennen | Feb 02, 2007 11:46pm | #1

   Bump.

   I also am curious. They are from Canada, eh?

   Bill

1. 
   fishkeene | Feb 03, 2007 06:10am | #2

   Eh?  From Hamilton Ontario actually.  You can check them out at durisolbuild.com .  Very interesting ecofriendly product. 

   Thanks for the interest.   Any opinion on these things? 

   Peter

1. 
   BillBrennen | Feb 03, 2007 09:27am | #3

   I've never laid eyes nor hands on one, so my opinions are pretty uninformed by actual experience. The basic composition sounds great. It is supposed to hold nails well and be more body-friendly than Rastra blocks, which feel pretty good to me. The rock wool insulation sounds bad. It is hateful stuff IMO.My judgement has to be withheld until I know more than hearsay.Have you touched one yet?Bill

2. 
   ronbudgell | Feb 03, 2007 03:22pm | #4

   I have never used them but looked at them closely for a customer a couple of years ago. Expensive way to go, aren't they? We built that job with foam ICF for a fraction of the price of Durisol and got more R-value.

   I thought that Durisol would cost more at almost every stage of the job - wiring, plumbing, drywall, siding - and that it wasn't worth the money.

   On the other hand, we aren't just outside the factory door. Maybe you can get them for a better price. They aren't eco-friendly once you have to put them on a truck and haul them halfway across the country.

   Ron

1. 
   fishkeene | Feb 04, 2007 12:14am | #5

   Thanks,

   I'm actually in their "ZONE 1" for shipping, so the costs seem competitive with some other products.  I'm contemplating building a small outbuilding out of them this summer just to gain experience.. 

   Peter

1. 
   arnemckinley | Feb 04, 2007 02:22am | #6

   i hear they look great with a river rock interior finish, which if i had to guess i'd say you had plenty of  experience doing. nyuk! nyuk! nyuk! as for durisol, let us know when the walls are up, and you're ready to cut the roof.

   Edited 2/3/2007 6:23 pm ET by arnemckinley

3. 
   Schelling | Feb 04, 2007 02:26am | #7

   I think that you should use some of those rocks that you have left over from your chimney. Can't beat the price. Diane can always get more anyway.

1. 
   fishkeene | Feb 05, 2007 12:31am | #11

   How do these people now about my wife slaving to gather rocks for years in the Adirondacks so I could build a fireplace?  Who is providing these "Fine Homebuilding Breaktime Discussion Geeks" with inside information of the workings of my marriage? 

   I'm merely asking for some objective feedback on Durisol construction, and I am taunted about my rock obsession.  

   To all others, thanks for the feedback.  Your information is helpful. 

4. 
   caseyr | Feb 04, 2007 07:31am | #8

   There is also a similar type of ICF that is made in several places in the U.S. The name is Faswall and they just opened a new plant in Corvallis, OR. As that location is only about 150 miles from where I will be building, I may go with them to save shipping charges.

   Faswall is also a cement and treated wood chip ICF. Their website is:

   http://www.faswall.com/

   There is a technical installation manual on their site that I (mostly) read. It is not quite as comprehensive as the one for Rastra, but is pretty good.

   Prescriptive methods are developed to allow for standard methods for construction without having to design each building from scratch. If you are building a standard house, you might want to check out the Prescriptive Method for Insulated Concrete Forms in Residential Construction at:

   http://www.huduser.org/publications/destech/icf_2ed.html

   Be warned, it is about a 2.5 Megabyte .pdf file.

1. 
   dovetail97128 | Feb 04, 2007 08:30am | #9

   I know from first hand work that there is a large building located just outside of Sheridan , Or. that was built during the early 50's out of a similiar product. It was originally a monastary and now houses a private school.
   Very large blocks made of a cemintacious mix with wood fibers. Blocks are about half the size of an old hay bale. Things just don't change much over time it seems.

1. 
   hasbeen | Feb 04, 2007 09:59am | #10

   And I worked on a building with a roof made of wood fiber cement mix called Tectum (I think). They were panels about 3-4 inches thick that were laid onto a beam system and held down (barely, IMO) by little metal clips.Anyone ever work with Tectum board?

   "Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd."

   ~ Voltaire