We are in the design stage for an insulated concrete form house.Have been unsuccessful in finding any info from ICFA on comparison of the brand Rastra to Aarxx. These two blocks are structurally different.I’m looking for pro & con if any on these blocks in design or build features. If anyone can help please do so. Thanks!!
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Greetings f,
As a first time poster Welcome to Breaktime.
This post, in response to your question, will bump the thread through the 'recent discussion' listing again.
Perhaps it will catch someones attention that can help you with advice.
Cheers
'Nemo me impune lacesset'
No one will provoke me with impunity
I have had the pleasure of using ARXX ICF and would do so again.
The Rastra is supposed to be structural in and of itsself. It is a harder product to work with based on severql things I have read.
There was also a time when the company seemed to have some shadows hanging over it. Do due diligence in your background research. I have not used Rastra but it sounds interesting. Not available here AFAIK
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faskelton - ARXX and 50 or so other manufacturers sell very similar block - generally 48" long, 16" high, and with plastic web/studs - but very little difference otherwise.
I used Amvic, but I have seen lots of ARXX, and they are real similar - almost interchangeable.
Rastra is a complete different animal, since the blocks aren't foam. The blocks are also very heavy, so shipping may add significantly to the cost. I like the idea of Rastra, but there was no economical way to get it here, and my crew is too scrawny to lift the heavy blocks anyway. Where will you build - some profile info would be a great help.
ICFs are a great product, but there is a learning curve - Are you doing the work yourself? If not, I would recommend you find a builder first, since they will have a preference.
Just to throw another brand in the mix, I'm a fan of Polysteel. I like the metal web. It is great for tying the steel of to and also IMHO can hold a screw much better than plastic.
I don't sell either just have always had great results with the Polysteel product and I can get one day service from an almost local distributor, that does help with whatever brand you may chose. It's a genuine bummer to come up a corner block short or have 10 extras is a night in a good hotel at the beach down the tubes.
Not having to tie rebar is one of the pleasantries of the ARXX blocks (and others, apparently).
I know the tight notches can help with that, but I wouldn't build one without tying the steel. That is how I keep the forms from blowing away from here to greenland before the crete slides into the hole.;)
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
The two ARXX high walls I've done, I had the benefit of using the ARXX scaffold/bracing system....no worry about blowovers, and makes plumb adjustments very easy during the pour (a necessity with ICF's).
As mentioned in a previous post, the Rastra blocks are a mix of cement and polystyrene, while most other types of ICF are primarily polystyrene. Lots of polystyrene blocks. There is at least one type that uses borax in the polystyrene to ward off criters such as carpenter ants and termites that like to burrow in the stuff. In our area, I would personally not build with ICFs that did not have some protection against carpenter ants.
Only a few alternatives to the Rastra style of block. Those that I know of are TechBlock (very similar to Rastra), Cempo, and Durisol(uses specially treated wood chips in place of polystyrene). Links to websites are:
http://www.durisolbuild.com/
http://rastra.net/rastracom/web-site/
http://www.cempo.com/
http://www.techblock.com/
http://www.techblock-norcal.com/