# Dry stacked CMU's



## PipeGuy (Oct 8, 2004)

Great post Millstone. :Thumbs:


----------



## DRIFT-O-MATIC (Jan 27, 2005)

Millstone said:


> After all, there are proprietary dry-stack blocks that interlock and use no bonding cement.


Millstone, what are these "proprietary dry-stack blocks" ? I've never seen them here in Florida. But, I'm not a contractor, either. But, if they can be dry-stacked without using surface bonding, I would be interested in this.


----------



## lpsonbuilders (Jan 9, 2005)

*Dry Stack CMU's*

Hey Yal,
Your able to do Dry Stack Yourself, however I failed to mention that a builder up here caved a wall in backfilling in sandy soil! Which my have been operator error? I metioned that I did a three to four course wall for a garage and it worked well for a garage. I'm not so sold for a conditioned living space.
You mentioned borate? I would bring this question to the manufactures of the ICF's, see if they have answers if they don't, do Dry Stack CMU's and use lots of rebar and durawall reinforcing. Better safe than sorry!
I've used Greenblock, Liteform and Foldform. Now I'm looking at Amvic, but there are as many ICF's as there are apples and all apples are not created equal and take everything with a grain of salt. Weigh out every phase, cost, and time from start to finished conditioned living space. Time is money!
As for wavering or floating walls not a chance! The ICF's that I've used have webs that hold either #4 or #5 rebar horizontal every course and snaps in. If the rebar is "not bent" it keeps your wall straight and its not going to float away. I've never used less than a ton of rebar on a job. All walls are braced and all the bracing systems that I've used are ajustable. Typically you would prefer wall to lean in than out. After your pour you plumb your wall and make any adjustments. I pour in 4FT. lifts at a 5-1/2 to 6 in. Slump and use a 3500 psi peastone mix @ 27 days. I walk around and slap the forms till you hear a soild sound and it easy to tell if you have a void. I can't speak enough praise about ICF's they have been used in many forms of construction around here. How about a six story hotel or a basement! The concrete is in a conitioned space from hot and cold! It takes a lot of either elimate to have an effect on the other side. I think I've got some pictures from a greenblock job I did a few years ago. I'll try to post them. 
Tryed to upload photos, File is to large? 210Kb


----------



## Millstone (Feb 12, 2005)

DRIFT-O-MATIC said:


> Millstone, what are these "proprietary dry-stack blocks" ? I've never seen them here in Florida. But, I'm not a contractor, either. But, if they can be dry-stacked without using surface bonding, I would be interested in this.


Azar Block (http://www.azarblock.com) is one, Haener Block (http://www.haenerblock.com) is another. But good luck trying to get anything out of either.


----------



## Teetorbilt (Feb 12, 2004)

Millstone, where are you in FL?


----------



## Millstone (Feb 12, 2005)

Teetorbilt said:


> Millstone, where are you in FL?


That's just it; I'm nowhere near FL.


----------



## DRIFT-O-MATIC (Jan 27, 2005)

I've pretty much decided that I'm going to use the dry stack method to build my 11.5' concrete basement wall, which will have a 6' backfill (at the most) at one end of my 45' geodesic dome structure. I'm using 12" blocks, and will fill all cells with grout, and place rebar wherever the engineer specifies. I'll use the surface bond to hold the blocks in place, and to water seal the wall. The building department, here in Tarpon Springs, requires that the wall be filled no more than 54" height at a time. At the top, I was thinking about forming up, to pour a bond beam all around the perimeter that will bring me to my required height, and allow me to maintain my correct level plain, as well. This way, I'm thinking, I won't have to be so concerned that each block course is being stacked exactly level with each course...as long as they are not *too* far off. The bond beam will be formed by the grout that is being used to fill the the cells of the last incremental pour.

Since I don't have an engineer, yet; to you engineers out there, does this sound like it will work?


----------



## Centercontroler (Dec 4, 2005)

Drift-O-Matic,

Have you started construction yet. I live in Ohio and am planning on doing the exact same thing. 60 foot dome that we are getting through Natural Spaces Domes. Planning on a dry stacked basement. Also about the same. 6 foot depth of backfill around half the dome and a three car large garage on the other side. We are not planning on starting the build until late in 06. If you are starting earlier, let me know. I might be interested in coming down to get some experience as well as lend some muscle.


----------



## TimNJ (Sep 7, 2005)

I used ICF's when I built my house. While I like the concept, I don't know if I would use them again. Bugs are definitely a factor that I never considered and the steel in them that is for fastening drywall to is a big hassle. They never quite line up over each other so there is guessing where the "stud" is and then the screws will "stand off" before they grab the metal. I did my mechanical room direct to the blocks but after that I ended up using PT furring strips and drywalling to them. If I had it to do over again I would use Rastra www.rastra.net In fact I plan on using them when I build in Baja. I think they are a much superior block that will accomplish the same thing as the staight foam methods.


----------

