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Eco block forms

DMiller

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2010
Messages
16,430
Location
Hermann, Missouri
Occupation
Cheap "old" Geezer
I had been interested in ICF for the first few years was out, then heard are Termite haven as cannot tell the little critters get into it until too late. In MO not a good prospect as they are EVERYWHERE!! Have a concrete contractor that continues to watch updates to materials where is a PVC Perma Form now, not holding much value to it currently but feels may be way to move future as set the forms, flow the mix wait two days pull jacks and leave. Slick Smooth face White and Clean, does not require waterproofing externally basically finished to inside never needs paint.
 

seatwarmer

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 13, 2013
Messages
598
Location
South Africa
Occupation
Enterprise Engineer
Dave, are you referring to something like this ?
https://permaform.com.au/
I had been interested in ICF for the first few years was out, then heard are Termite haven as cannot tell the little critters get into it until too late. In MO not a good prospect as they are EVERYWHERE!! Have a concrete contractor that continues to watch updates to materials where is a PVC Perma Form now, not holding much value to it currently but feels may be way to move future as set the forms, flow the mix wait two days pull jacks and leave. Slick Smooth face White and Clean, does not require waterproofing externally basically finished to inside never needs paint.
 

DMiller

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2010
Messages
16,430
Location
Hermann, Missouri
Occupation
Cheap "old" Geezer
There ya go, find a Old Marooka, then find a old 5-7 yd self contained mixer in a yard, set it up to slide into dump bed on marooka and TADA!! Have a rough Country mixer and dump truck all in One!!!
 

Spud_Monkey

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2018
Messages
6,436
Location
Your six
Occupation
Decommissioned
You've got a longer wheelbase, poor weight balance for traction, and undriven axles. A mixer would make it, wouldn't need much of a road smoothed out. They go crazy places and get stuck all the time, farmer/hippie bridges are the worst. If they get stuck, all they care about is being able to transfer the load to a second truck, and get pulled out by something, eventually. Collapse a bridge, even a small one, it ruins your morning.

I haven't thought of a way to do ICF with the mass open to the inside. I suspect most solar people are too individualistic to use a product like THAT anyway:rolleyes: you and me both Spud.

Check your private messages.
Actually got quiet the perfect weight balance traction on the back, 500 plus lbs of batteries in front almost on rear axle, 200 gallons of fuel behind the rear axle, 834.5 lbs of water on other side of the batteries, 200 lbs of solar panels over rear axle, now for the weight of tools on board... When the wheels start spinning on hard dry ground going up a incline on the rear you know you are on a steep incline.
Dave, are you referring to something like this ?
https://permaform.com.au/
Now those look doable.
 

repowerguy

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2015
Messages
810
Location
United States southern Ohio
Occupation
mixer truck mechanic
One thing to keep in mind is that you’ll want to have air entrained in the concrete if it’s exposed to freezing weather. If you make your own you should specify type 1A cement. Type 1A has an air entrainment ad-mix in it. 1A will be a little hard to find but I think that Fairborn and Miami still make it.
Just a little inside baseball.
 

Pixie

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 11, 2011
Messages
373
Location
NH
Occupation
remodeling
Spud, I understand why you don't want foam but lots of your sunlight will be on the floor. I've made small forms of pink foam braced with 2x4s cause my area doesn't have termites. You might be able to use a foam with built in insecticide on the outside if you wanted.
Anyway, a map of termite risk.
TermiteRiskMap.jpg
 

DMiller

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2010
Messages
16,430
Location
Hermann, Missouri
Occupation
Cheap "old" Geezer
Have seen all manner of idjits putting ICF on Earth Contact construction only to have Truss damage and sheetrock disintegrating as the little monsters take over. Several less than 10 year old constructs had to be torn completely down from this.
 

Spud_Monkey

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2018
Messages
6,436
Location
Your six
Occupation
Decommissioned
One thing to keep in mind is that you’ll want to have air entrained in the concrete if it’s exposed to freezing weather. If you make your own you should specify type 1A cement. Type 1A has an air entrainment ad-mix in it. 1A will be a little hard to find but I think that Fairborn and Miami still make it.
Just a little inside baseball.
Looks like almost the same concept as aircrete just with aggregates instead of without them.
Spud, I understand why you don't want foam but lots of your sunlight will be on the floor. I've made small forms of pink foam braced with 2x4s cause my area doesn't have termites. You might be able to use a foam with built in insecticide on the outside if you wanted.
Anyway, a map of termite risk.
View attachment 225493
Not just termites we have a problem with, we got voles, badgers, prairie dogs, mice and etc... I could imagine how useful underground in their homes this would lend them a hand in having a home too in my expense. Also I'm in that yellow area of termite risk though yet to see any, wood has been out there over 30 years and still not rotted.
 

repowerguy

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2015
Messages
810
Location
United States southern Ohio
Occupation
mixer truck mechanic
Right at 6% air entrainment is ideal to stop spalling and shelling on exterior concrete in freezing climates. The old fashioned type 1A cement is an easy way to make air entrained concrete without having to use an ad-mixture.
At one time 1A was the way to make air entrained concrete before ad-mixes became mainstream.
 
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