Frequently Asked Questions ABOUT ICF

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Quad-Lock products are lightweight, insulating, stay-in-place concrete forming systems ("insulated concrete forms" or "ICFs") for walls,  floors, and roofs - combining numerous construction steps into a single assembly ready for utilities and finishes. Also see Insulating Concrete Forms Explained and Insulating Concrete Forms Construction Overview from Quad-Lock Building Systems.

You can build resilient, sustainable, cast-in-place concrete buildings with superior  insulation and high durability. You can use Quad-Lock wall panels for basements and foundations, exterior above-grade walls, fire walls, pools and more in residential, commercial, and institutional construction. Quad-Deck can be used for floors & roofs to complete the building shell with reinforced concrete bunker-technology.  

Multi-story structures can be built with Quad-Lock, one story at a  time. Each story is stacked approximately 8'-12' high and poured in 2'-4'  lifts in one continuous pour.  

Yes, the EPS wall panel stays in place to provide insulation, a space to run utilities, and a surface to install finish materials like gypsum board, stucco, stone, brick, and siding.  

High-mass, reinforced concrete walls built with Quad-Lock are usually  8.5 times stronger than wood-framed cavity walls. They also are a better sound barrier (STC Rating of 50+), more resistant to natural disasters,  rot, and termites, better insulated (superior R-value) and, therefore, more energy efficient. ICF construction reduces air infiltration and the thermal mass of the concrete keeps inside temperatures much more consistent

 Yes. Quad-Lock installers find it is easy to transfer basic building skills to Quad-Lock installations. Experience in carpentry, masonry, and concrete forming and placement are particularly helpful. Quad-Lock offers detailed instructional and technical materials for builders, such as the  Quad-Lock installation video, product manual, installation guide, and technical bulletins. 

Quad-Lock products vary in price largely depending on chosen configuration, plan designs, specifications, and freight. Quad-Lock materials are estimated based on the actual components needed for your particular project PLUS a typical waste-factor, so you have all the materials you need to complete a job. Contact us for an estimate.  We'll need your plans (floors and elevations) or exact wall dimensions -  including wall lengths, heights, and thicknesses, the sizes of all wall openings, numbers of corners/angles/T-walls etc.

Orders placed with the Quad-Lock factory are usually received their order within a week or two depending on the specific materials ordered. Standard Quad-Lock wall panels, ties, and brackets are typically in stock in any quantities needed, but special order items may take longer to ship so please plan accordingly. We will let you know up front if your job requires a special order item. 

Quad-Deck is an item that is made per order specifications and could take 2 weeks or longer to receive. 

Contact us! We can recommend architects in Oklahoma who are familiar with designing homes and structures with Insulating Concrete Forms. Alternatively, Quad-Lock's Technical Library makes it easy for any design professional to incorporate ICF into their architectural designs.  

Typical concrete core thicknesses for residential construction are either nominal 4" or nominal 6", however wall thicknesses of 8", 10", 12", 14" can be built using standard Quad-Lock components. Walls of greater width (in 2"  increments) can be built using the Quad-Lock Extender Tie. 

No. Because of the flexibility of the Quad-Lock system, it is not necessary for you to choose a house plan designed just for ICFs. In almost all cases, you have the freedom to choose a house plan from any  design company and the Quad-Lock materials will adapt to those drawings.  The plans, specifications and measurements should be checked by a design professional to ensure that the higher wall thicknesses are properly accounted for. 

In today's regulatory environment, many buildings require some engineering, however you should check with your local building department. Quad-Lock's flat, monolithic concrete walls may conform to pre-approved, prescriptive designs available from the local building department. 

Quad-Deck ceilings and roofs are not covered under any prescriptive design and ICF of Oklahoma highly advises it's customers to engage the service of a structural engineer for any concrete wall, ceiling, or roof that does not conform to prescriptive code. 

In order to obtain an accurate estimate from us we will need plans designed with ICF that have the following items listed on the plan:

1. ICF concrete core size for all walls

2. A footing design and rebar dowel spacing

3. Rebar design for all walls

4. Rough opening sizes for all openings in the ICF walls

5. A schedule of lintels with rebar layout

6. Any floor and roof connection details

You will need enough bracing to keep the wall aligned during stacking and pouring, which typically equates to a brace every 4-6 feet. The corner and angle brackets eliminate the need for structural bracing of corners and angles in most situations. Reach out to us and we can help you with your bracing questions and needs. 

Since ICF is now commonly used in most areas, a local Ready-Mixed Concrete producer most likely has an "ICF Mix" available. The Ready-Mix supplier will need the following information from you:
1) The specified compressive strength from your building plan (i.e. psi)
2) A minimum 6" slump (6" to 6.5" preferred);
3) The need for highly "flowable" concrete (e.g. with super plasticizer);
4) Aggregate Size of 3/8" chip mix or 3/4" aggregate (for walls 8" thick or more)
5) What type of placement equipment is being used (concrete pump, conveyor, etc).

The concrete supplier will determine what mix of locally available materials will give you the best performance. 

 A wooden or vinyl frame (or "buck") is built to the specified size of the window or door rough opening and then inserted into the Quad-Lock wall. The buck is secured into place and concrete is poured around it.  Refer to the Quad-Lock installation video or product manual supplied with your order for details. 

Most electrical and plumbing is set into chases cut into the foam after the concrete has set. Electrical boxes, supply lines, and drain lines are affixed directly to the concrete after cutting the foam away.  Electrical conduit and some plumbing may also be placed within the wall cavity prior to concrete placement. Refer to the installation video for suggestions.

Drywall is fastened to the High Density Plastic Ties within the foam with drywall/  gypsum screws every 12". An EPS compatible adhesive may be used as well. We find the adhesive most helpful for corner beads. 

No. Quad-Lock ICF walls are 'High Mass' walls (as opposed to Cavity walls like wood-frame) which don't need vapor barriers. The low permeance of the foam and concrete provide a natural barrier against air-borne moisture and air infiltration. This also means that air-borne pollutants, dust, and pollen are kept out of the building by Quad-Lock building shells.