ICF vs Lumber

ICF vs Lumber

If you’re just starting to look into different building techniques and materials, you may be wondering: why pay more?

Today we want to share some of the important “why’s” when it comes to ICF.

Better insulation.

Homes made with lumber have insulation gaps and thermal bridging, which results in a lot of energy waste.

ICF, on the other hand, does not suffer from any of these issues.

Better resilience.

Homes built with ICF are extremely resilient.

They can withstand pretty much everything – starting with 300 mph winds (vs. 120 mph for wood frame), to fires, earthquakes, severe storms and flooding.

Less toxicity & maintenance.

ICF won’t rot or mold, and won’t be affected by insects. Wood-frame buildings, however, can be affected by both of those conditions.

They also contain chemicals and adhesives that will compromise indoor air quality – concrete used when building with ICF is non-toxic.

Less noise.

ICF walls can reduce noise by 30%, which makes them extremely soundproof.

Only about one-quarter to one-eighth as much sound penetrates an ICF wall in comparison to a wood frame.

Less effect on environment.

ICF homes, when compared to the wood-frame ones, are way more sustainable.

All the natural resources are used to maximum, and the ICF homes require way less energy to heat and cool down, resulting in smaller amounts of greenhouse gas emissions.

And these are just some of the benefits that will be obvious to you right away!

Don’t even get us started on thermal mass, reducing construction costs & construction waste, and the overall longevity and durability of ICF versus wood.

Check out our blog to learn more about specifics of building with ICF and contact us to get your ICF project started today!