Blue Maxx Houses
- Thread starter lelectric
- Start date
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dan55
Member
- Location
- South Dakota
Re: Blue Maxx Houses
What is a Blue Maxx built house?
What is a Blue Maxx built house?
rick5280
Senior Member
Re: Blue Maxx Houses
Check out the Blue Maxx web site. I ran into this a few years back, and I was able to get the info directly from their site. I believe they are in Kansas.
This is a type of foam insulation form, into which concrete is poured, to form foundation walls. There are plastic spacers and ties built into the foam blocks, and voids for the concrete. You just stack these forms up, and pour.
For electric, you either cut or burn away the foam, and install nm cable, or conduit. Attaching boxes and the support of the raceway is a problem, so check with the inspector on what he will allow. I have seen nails and wire pushed into the remaining foam for the required support of cables, but conduit would seem to require anchoring to the concrete, but I'm not sure. Cutting the foam is done with chainsaw (small), sawz-all, or circular saw. The foam is then just pulled out. Burning is a little different. I have seen electric heaters that heat up a metal loop that actually melts a channel into the foam (OW, touching that heated blade smarts!!!) as you pass it through the foam.
Check out their site, and ask for a demo pac sent to you. It will have all the information you need, as well as a sample of the foam block.
If you are close to La Junta, here in Colorado, let me know and I can show you the sample they sent me!
Rick Miell
Check out the Blue Maxx web site. I ran into this a few years back, and I was able to get the info directly from their site. I believe they are in Kansas.
This is a type of foam insulation form, into which concrete is poured, to form foundation walls. There are plastic spacers and ties built into the foam blocks, and voids for the concrete. You just stack these forms up, and pour.
For electric, you either cut or burn away the foam, and install nm cable, or conduit. Attaching boxes and the support of the raceway is a problem, so check with the inspector on what he will allow. I have seen nails and wire pushed into the remaining foam for the required support of cables, but conduit would seem to require anchoring to the concrete, but I'm not sure. Cutting the foam is done with chainsaw (small), sawz-all, or circular saw. The foam is then just pulled out. Burning is a little different. I have seen electric heaters that heat up a metal loop that actually melts a channel into the foam (OW, touching that heated blade smarts!!!) as you pass it through the foam.
Check out their site, and ask for a demo pac sent to you. It will have all the information you need, as well as a sample of the foam block.
If you are close to La Junta, here in Colorado, let me know and I can show you the sample they sent me!
Rick Miell
cm
Member
- Location
- Pennsylvania
Re: Blue Maxx Houses
Rick what would be wrong with conduit in the pour and cut boxes in the bluemax and tie them to plywood screwed to the face? The same way you do any poured wall ,notching and foaming chases is a pain, probably lessens the insulation integrity and the romex has no protection.
Rick what would be wrong with conduit in the pour and cut boxes in the bluemax and tie them to plywood screwed to the face? The same way you do any poured wall ,notching and foaming chases is a pain, probably lessens the insulation integrity and the romex has no protection.
Re: Blue Maxx Houses
They are a pain in the neck. Up here in Alaska they are starting to get more popular due to the R-value and thermal mass. What I always tell anybody that is thinking about it is to consider a fir out method. 2x4 on its side, metal studs, 2x2. It is a good way to go, as you can vapor barrier the wall and then run all your wiring on the inside of it. You will not have any puntures into the vapor barrier. Anyhow, good luck, also, better check the code if they want you to cut a chase and then use some sort of foam to encase your romex wire again! Oh, also, make sure you stub out for any exterior penetrations! Its a concrete wall after it gets poured!
Good luck!
They are a pain in the neck. Up here in Alaska they are starting to get more popular due to the R-value and thermal mass. What I always tell anybody that is thinking about it is to consider a fir out method. 2x4 on its side, metal studs, 2x2. It is a good way to go, as you can vapor barrier the wall and then run all your wiring on the inside of it. You will not have any puntures into the vapor barrier. Anyhow, good luck, also, better check the code if they want you to cut a chase and then use some sort of foam to encase your romex wire again! Oh, also, make sure you stub out for any exterior penetrations! Its a concrete wall after it gets poured!
Good luck!
cselectric
Senior Member
- Location
- Wisconsin
Re: Blue Maxx Houses
I suppose a lot depends on your wiring method. I've worked a few of these in the Chicago area, so they were required to be in pipe. The way the contractor I worked with set it up was that we came in and marked our pipe runs on the wall, then the framing crew did all of the foam cuts. After that, we came in and hung our boxes and pipe with the ever trusty Hilti gun. Not the cheapest install I've ever done, but with the foam already cut for us, it was one of the quickest.
I suppose a lot depends on your wiring method. I've worked a few of these in the Chicago area, so they were required to be in pipe. The way the contractor I worked with set it up was that we came in and marked our pipe runs on the wall, then the framing crew did all of the foam cuts. After that, we came in and hung our boxes and pipe with the ever trusty Hilti gun. Not the cheapest install I've ever done, but with the foam already cut for us, it was one of the quickest.
rick5280
Senior Member
Re: Blue Maxx Houses
CM, as long as the cable was back the required 1 1/4", how much more protection do you need? Putting the conduit in the pour might work, but there is quite a bit of foam between the concrete and the face, so I'm not sure if this would work, at least with straight down conduit.
It is labor intensive, no matter which way you go.
Rick Miell
CM, as long as the cable was back the required 1 1/4", how much more protection do you need? Putting the conduit in the pour might work, but there is quite a bit of foam between the concrete and the face, so I'm not sure if this would work, at least with straight down conduit.
It is labor intensive, no matter which way you go.
Rick Miell
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