Insulated Concrete Forms ( ICF )

[A/A Fuel GTX]

Have any of you wired a dwelling that was built with ICF's? If so, any tips, concerns or comments will be appreciated.

 

[kwired]

Have any of you wired a dwelling that was built with ICF's? If so, any tips, concerns or comments will be appreciated.

To install wiring in walls that are ICF walls, you must use a "hot knife".

I have not done this for a few years now, but from about 2004 to 2009 seemed like I did quite a few of those, local lumber yard had a "hot knife" that was branded by one of the ICF manufacturers that they would let me use. I tried other methods of plowing a channel, none worked nearly as well or clean as that tool. It is nothing more than a field "shapeable" cutting blade that is also the heating element of the device. It has variable controller so you can get the heat set just right for the application. Set it just right and it cuts that foam like a hot knife in butter, and a nice clean cut

I always used 4x4 junction boxes fastened to the concrete and appropriate depth mud rings for the finished wall. If running NM cable, lay it in the groove and secure it with strips of foam insulation you wedge back into the groove.

 

[A/A Fuel GTX]

Thanks KW......I assume all the runs are vertical due to the webbing in the ICF's?

 

[ActionDave]

+1 on the hot knife. I think I would like to have a Fein tool also. I have not done any ICE houses in a long time either.

A cordless hammer drill and zip ties with the screw eyes work well for strapping the NM to the wall. A can of spray foam can glue stuff in place or fill in the channel carved out for the wiring if you need to.

Something to blow the foam off yourself occasionally is nice.

 

[kwired]

Thanks KW......I assume all the runs are vertical due to the webbing in the ICF's?

It depends on the the forms, not all are the same. But even the "Reward" wall forms - the ones that have the most vertical webbing I have seen still have a gap near the horizontal joint that is easy to run horizontal at this area.

+1 on the hot knife. I think I would like to have a Fein tool also. I have not done any ICE houses in a long time either.

A cordless hammer drill and zip ties with the screw eyes work well for strapping the NM to the wall. A can of spray foam can glue stuff in place or fill in the channel carved out for the wiring if you need to.

Something to blow the foam off yourself occasionally is nice.

With the hot knife there is no blowing foam off yourself, with any high speed cutting tool there is lots of foam to blow off yourself.