Even as better building technologies such as insulated concrete forms (ICFs) emerged over time, lumber’s cheap costs always guaranteed its popularity.
But nothing lasts forever. With its prices soaring in this cataclysmic year of 2020, lumber’s only edge over ICFs has, for the moment, vanished into thin air.
In this post, we’ll see how lumber’s rising costs have made high-performance materials, like ICF and concrete, the straightforward choice for builders and building owners.
What’s Happening With the Lumber Prices?
Lumber prices have always been more volatile than those of steel, concrete, and ICF. But this year, they’ve exploded like never before.
Spurred by the Covid-19 pandemic, the demand for lumber has surged, while the supply has plunged. Mills are working at a reduced capacity and struggling to meet the demand, driven by an exponential rise in home reno projects.
The result? A whopping 300% increase in the cost of softwood lumber. In contrast, concrete and ICF, the 2 primary components of an ICF wall, have largely followed the rate of inflation. You can see it in this graph:
What’s the Optimal Alternative to Wood-Framed Construction?
We’ve asked James Otten, of Otten Contracting Inc., what he thinks about the state of affairs. He’s the contractor behind this neat net-zero home built with Element ICF. Here’s what he had to say:
James nailed it – with lumber’s pricing advantage gone, ICF becomes by far a more efficient option. If you want to see how the prices line up for yourself – click here to get a free Logix quote from your drawings.
Now, you might say – what can do if I’m already stuck with a wood-frame design? The good news is that converting one to Element ICF is easy. That said, a few tricks can smooth the conversion process over for you; we’ve compiled these below.
When Lumber Prices Soar, Always Choose A Concrete Core!
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How Do I Convert an Existing Conventional Plan to Element ICF?
Here are a few things for you to consider if you’re adapting an existing, wood-frame home design to Element ICF:
ICF walls are a bit thicker than their slender wood-framed peers. If you’re converting the latter to ICF, you’ll inevitably find yourself with extra thickness in the wall. To keep the net floor areas intact, move these few extra inches of thickness outward, while keeping the internal dimensions true to the original design.
Pay close attention to small interior spaces, such as bathrooms, stairwells, and laundry rooms. These spaces are often designed to the code-minimum floor areas. Introducing somewhat thicker ICF walls without due consideration can affect these rooms’ functionality and lead to a code violation.
In some jurisdictions, building codes prescribe a minimum distance between the corners of ICF walls and openings. Check your local code to be sure.
Element ICFs come in a range of concrete core widths:
- 4″
- 6 1/4″
- 8″
- 10″
- 12″
Each core width accommodates specific load and performance factors, and each has its own application in a home’s design. The thickest core is typically used in foundation walls, while the thinner variants work well in above-grade walls. Here are a few tips to help you maximize the interior floor areas when converting wood-framed plans to Logix:
- Stick to the minimum required core widths. The Logix One Minute Engineer can help you establish these requirements for each floor.
- Transition core widths at the floor level.
Wrapping It Up
When it came to energy efficiency, airtightness, and installation speed, ICF walls have always left lumber in the dust. And now, lumber has lost its only edge – lower cost. At USD $900 per 1,000 board feet, lumber is now a premium building material with zero benefits to speak of. On the other hand, ICF and concrete have resisted market volatility and continue to offer predictable pricing, coupled with uncontested performance. There has never been a better time to build with ICF.
