PolySteel for Architects
PolySteel allows you to build your clients dreams. It has significant advantages in both residential and commercial projects. These include design flexibility, wide range of finishes, quicker build times, safety, and environmentally friendly.
Listed below are some benefits in more detail:-
- Design Flexibility
PolySteel buildings can have curves, zigzags, and arches. When you design a structure that uses PolySteel insulating concrete forms for the exterior walls you have equal or greater design flexibility, relative to concrete block, timber frame, tilt-up concrete or steel framing. PSI 4000 forms are offered in both 600mm and 300mm heights to minimise cutting on site and to maximise design flexibility.
- Variety of Finishes
You can choose a great variety of finishes for your project, both internal and external. For instance, cladding, thin acrylic renders, plaster, brick, plasterboard just to name but a few. We have tested products on our test house and are in a position to offer approved suppliers who you may contact directly for your project. The galvanised and recessed steel attachment studs, 38mm wide by 533mm tall, are centered 150mm for easier application of plasterboard and other finishes.
- Quicker Installation
- Environmentally Friendly
PolySteel buildings are highly insulated monolithic structures that minimise air infiltration, resulting in high energy efficiency. Your clients can make considerable savings on the cost of heating and cooling. PolySteel structures are built to last. Polystyrene has a half life of 1200 years and concrete is longer. The PolySteel forms are made of EPS and recycled steel. Both are 100% recyclable. PolySteel is the only insulated concrete formwork to have been awarded "Cradle to Cradle" Certification in the world! PolySteel UK Ltd has opened a second factory in April 2008. This is good news for our customers as we can help to reduce the carbon footprint of their build as we can supply product close to where the construction is taking place!
- Different Building Applications
The PolySteel ICFs provide the ideal conditions for curing concrete. This permits the concrete to achieve the greatest possible strength, creating a PolySteel wall that significantly out-performs traditional construction methods.
- Multi-Storey Building
PolySteel has 
(PDF Download) to build to 4 storeys high without reinforcement (in normal conditions). We currently have a project which is 7 storeys' (see picture below). The mass of the concrete and the EPS of the forms provide thermal and acoustic insulation.
- Basement Walls
PolySteel is super-insulated, and can easily provide a moisture-resistant wall, so important in a basement structure. The installation procedures for a basement wall are virtually identical to those for any PolySteel Wall. However, because of the additional loads and forces placed on a basement wall, and the potential for water intrusion below grade, it is important to consider Reinforcement, Waterproofing, Drainage and Backfill issues, we are happy to supply technical guidelines in these areas. The structural strength and stability of PolySteel reduces cracking in foundation walls and basements, minimising the leakage of radon gas into homes and other buildings.
- Safe Rooms
PolySteel walls are bullet resistant, blast resistant, and can be designed to withstand flying debris blown about by a 300 mph wind! With the ever present threat of terrorism and changing weather patterns, armed burglary, the construction of a safe room, is the solution to an ever increasing number of clients concerns.
- Fire compartmentation
PolySteel icfs are used where there is a need for an area of high fire resistance - where the need to ensure that the spread of fire is contained i.e. apartment high rises, PolySteel insulating concrete forms having been tested with a flame spread of 0 to 3.048m and a smoke development index of much less than 450. In a fire, PolySteel ICFs are less toxic than most common building and insulation materials, including wood. In an interior fire, the interior EPS in our PolySteel wall can produce 5,420 Btu's per 0.0929m of heat, which is much less than the 10,000BTU's per 0.0929m produced by the wood in a 2 x 4 frame house. When burned completely, EPS emits water vapour, carbon dioxide, and some soot or ash, the same as paper. The fire retardant contained in our expanded polystyrene is brominated aliphatic hydrocarbon, which is stable below 392 degrees Fahrenheit or 199.9998 Celsius. PolySteel ICFs have a minimum 4 hour fire resistance in the USA and a minimum of 3 hours in the UK.
- Terraced houses
Noise pollution is one of the most complained about aspects of day-to-day living in the UK. Using PolySteel PSI 4000 wall, with a 1.27cm (½inch) drywall interior veneer and an equivalent exterior attached, creates a barrier with a minimum sound classification rating (STC) of 52, which is 8 to 10 times quieter than a typical wood-framed wall and virtually eliminates outside noise. The EPS steel and concrete in PolySteel walls provides no nutrient value to plants, animals, or micro organisms, including mould, and the solid concrete walls eliminate the hollow cavities that offer moisture and habitat for these organisms in timber-framed walls. PolySteel is achieving sound tests results with a PSI 4600 series forms (150mm cavity) of 52 decibels.
- Commercial Units
PolySteel ICFS are lightweight and easy to handle on the job. One k.443 kg form creates the same amount of wall area as over 136.077 kg of concrete. Fewer man-hours are required to erect a PolySteel wall than for conventional concrete, timber-frame or concrete block walls. PolySteel can be pre-panelised in complete wall sections to dramatically minimise on-site construction time. The Life Cycle costs are reduced as there is low maintenance; energy cost dramatically reduced gaining savings year after year.
- Flood defences/retaining walls
Using PolySteel's PolyPro you are able to design to whatever thickness you require, the ties are plastic therefore will not be affected by contamination to water or salt. Installation will be fast, less concern with weather conditions as the concrete may be poured if need be into our ICFs at temperatures as low as zero degrees Fahrenheit (-18C) without adding special chemicals.
What do the Professional Builders prefer to use in North America?
See below for the results of the independent survey!
