Frequently Asked Questions About Faswall

What source materials are used in Faswall™ Wall forms?

Faswall™ wall forms can use any clean waste wood that is locally available (e.g., recycled hardwood pallets). The main ingredient is wood (approximately 85%), with cement and fly ash making up the remaining 15%. Fly ash/cement can also be used in the concrete fill to lower embodied energy.

Does Faswall™ contain any hazardous substances?

No hazardous chemicals are used in Faswall™ products. In the patented Faswall™ manufacturing process, clean wood chips are coated with a natural clay emulsion. The finished product is inert and is especially well suited as a wall system for people with chemical sensitivities.

Do the wood chips get wet and rot inside the wall?

No, the internal wooden structure is not compromised by moisture. The mineralization process neutralizes the naturally occurring sugars found in cellulose fiber which is normally the 'food' source for bacteria to breakdown the fiber. The cement coating provides further protection of the wood fiber and finally, the wood cement composite has thousands of capillaries through which water vapor can travel and not remain in the wall.

How do your wall forms stand up against mold and wood eating insects such as ants and termites?

The high alkalinity of the composite material along with its inability to build humidity eliminates any mold threat. The neutralization of the wood sugars and the barrier of the concrete encasement around the wood fiber repel wood eating insects. And since there is no foam there is no danger of termites tunneling up into the wall.

What is the procedure for stacking the Faswall™ wall forms?

The wall forms are light, manageable and stack easily. Each wall-form has a tongue and groove configuration on the ends that lock the stacked forms keeping the wall plumb, level, and not easily jarred out of position. When the wall-forms are reinforced with rebar and filled with cement, the structure is solidly framed and resistant to severe weather and earth movement. Essentially you are left with an internal grid structure of reinforced concrete, surrounded by several inches of coated and encased wood fiber on both sides and ends.

What waste is created when manufacturing Faswall™?

Practically no waste is created in the manufacturing process. In fact, as much as 8% of the raw material in new products can be made of recycled Faswall materials such as broken blocks and trimmings.

Is the Faswall™ manufacturing process safe for the environment?

There are no adverse affects on the environment resulting from Faswall™ production. No hazardous chemicals are used and no pollutants are released. Water alone is used in the cement/wood chip mixing process, and the machines are cleaned with dry air and/ or other mechanical means (e.g., a hammer drill).

How can you dispose of old Faswall™ products?

In the unlikely event that a Faswall™ house is to be torn down (they should otherwise last for generations), the debris can be recycled like any concrete product and reused in new cement-bonded products as an aggregate.

How much does each wall-form weigh? Do you offer any variation in the dimensions of the forms?

Each wall-form weighs approximately 27 pounds. The wall-forms are available for purchase in 24-inch lengths and 12-inch lengths. All wall-forms are 12 inches wide and 8 inches high.

Can I cut and nail or screw into the wall-form?

The wall-forms can be cut with a sawzall or any saw with a carbide-tip blade. They accept a wide variety of sized nails and screws and hold them all fast.

Can the wall height be more than one-story?

Yes, multi-story buildings have been built with this product. The recommended height for in-filling the wall-forms with cement is 4 feet. Pouring in lifts higher than 4' requires bracing in order to ensure that the wall is in-filled correctly, avoiding the creation of air-pockets inside the wall.

Where did the wood chip wall-form originate?

After World War II amidst the rubble and destruction a way was discovered to take the huge volumes of wood waste, grind it into chips, mineralize the chips to neutralize the natural sugars that cause rot, and bond them to cement to form a building block. This is the genesis of the Faswall™ ICF Wall Form. Since then, tens of thousands of homes and commercial buildings have been built in Europe and Asia and North America with this remarkable material. This remains one of the preferred methods of building in Europe. It has been available in North America for close to 30 years. In 1987 Hans and Leni Walter of K-X Faswall International Corp. advanced the state of the art with a patented mineralization process that allows virtually any wood or cellulose fiber to be bonded to cement.

How is the wall form insulated?

At the factory, prior to shipping, we insert 3 inches of mineral wool insulation into the interior cells of each block. By inserting this insulation into the cell, on the side of the wall form that will be closest to the outdoors, your inside temperature swings are moderated. Essentially, the thermal mass is insulated into the building, thereby reducing your heating and cooling bills. Mineral wool is also a recycled product being made from the slag produced in the steel making process. It allows air and moisture to pass through the wall and does not rot or decompose.

What do I do for interior and exterior applications?

The goal in any application is to allow the wall to breathe. Rather than using drywall/gypsum board for interior finishes, we recommend using plaster. There is no need to laminate drywall to the interior wall since the filled Faswall wall form has a 4 hour fire rating by itself. Also plasters key in beautifully to the porous surface of the wall form without the use of meshes and screening. Stuccos or any other exterior treatment you prefer can be attached to the outside surface. All standard exterior sidings and finishes can be used with the Faswall™ wall form including cultured stone, natural stone, breathable stuccos, lap siding, cedar shingles, vertical tongue and groove, board and batten, etc. Our wall forms accept fasteners with ease. When using a nailed or screwed on exterior finish we recommend a permeable wrap material (felt paper is an excellent choice; it breathes) to be applied between the wall-forms and the exterior finish material of choice.

What does it cost to build a house with your product compared to conventional stick-built construction (using 2x4 or 2x6 lumber for walls)?

It costs 5% to 10% more to frame your walls with Faswall wall-forms than building walls with conventional lumber, plywood, fiberglass or foam insulation, fasteners, sealants, and wall bracing. This added investment is easily paid back in virtually no maintenance costs and lower energy bills. Other 'paybacks' include enhanced indoor air quality, a structure that can last centuries, is incredibly quiet, and is part of the green and sustainable building trends in our generation.

Do you have spec sheets regarding the internal structure and dimensions of the wall-forms?

Yes, we do. Please go to our contact page to request an information packet or call us at 541.929.8010. Our information packet also shows the way the wall forms mesh together on corners and work together for supporting the wall openings you will encounter on your project.