Two semi-trucks full of Durisol have arrived. They traveled from Canada, successfully passing through customs check on their way. Now the entire property is packed with block.
We built the back addition ourselves with Durisol, but this time quite happy to have someone else lay the block. Durisol is a pretty cool product. The company has been around for 70 years, they are the original “insulated concrete form”. Unlike the more common forms used today, these are completely foam and polystyrene free. They’re made of recycled wood and portland cement.
We’re not eco freaks by any stretch, but the product does appeal to the environmental crowd due to the fact they use recycled petroleum-free products and are energy efficient. For us, the product is attractive from a durability and health standpoint. Because this is a natural product, there is no off-gassing that happens with foam products. The hydroscopic nature and high pH of cement manages moisture and inhibits mold growth, good for folks with environmental allergies. It’s fire resistant for 4 hours and obviously strong, being a reinforced concrete wall.
From a building perspective, this is just like grown-up Legos. The bricks are stacked, filled with rebar and concrete to form a solid wall. I’m sure it will go much quicker with a construction crew, but the single-stacking process worked really well for Ryan to build the back addition all himself. It wasn’t like he needed a crew to raise the walls for him.
Here’s a little throwback to the last time we had Durisol delivered in 2010.
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