For builders using insulated concrete forms, attaching a wood floor system is the hardest part of the job. A structural slab, by contrast, is easy to install, has excellent resistance to fire and sound transmission, and works well with radiant floor heating. Here’s a step-by-step look at both steel joist and steel pan forming systems. More
With cold weather setting in, this upstate New York remodeler decided to use a pressure-treated wood foundation to replace a crumbling cement-block wall in a hillside garage. More
When it comes to footings, it’s hard to beat solid granite ledge. But when the... More
Laying out forms on a steep site doesn’t have to be complicated. An experienced foundation contractor shows how he makes time on complex hillside forming jobs. More
Foam concrete forms are gaining popularity, both below and above grade. Three builders describe how to assemble three different systems: stackable blocks, large-core molds, and sheet forms. More
Where deep frost is not a danger, shallow footings and floor slabs can be formed and poured together. A New Mexico contractor takes a step-by-step look at how to excavate, form, brace, and finish monolithic slabs. More
A builder describes shortcuts he developed to simplify and speed up the forming of stepped footings. More
Field reports show that this increasingly popular forming technique can work well if you take the time to learn the tricks. More
