Check with Tradesmen for local code requirements. Once the first two courses are set, it is time to review and mark electrical and plumbing locations with the appropriate tradesmen. Plumbers should stub out all waste lines from wall surfaces and install all water supply lines in their appropriate locations stubbed out from wall. As the wall is raised, plumbing vent lines can be raised by ThermoBlock wall system installers. Electrical installations in ThermoBlock wall systems can be installed in two ways:
- Channeled into wall after installation of wall system, or
- Installed in metal boxes with PVC conduit as the wall system’s raised (preferred method)
Use 4” deep metal boxes with ¾” PVC conduit at each switch, outlet and fixture location. Stub conduit out of top of wall at plate line or side of wall at ledger line. This allows electrician to pull appropriate wires to each electrical location after wall is grouted. Boxes should be located in either IBS cells and screwed to IBS, or installed in concrete cells and grouted into place. Again, as wall is raised, ThermoBlock wall installers can install boxes and conduit to stub-out points. Check with tradesmen regarding local codes.
Electrician will typically provide all materials for box and conduit installation
Stacking Wall System
Upon completion of the first two courses and wall straightening exercises, it is time to stack the ThermoBlock wall system. ThhermoBlock utilizes a one-quarter bond stacking system. That is, overlap each block with the course below by one-quarter of the block. This allows you to go around corners without any specialty shapes or sizes. This one-quarter bond should be utilized in all straight wall applications. A simple miter box is used to cut blocks into desired lengths when needed.
Curved Wall Applications
Curved wall applications should utilize a stacked bond system, that is, each block or block
segments stacked directly on top the one below. Curved walls are created by cutting segments of each block and adhering it to the adjacent block with low expansion canned foam, as shown. A plywood jig should be constructed to accurately cut each segment so that the wall stays easily plumb. Bond beams are typically cut on site on curved walls. Bond beam cutting tools and miter boxes are available for rent or sale from ThermoBlock.
Bond Beam Course
Rebar segments should be tied or clipped to rebar that is embedded into concrete slab or footing, and extended to approximately 2’ above the first bond beam height, as shown on next page. Stacking of walls should continue around the perimeter of the building until the first bond beam is reached. (Check the engineering reports or wall sections to establish its exact height)
ThermoBlock bond beam blocks look like regular stretcher blocks with a trough cut out of the center of the block, as shown. This allows rebar and concrete to pass horizontally, tying vertical cylinders together and forming a horizontal beam above openings and other locations.
IBS & Plug Installation
After the bond beam course is set, but BEFORE steel is tied, insert pre-cut IBS studs in appropriate cells and mark face of block at center of each stud. IBS studs should be cut to rest on slab or footing and extend 1½” into bond beam block. End pieces of bond beam block should be removed before setting and put aside to use for plugs to prevent concrete from entering IBS stud cells (if applicable). This requires cutting the top of the plug to allow it to enter the round cell and the bottom of the plug should rest on the top of the IBS stud, as shown. A tight fit is best here.
Horizontal Rebar
After installation of the IBS and plugs, install the horizontal rebar as per engineer’s report or wall sections. The horizontal rebar should be tied or clipped to every vertical and should be a minimum of 2” above bottom of bond beam trough. Check periodically when setting horizontal rebar to insure the vertical rebar is in center of vertical cell as well. Placement of rebar in cells is important and should always be in center of cell and minimum of 2” above bond beam trough, as shown above. Rebar splices should be a minimum of 40 diameters of the rebar. Check to verify there are no additional embedded anchors for ledgers and such, if so, install them before tying horizontal rebar.
After installing the horizontal rebar in the bond beam, you can resume stacking the wall system to the height of the next bond beam in the wall section.