To do the best work possible, you want the best building tools and products possible. Here are three we want to make sure are on your radar as you're brainstorming how to tackle each job.
TANDEM WALL
A segmental retaining wall system comprised of front and rear facing units with rear-formed dovetail connections and polypropylene connection members.
Used in a wide range of residential and light commercial hardscape projects, the product is offered in 24 textures produced in a 3-color blend. The units have a chiseled natural stone look, are cheaper than using stone, and can be used to create curved, straight, freestanding and seat walls.
The cool feature of Tandem Wall are the connection members that lock the face units together making it possible to build walls up to 3 feet in height without geogrid.
THERMOMASS
A connector and insulation system that allows insulation to be sandwiched between structurally composite precast and site-cast tilt-up concrete sandwich walls.
Designed to meet the needs of building owners who require cost-effective, durable and energy efficient structures, the Thermomass system places high-quality, rigid insulation between two layers of concrete and connects them into a single construction.
What’s unique in the ThermoMass system are the connectors which are made of fiber composite that doesn’t transfer temperatures. Installed through pre-determined holes in the rigid insulation, they provide a grid of connectors across the body of the panel that allows the layers to work independently of one another, significantly improving the R-value of the constructed wall over concrete alone. The result is a wall system that is not affected by significant temperature differentials between interior conditioned space and the outdoor environment.
The system has been used in a wide variety of building types since 1980 and should be considered for any building where low energy costs, long term durability, low maintenance, low fire insurance rates and low construction costs are important.
QUIK-BRIK
A durable, long-lasting concrete masonry developed as an alternative to clay masonry products, particularly brick, for residential and commercial construction.
The structural concrete masonry units are designed with sloped web surfaces that direct crack-induced or wind-driven rain to the unit’s center, keeping interior walls dry to control water leakage and help prevent mold growth.
Quik-Brik’s cool factor is its one-step installation. Functioning as both the masonry block and the exterior, it eliminates the time and materials needed to build a masonry wall plus a brick veneer.
Factoring together physical performance, nationwide availability, aesthetics and cost, it’s unsurprising that Quik-Brik has been the preferred choice of architects and designers for retail, commercial and institutional structures nationwide for over three decades.
