The Build - Stage 4 Radiant Heat and Exterior Basement Walls

Foam insulation and metal grid for radiant heat.  (Translation:  The floor in my bedroom will be warm even in the winter.  Ahhh...)

Radiant heat installed.  That's the black snake pipe.  I ziptied all of the pipe to the grid myself.  (Pretty humble about it too :)

The steal beams are slid through the insulating foam.  This is the construction of the walls for our home. 

This is the capping process and reinforcement of the steel studs.

This is the pre-programmed foam cutter that is controlled by computerized technology.

Here is the table in action.  You may think that foam isn't strong or heavy, but it is.  I took a hit at it and hurt my hand and it has to be lifted by a huge utility dolly.  

Here are the basement wall pieces finished. 

Basement walls being installed.  Hooray!  Celebrate : )

More about the walls:  They include 6-inch, 2 lb. foam.  (Translation:  Pretty tough stuff). It is surprisingly heavy for foam.  The walls also include 6 inch metal studs.  They are off-set so there is no thermal break in the walls, which means we get 30 R.  Most conventional homes only have 19 R factor in their insulation and thermal bridge. 

Translation:  Cold air can't seep through the walls, because the metal is protected by foam on the exterior part of the wall.  Therefore, the metal cannot conduct the air into the home.  Plus, there is a 5 R for every inch of foam.  We have 6 inches.  Do the math.  Its a 30 R factor.  An R factor is an insulation measurement.  Our house will be like a styrafoam cup. Pretty sweet!  Metal studs are slid through hot wire cuts in the foam.  Precut channels in the metal and foam allow for electrical and plumbing lines to be run through the walls. 

Can you guess what the picture above is?


Basement walls and floor completely installed.  The gray is a called a 'brown coat' and is a protectant mixture that strengthens the foam from denting and acts as a primer for stucco application.