Patent Abstract:
A method and apparatus for forming an opening in a concrete wall is provided. More specifically, interlocking concrete forms comprising parallel spaced insulation panels are provided for receipt of concrete. Any openings, i.e. such as for windows and doors, are accommodated within the insulated concrete forms by way of a customizable buck. The buck members utilize less material than those of the prior art, and are easily customized to yield a required opening size. The placement of concrete into the form yields a concrete wall with the desired window or door opening.

Full Description:
[0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/866,365, filed Nov. 17, 2006, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for forming a window or door opening in a concrete wall. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Pre-cast concrete wall panels or cast-in-place concrete walls often require window and door openings. One way to form a window or door opening is to cut and remove a section from the finished, cured wall which is costly and which can damage other portions of the wall. Alternatively, it is known to incorporate a void, i.e., a “buck”, into a concrete wall form to define the required opening in the wall panel. Bucks are usually transported to, or fabricated at, a construction site, in the case of a cast-in-place wall or, in the case of prefabricated wall panel construction, assembled at a factory. One drawback of bucks used today is that they are difficult to locate, are heavy, are size specific, are generally not insulated, and often wasteful. Further, bucks found in the art are often constructed of vinyl or non-eco-friendly wood products that include chemical additives to prevent wood degradation attributed to wood/concrete contact. Thus there is a long felt need in the field of concrete wall construction to provide a buck system that is easy to employ, is less wasteful, more ecological, and can be quickly and accurately formed and assembled on the construction site. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    It is one aspect of the present invention to provide a customizable window and/or door buck. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention are constructed of members that are composed of wood and insulation that interconnect to form the window or door buck. In addition, the individual members of the window or door buck may be cut to any desired size thereby reducing waste and increasing design flexibility. More specifically, in the case of cast-in-place wall panel construction, often chemically treated wood, usually larger that what is required to form the members of a buck, are cut at the job site and assembled to form bucks wherein any excess wood is discarded. One advantage of embodiments of the present invention is that the individual buck members, as described in greater detail below, are assembled off-site using materials of dimensions that generally coincide with the desired window, door, or other opening shape wherein scrap at the jobsite is reduced or eliminated. More specifically, in the United States, timber is generally cut in the forest in 24 foot lengths. At the mill the timber is cut into three 8 foot lengths, an 8 foot and a 16 foot length, a 10 foot and a 14 foot length or two 12 foot lengths. These standard lengths must be modified at the job site to yield the desired opening wherein the excess is discarded. Conversely, the buck material of a customized length may be delivered to the job site and cut into separate buck members wherein the excess is significantly reduced. Embodiments of the present invention employ 47% less wood than bucks constructed of dimensional lumber. Furthermore, the buck members retain the advantages of wood, thereby facilitating sawing, drilling and general workability while being less expensive than wood alone or vinyl. The buck members are also eco-friendly because they eliminate the need for chemically treated wood products as the wood incorporated into the buck members does not contact the concrete. Another advantage of the buck members as described herein is that less heat transfer occurs because the buck material includes insulation as opposed to a wood/concrete interface. The present buck system is typically less costly, including material and labor costs, than buck systems of the prior art and provides greater design options. 
         [0005]    It is another aspect of the present invention to provide bucks that may be employed in various concrete wall construction schemes, such as cast-in-place walls, prefabricated tilt-up walls (which may include a low density insulated core), or concrete walls that employ interlocking insulated concrete forms, as described in detail below. In the case of a cast-in-place wall, after a first wall form and associated reinforcement are located, the window buck is placed and secured to the reinforcing members and a second wall form. Yet another advantage of this building method, in addition to reduction in waste and omission of shims, is that workers can help ensure concrete is sufficiently placed under the window buck. More specifically, an aperture, in some embodiments about 1.5 to 6 inches in diameter, can be integrated on-site into a lower member of a buck to allow for vibrational concrete manipulation that causes the concrete to fill in the area under the window buck. The aperture can then be plugged to prevent excess concrete from escaping and/or to restore the continuity of the lower buck member. 
         [0006]    One skilled in the art will appreciate that embodiments of the present invention may be incorporated into prefabricated concrete wall panels. For example, prior to placing the concrete into a horizontally-oriented form, a window buck may be located to define the desired window opening. Further, some embodiments of the present invention are adapted to be used with insulated panels spaced by a web. These insulated concrete forms (“ICF”) are usually light and stackable, thereby allowing workers to easily construct a wall of substantial size without the aid of heavy machinery. Embodiments of the present invention additionally provide a novel way of including a rebar securing member within the space between the two adjacent parallel insulation panels that make up the ICF. 
         [0007]    It is yet another aspect of the invention to provide an indication of buck member length. That is, embodiments of the invention include ruled markings to help workers to easily estimate or customize the length of individual buck members prior to buck assembly. The markings maybe spaced in any common unit of length, including every inch, centimeter, yard, foot, meter, etc. In addition, other markings or colors may be employed to indicate size, such as buck depth, or to designate compatibility with other building materials, or to enhance assembly. Trademarks may also be included. 
         [0008]    The Summary of the Invention is neither intended nor should it be construed as being representative of the full extent and scope of the present invention. The present invention is set forth in various levels of detail in the Summary of the Invention as well as in the attached drawings and the Detailed Description of the Invention and no limitation as to the scope of the present invention is intended by either the inclusion or non-inclusion of elements, components, etc. in this Summary of the Invention. Additional or alternative aspects of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the Detail Description, particularly when taken together with the drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the general description of the invention given above and the detailed description of the drawings given below, serve to explain the principles of these inventions. 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a window buck of one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a front elevation view of a buck member; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a front elevation view of an alternate embodiment of the buck member shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a front elevation view of an alternate embodiment of the buck member shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a front elevation view of an alternate embodiment of the buck member shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a front elevation view of an embodiment of an adjustable brace that may be used in conjunction with a window buck; 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of an insulated concrete form; 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  is a front elevation view of the insulated concrete form shown in  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 9  is a top plan view of a strapping plate; 
           [0019]      FIG. 10  is a front elevation view of the strapping plate of  FIG. 9 ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a rebar holder; 
           [0021]      FIG. 12  is a front elevation view of a wall form comprising a plurality of insulated concrete forms around a window buck; and 
           [0022]      FIG. 13  is a partial sectional view of the wall form shown in  FIG. 12 . 
       
    
    
       [0023]    To assist in the understanding of the present invention the following list of components and associated numbering found in the drawings is provided herein: 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Component 
                 # 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Window buck 
                 2 
               
               
                   
                 Upper Buck Member 
                 6 
               
               
                   
                 Lower Buck Member 
                 10 
               
               
                   
                 Lateral Buck Member 
                 14 
               
               
                   
                 Brace 
                 18 
               
               
                   
                 Adjustable Brace 
                 22 
               
               
                   
                 Panel 
                 26 
               
               
                   
                 Beam 
                 30 
               
               
                   
                 Insulation 
                 34 
               
               
                   
                 Keyway 
                 38 
               
               
                   
                 Insulated Concrete Form 
                 42 
               
               
                   
                 Insulation panel 
                 46 
               
               
                   
                 Spacer Web 
                 50 
               
               
                   
                 Tooth 
                 54 
               
               
                   
                 Engineered Buck Material 
                 58 
               
               
                   
                 Round 
                 62 
               
               
                   
                 Fillets 
                 66 
               
               
                   
                 Wall 
                 67 
               
               
                   
                 Floor 
                 68 
               
               
                   
                 Arcuate Channel 
                 70 
               
               
                   
                 Spacer Web Face 
                 74 
               
               
                   
                 Cavity 
                 78 
               
               
                   
                 Strapping Plate 
                 82 
               
               
                   
                 Aperture 
                 86 
               
               
                   
                 Tab 
                 90 
               
               
                   
                 Strap 
                 98 
               
               
                   
                 Rebar Holder 
                 102 
               
               
                   
                 Arcuate bend 
                 106 
               
               
                   
                 Leg 
                 108 
               
               
                   
                 Rebar 
                 110 
               
               
                   
                 Wall 
                 114 
               
               
                   
                 Void 
                 122 
               
               
                   
                 Weld 
                 126 
               
               
                   
                 Clamp fixture 
                 130 
               
               
                   
                 Bar 
                 134 
               
               
                   
                 Coupling 
                 138 
               
               
                   
                 Plate 
                 142 
               
               
                   
                 Outer pipe 
                 146 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0024]    It should be understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale. In certain instances, details that are not necessary for an understanding of the invention or that render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted. It should be understood, of course, that the invention is not necessarily limited to the particular embodiments illustrated or described herein. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0025]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1-13 , a system for creating an opening in a concrete wall is provided. More specifically, a window buck  2  that is comprised of an upper buck member  6 , a lower buck member  10  and two lateral buck members  14  positioned therebetween is generally provided. The buck members are maintained approximately square during forming with a brace  18 . An adjustable brace  22  may also be employed to ensure that the lateral buck members  14  and/or the upper buck member  6  and the lower buck member  20  do not bow inward when concrete is placed into the form. The buck members are generally comprised of a panel  26  with beams  30  interconnected thereto via fasteners, adhesives, etc. However, the buck members may be formed from a unitary form or extruded. The space between the beams  30  contains an insulative material  34  that may include a keyway  38 . The completed window buck  2  is integrated into a cast-in-place wall form, prefabricated tilt-up wall form, or into a system of interlocking insulated concrete forms  42 . The insulated concrete forms  42  are generally comprised of two insulation panels  46  that are separated by a spacer web  50 . The insulated concrete forms  42  may include teeth  54  and cavities  78  thereby facilitating interconnection between two adjoining insulated concrete forms  42 . 
         [0026]    Referring specifically now to  FIG. 1 , a window buck  2  is provided that is comprised of the upper buck member  6 , the lower buck member  10 , and the lateral buck members  14  positioned therebetween. In one embodiment the upper buck member  6  is longer than the lower buck member  10  such that the lower buck member  10  is positioned between the left lateral buck member  14 L and the right lateral buck member  14 R. The brace  18  may be used to ensure that the upper buck member  6  is aligned approximately 90 degrees relative to the lateral buck members  14 . Once the buck members are placed in the correct orientation, i.e. “square”, the upper buck member  6  and lower buck member  10  are interconnected to the lateral buck members using screws, nails, glue, or any other fastening mechanism known in the art. The upper buck member  6 , the lower buck member  10  and lateral buck members  14  are customizable wherein the lengths thereof may be selectively altered to form an opening of any size. An adjustable brace  22  may additionally be employed between two buck members, either horizontally, vertically or both, to resist the force of the concrete when it is placed in the form as explained in further detail below. 
         [0027]    Referring now to  FIGS. 2-5 , front elevation views of engineered buck material  58  that comprise the upper buck member  6 , the lower buck member  10  and the lateral buck members  14  is shown. The engineered buck material  58  is generally an assembly of a panel  26  with parallelly spaced beams  30 . Insulation  34  is positioned between the beams  30 , which may or may not include a cut-out, or keyway  38 . The keyway may be a continuous cavity or a plurality of discreet openings positioned in the insulation. The keyway  38  eliminates the need for nails, bolts, or other members that are traditionally integrated into the window buck  2  to anchor the window buck  2  to the concrete. The keyway  38  allows concrete to extend into the window buck  2  and creates a sheer prevention mechanism. The keyway  38  of some embodiments of the present invention is generally rectangular, with rounds  62  or fillets  66  included therein or other shapes, as shown. Some panel insulation employed include a trapezoidal keyway  38 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . The walls  67  of the keyway  38  are angled (θ) from about 90°-150°, and are preferably angled about 135°. One advantage of employing angled walls  67  oriented greater than about 90° from each other is that the probability of maintaining concrete within the entire keyway  38  is increased. Generally, in one embodiment, the keyway  38  is about 0.75 inches deep and is centered within the insulation wherein about a 1.5 inch span of insulation resides between each beam  30  and the keyway  38 . One skilled in the art, however, will appreciate that the size of the insulation  34 , and thus the keyway  38 , may be scaled to any size to accommodate any wall size and/or thickness. It is also contemplated that the insulation  34  be comprised of distinct components that are associated with the beams  30 , thereby exposing a portion of the panel  26 . Further, the insulation  34  may be a multi-pieced assemblage. 
         [0028]    The beams  30  in various embodiments of the present invention are preferably Laminated Strand Lumber (LSL) or Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) that are about 1 9/16 inches thick and about 1.25 inches wide. The LSL of embodiments of the present invention is an engineered lumber product provided by TrusJoint Products of Columbus, Ohio and sold under the trade name TimberStrand. The LVL of embodiments of the present invention is also provided by TrusJoist Products under the trade name Microllam. The panel  26  in various embodiments of the present invention is generally about 7/16 inches thick and about 8 to 15 inches wide. In one embodiment the panels are about 11 ½ inches wide. Thus the entire thickness of the engineered buck material  58  is about 2 inches. The total length of the engineered material  58  is customizable wherein the required length of each member is cut prior to incorporating with other buck members to form the desired opening. In certain embodiments of the present invention the panel  26  may be oriented strand board (OSB), or plywood, wood-plastic composite, and/or metal materials, the insulation  34  is expanded polystyrene (EPS) and the beams  30  are engineered LSL. One skilled in the art will appreciate that even though embodiments of the present invention employ materials as described above, any suitable building material may be used, including, but not limited to steel, plastic, aluminum, concrete, wood, plywood, extruded polystyrene, urethane, wood-plastic composites and/or a compilation thereof. 
         [0029]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 6 , an adjustable brace  22  of one embodiment of the present invention is shown. More specifically, the adjustable brace  22 , which is adapted to be positioned between a left lateral buck member  14 L and the right lateral buck member  14 R is generally comprised of a bar  134  that is slidingly engaged to an outer pipe  146 . Embodiments of the present also employ an adjustable brace  22  between the upper buck member  6  and the lower buck member  10 , such an adjustable brace  22  can be employed alone as well. On one end of the outer pipe  146  is interconnected to a coupling  138  that is welded  142  to a plate  142 L. The other end of the outer pipe  146  is welded  142  to a clamp fixture  130 . The clamp fixture  130  is adapted to adjustably secure the bar  136 . The other end of the bar is interconnected to a coupling  138  that is also welded  126  to a plate  142 R. The plates  142  are adapted to be interconnected to the panel portions of the lateral buck members  14 . Customization of the adjustable brace  22  is achieved by selectively engaging the bar  134  within the clamp fixture  130  to provide the length required. In embodiments of the present invention, the clamp fixture  130  is a Pony Style 52 clamp fixture for a half inch pipe sold by Jorgensen. The bar  134  is about ½ inch schedule  40  pipe having an about ⅞ inch outside diameter. The outer pipe  146  is one inch schedule  40  pipe having an about 1 ¼ outer diameter. The couplings  138  are either a one inch NPT coupling or a ½ inch NPT coupling depending on their interconnection to either the outer pipe  146  or the bar  134 . The plates  142  are approximately 3×3 inch ×⅛ inch thick and have one or more holes positioned therein that allow for interconnection to the lateral buck members with nails, screws, bolts, etc. The adjustable brace  22  of this embodiment of the present invention allows for selectively adjustability wherein the clamp fixture  130  is welded to the outer pipe  146  between a range of about 20 ½ inches to 44 ½ inches from the plate  142 L. The span from the end of the bar  134  to the end of the plate  142 R is about 22-46 inches. Thus expandability of about 20 ½ inches to an about 90 ½ inches is provided by one embodiment. It is contemplated that the adjustable brace  22  may be scaled to any size to accommodate any size of window or door desired. For example, it is well within the scope of the present invention to provide an adjustable brace  22  that spans about 14-16 feet that are needed to form openings associated with a garage door. 
         [0030]    Referring now to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , one embodiment of an insulated concrete form (ICF)  42  is provided that includes parallel oriented and spaced insulation panels  46  that are separated with a spacer web  50 . The spacer web  50  may provide a location for the securement of reinforcing bars, preferably within arcuate channels  70 . The spacer webs  50  include faces  74  that extend through the insulation panels  46  and are visible on the outside of the insulation panel  46 . In some instances the spacer web faces  74  are at least partially embedded into the insulation panels  46 . Insulation panels  46  of embodiments of the present invention include teeth  54  and cavities  78  that provide an interlocking interconnection between two stacked or adjacently located insulated concrete forms  42 . The figures presented herein show ICFs manufactured by Arxx Building Products, Inc. One skilled in the art will appreciate that the buck system of embodiments of the present invention may be incorporated into most any ICF such as those offered by Reward Wall Systems, Inc., Nudura Corporation, ECO-Block, LLC, Quad-Lock Building Systems, Ltd., American PolySteel, LLC. The Vertical ICF, Inc., and other manufacturers. 
         [0031]    Referring now to  FIGS. 9 and 10 , a strapping plate  82  utilized in one embodiment of the present invention is shown. More specifically, the strapping plate  82  includes an aperture  86  and a tab  90 . During form assembly, which will be described in further detail below, the aperture  86  receives a fastener and is interconnected to the spacer web face  74 , which in some instances is located within the thickness of the insulation panel  46 . A strap  98  is then interconnected to the tab  90  and to a strapping plate  82  that is interconnected similarly to the lateral buck member  14 . Tensioning of the strap  98  firmly secures the insulated concrete form  42  to the buck  2 . Alternatively, two straps can be employed or the strap could wrap around the inside of the buck and be attached to a strapping plate on the other side of the ICF. 
         [0032]    Referring now specifically to  FIG. 11 , a rebar holder  102  is shown that is employed in some embodiments of the present invention. More specifically, the rebar holder  102  is generally a wire with a plurality of arcuate bends  106 . In addition, the rebar holder includes generally straight legs  108  depending in a perpendicular direction from the portion shown. These legs  108  may include a sharp point for interconnection to the insulation panel material  46 . Once the rebar holder  102  is firmly integrated into adjacent parallel insulation panels  46 , the arcuate bends  106  are adapted to receive and secure a reinforcing member, i.e. “rebar”  110 . The rebar  110  site generally being employed by some embodiments of the invention have an Imperial bar size of #4, #5 or #6, having a nominal diameter of about 0.5 in., 0.625 in., and 0.75 in. respectively. However, one skilled in the art will appreciate that aspects of the invention presented herein are not limited to any one size wherein any size rebar, or any other type of reinforcing member for that matter, may be employed. 
         [0033]    Referring now to  FIGS. 12 and 13 , the integration of a window buck  2  into a wall form  114  is shown. More specifically, here, a wall form  114  is provided that includes a plurality of interlocked ICFs  42 . The window buck  2  is placed on the ICFs  42  and secured thereto by way of the strapping plates  82  and tensioned strap  98 . One skilled in the art will appreciate that if the window buck  2  employs untreated lumber, a moisture resistant barrier must be placed between the exposed (i.e. non-insulated) wood portions of the window buck  2  and the concrete in accordance with the 2003 International Residential Code (IRC), Section R319.1. The exposed wood portions of the window buck  2  may be protected from concrete exposure by employing Gorilla Tape® sold by the Gorilla Glue Company of Cincinnati, Ohio. One or more adjustable bracing members  22  may also be included to prevent bowing of the lateral window buck members  14  and/or the upper buck member  6  and the lower buck member  10  when concrete is placed. The brace  18  is also included to maintain the substantially square shape of the window buck  2 . 
         [0034]    As shown, the strapping plates  82  are interconnected to the lateral window buck member  14  and a spacer web face  74 . When the strap  98  is tensioned, the insulated concrete panel  42  will be securely fastened to the window buck  2 . Concrete is subsequently placed into a void  122  between the two insulation panels  46  that make up the ICF  42 . The rebar holder  102 , which is positioned prior to introduction of concrete, is integrated by piercing the ends thereof into each insulation panel  46 . Rebar  110  is then situated within the arcuate bends  106  of the rebar holder  102  and fastened thereto. It is important to note that the spacer webs  50  provided may also accommodate rebar  110  in a horizontal fashion. Once all of the rebar  110  is placed, concrete can be placed into the ICFs to form a concrete wall with insulation on either side thereof, thus providing superior thermal performance. One skilled in the art will appreciate that a rebar holder may be directly integrated into the individual buck members. 
         [0035]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1-13  a method of creating an insulated concrete wall panel  114  is provided. Initially, ICFs  42  are assembled to a height equal to or greater than the elevation of the rough buck opening minus the thickness of the engineered buck material  58 , preferably about two inches. Next, the rough dimensions of the desired opening are obtained and the lateral buck members  14  are cut to a dimension of the rough opening height plus two inches. Since the thickness of the engineered buck material  58  is preferably about two inches, four inches is added to the dimension of the rough opening width and the engineered buck material that will become the upper buck member  6  is cut to that dimension. The lower buck member  10  is obtained from a length of the engineered buck material corresponding to the rough opening width. The top buck member  6  and bottom buck members  10  are then interconnected to the lateral buck members  14  to create a square or rectangular window buck  2 . Fasteners, such as screws or nails, are used to interconnect the top buck member  6  and bottom buck member  10  to the lateral buck members  14 , thereby creating a semi-rigid structure. If the wood portions of the window buck  2  are pressure treated, the fasteners must be hot-dipped, zinc-coated, galvanized steel, stainless steel, silicon bronze or copper to comply with the IRC. The window buck  2  may be maintained square by one or more corner braces  18  interconnected to a horizontal buck member  6  or  10  and a lateral buck member  14 . After the buck members are sufficiently aligned, it is set atop the ICFs  42  that were previously placed. 
         [0036]    The buck members are preferably interconnected to the ICFs  42  that are located adjacent thereto. This is accomplished by interconnecting strapping plates  82  onto the lateral members  14 . The strapping plates  82  are, in one embodiment of the present invention, interconnected to the beams  30  of the engineered buck material  58 . Next, the strap  98 , preferably of woven polyester, is used to connect one strapping plate  82 , which is connected to the beam  30  of the engineered buck material  58  to another strapping plate  82  that is connected to the other beam  30  of the engineered buck material. The straps  98  are of sufficient length to allow the excess to reside on either side of the window buck  2 . That is, one strapping plate  82  will be required for both the inside and the outside of the buck  2 . The strapping plates  82  must be spaced vertically according to form manufacturer requirements. A tab  90  positioned on the strapping plate  82  is adapted to receive the strap  98 . The strapping plates  82  positioned on the lateral buck members also may help retain the ICFs generally in line with the front and back faces of the window buck and prevent bulging of the ICF when the concrete is placed. One skilled in the art will appreciate that this function may be provided by interconnected plates or brackets. Alternatively, such securing/aligning devices may be directly integrated into the buck members. 
         [0037]    Next, an ICF  42  is placed adjacent to the lateral members  14  of the window buck  2 . Additional strapping plates  82  are interconnected, via a screw, preferably, to the web faces  74  of the spacer webs  50  of the newly placed ICFs  42 . Next, the excess strap that is located on either side of the buck is interconnected to the strapping plates  82  that are interconnected to the ICFs  42 , via a buckle, for example. The straps  98  are then tensioned to remove any slack and firmly secure the insulated concrete forms  42  to the window buck  2 . This step is repeated for the opposite side of the buck  2  thereby insuring that the insulated concrete form positioned on both sides of the buck  2  are securely interconnected thereto. Tensioning and strapping by hand has the benefit of centering the buck  2  in the width of the insulated concrete forms  42 , preventing bulging of the ICF  42  at the buck  2 , and providing lateral support of the lateral buck material  14 . 
         [0038]    As one skilled in the art will appreciate, often reinforcing, i.e. rebar  110 , must be employed within the thickness of the concrete. Here, rebar  110  is cut to a length that meets the lapping requirements of the local building code or design specifications and placed within the void  122  between the two insulative panels  46  of the ICFs  42 . Tie wire is preferably used to interconnect the rebar  110  to the rebar holder  102 . One skilled in the art will appreciate that this process can be scaled as the wall is increased in width and in height. As the wall form increases in size, additional straps  98 /strapping plates  82  may be required to further brace the forms prior to the introduction of concrete. 
         [0039]    Prior to concrete placement, the straps  98  are checked for proper tension, while the strapping plates  82 , corner bracing  18  and adjustable bracing  22  are also checked to ensure that the fasteners are secure. Next, concrete is placed into the void  122  between the insulative panels  46  of the ICFs  42 . Immediately after concrete placement, any concrete debris is cleaned and removed from the adjustable bracing  22  and corner braces  18  to ensure that any locking mechanism integrated into the adjustable brace  22  may be released and the adjustable bracing  22  can move freely. In addition, the corner braces  18  are inspected for damage and/or stressing. After the concrete is sufficiently cured, the adjustable brace  22  is unfastened, cleaned and stored. The corner brace  18  is removed and inspected for damage or stressing, the strapping plates  82  are removed and the strap  98  is cut, removed and discarded. A reinforced concrete wall is thus created having insulation on the interior and exterior thereof that provides an opening for a window, or a door. 
         [0040]    While various embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, it is apparent that modifications and alterations of those embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art. However, it is to be expressly understood that such modifications and alterations are within the scope and spirit of the present invention, as set forth in the following claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4