Hi all,  I have a customer that wants me to pump some icf walls with a line pump.  The problem is that they are not braced very well except with a 2x4 here and there, and they are 9' tall.  The brand is quad lock which i have never had a lot of luck with.  Any suggestions on what an acceptable answer would be in order to help him?

I presume he already has the floor poured? In saying that, get 3-4 roll around scaffals and lay your hoses across them, that way you can move your line around the house without kinking it. I definently wouldn't lay it on top!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just my opinion

Unfortunatley no,  he doesnt have the floor poured.  He used a boom on the first 3 feet and there were blowouts all over.  Now he is doing the 3 - 9' part.  I would like to do the job but I am not sure that it is doable with the line pump.  I have nightmares just looking at the way it is put together!  I suggested that he use sheathing and brace it all over and then reuse the sheathing elsewhere on the house during construction, but he didnt sound too interested.  A 2" wall hook would even be too heavy I think.

Can he not use a boom? I know you could use the work but is it gonna come back on you if you break the forms from a hose surge?

Was the pump co he was using, using something like a rams horn between the hose and reducer? It could be that they were putting it in to aggresively. You said he has no bracing. The osb sheeting is the way to go in my opinion then he could use it on the roof. I built my house with icf and had sheeting all over especially in the corners.

i poured many many walls like that with a 38 meter boom also used a rams horn  reduced to 2" poured in 3 lifts 9" slump  and had any prombles also   had slaffold with wheels we call this green walls

I started out in a line pump but never got involved in icf until I moved into a boom. I know I wouldn't like doing it but you gotta do what you gotta do. Let us know how it goes!

Seems to me he needs some scaffold setup can't walk on the top of IFC ,poured hundreds of IFC walls with 42 meter boom 3" or 2.5" whip with no pump caused blowouts now saying that under built is under built , check for strapping on the butt joints bracing on the corners and t sections bulk heads are good make sure builder has some plywood around and a screw gun   On hand to fix potential blowouts    Let use know ow it goes

 Youcould do it either way. If you line pump it you'll need to have scaffolding or have the top of wall about waist high to control the hose becauce you should'nt lay it on top. I have poured them both ways and prefer a boom. I really believe it's not the pump but the forming contractor because I've poured lifts a high as 14 feet, but the contractor I worked with usedawhailers, cam locks, and cam lock ties in different areas for support and to keep the walls straight. Good luck with your contractor.

something that work for us was  kema tx 36 feet tall walls trees all over lot no room for boom pourd 9 feet tall sec at a time i do not now what type system icf will allow it contractor did have lift to hold hose and good bracing but he put 2 in hole in icf we reduced 2 1/2"-2" pluming reducer pipe on end of hose and pourd from bottom up reliving all stress from free fall and shock from pump but he pourd 2 foot @ a time move to new location and used a wood plug he made for the holes  and hade plywood direct behind on the out side the area wear the hole was move to new hole when concrete stop flowing we did have a good mix and 8+ slump work well no blow outs all shock from pump was kep down bi not over pouring? moveing around the wall just a thought may not work on all icf  

Easy.. If he doesn't want to listen to any of your advices than tell him he can handle the hose himself and you just get payed by the hour.. All on his own risk.. Looks like a goldmine to me

Don't forget your camera!!

Thanks everyone for the advice,  I was thinking the same thing dipstick, exept that would probably be the last pour I ever did for him and he does quite a few, just not icf.  I know the guy he used on the first part didnt give a sh** and only hung a 4" discharge, told him he would do it for 400 flat!  I guess you get what you pay for.  I used to do alot of these with a boom also, but I really dont like the way he has these constructed, and no way to straighten them.  I think that I will just overbid this one!

I have done one quad lock here  but it had a walk board fastened to the  in side about 6 ft high we used our hook and went around several time's no problems  but they had it braced reall good , have you got a wall hook if not build one they are a good item to have, if you can't build one send me a e-mail I will build it and ship it to you, mine are made to turn at a corner with one hand.

Well,  20 yards and 4.5 hours with 6 blowouts.  CHA CHING.  It beat dragging the hose around.  I pumped them with the volume all the way down,  concrete just oozing out of the snake, and they still couldnt hold.  These were assemled????  like my kids put them together!  ok maybe not but holy cow!   thankfully its over and now it is the roofers, framers, stucco guys problem!

That's some of the worst IFC wall forming I have seen. And thank you for the undate

I really like icf,so do others around the country.You didn't mention the mix's,talk to him about it,he probably will do more of them.The more sweet mix's will let you use different gear,talk to supplier as well.I liked to use 3" tip hose and have even dropped a gear (boom will be sluggish).Also read Rob's post on risk managment.

WOW WEE, Maybe they wanted curved walls................adds character...............

 Southtexas your way would work, but I would'nt recomend it. If for some reason you built to much pressure in 1 spot I would think you would blow the whole side out of one of the ICF's.