• CFA Tech Note 014: Interpreting Nominal Concrete Wall Thickness

    Wednesday, April 1, 2026

    Introduction  A frequent point of discussion between contractors, designers and code authorities involves the interpretation of “nominal” versus “actual” concrete wall thickness. This technical note provides clarification on this topic by examining relevant building codes and industry standards. Understanding the code-defined relationship between nominal and actual dimensions is essential for ensuring compliance and project continuity.  Analysis of Code Requirements  The International Residential […]

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  • Volver a construir mejor: Resiliencia

    Friday, March 13, 2026

    Cuarto artículo de la serie  De Joe Nasvik  Una vez que se toma la decisión de construir una casa, la siguiente cuestión que hay que resolver es cómo se debe construir. El mejor sistema de construcción es aquel que sea más adecuado para los ocupantes actuales y futuros. El uso de pautas de sostenibilidad y resiliencia […]

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  • Building Back Better Resiliency

    Friday, March 13, 2026

    BY JOE NASVIK  This is the fourth and final article of the Building Back Better series.  After the decision is made to build a house, the next issue to resolve is how it should be built. The best building system is one that will be best for the current and future occupants. Using sustainability and resilience guidelines is […]

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  • 2025 CFA Consulting Members Directory

    Friday, March 6, 2026

    CFA works with many great consultants. If you are looking for consulting services, visit one of the companies below: BIC bicauctions.com BIC is a used concrete equipment specialist serving contrac­tors, manufacturers and lenders nationwide. The company helps industry professionals unlock value from idle or un­derutilized assets—whether it’s a single unit or an entire fleet. Their […]

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  • Interns posing in front of Custom Concrete building

    We See You: Custom Concrete Shouts Out Their Interns

    Friday, October 3, 2025

    Custom Concrete recently took time to celebrate the next generation of industry leaders by highlighting the contributions of their interns.

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Feature

Aug
8

THANK YOU

It was in September 2000 the CFA kicked off this study with funds coming from the Research and Education Fund. The initial tests were done at Bowser-Morner testing Labs in Dayton Ohio, on materials graciously provided by Henry Ernst and Dick Hoying of Piqua Concrete Co., Piqua, Ohio. After this initial test, our studies sort […]

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Aug
8

CFA Cold Weather Research Transitions to Contractors

Jim Baty, CFA Technical Director “You can feel it in the air, you can feel it on the breeze…” isn’t that how the song goes? For many contractors throughout the middle to upper states, cold weather is not only on the horizon, it is approaching rapidly. What better time for the CFA to finish production […]

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Aug
8

CFA Standard Updated

The CFA published the “2003 CFA Standard” in late 2002. It was our first attempt to present a wide variety of foundation construction information and minimum standards in a “code format” for use by our members, yet it goes well beyond the basic code approach. The Standard established a base-line for construction. It followed the […]

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Aug
8

The Tropics Call Contractor to Build Concrete Homes

By Wendy Shannon & Libbie Hough of Shannon & Company, a marketing communications firm for the Concrete Homes Council. K-Wall Poured Walls, Inc. is located in Traverse City, Michigan and has been in operation for the last 11 years. Kubica is the owner and president of K-Wall and is a man who loves to challenge […]

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Aug
8

Subcontractor Agreements – What Does This Mean to Subcontractors?

Doug Staebler, Custom Concrete Company, Inc., Westfield, IN Over the past year, there has been a marked increase in the use of subcontractor agreements in residential construction. Although these agreements were used for years in commercial construction, residential contractors often operated on handshake agreements. Like it or not, those days are probably gone for good, […]

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Aug
8

Building Officials Announce Change in Pressure Treated Lumber Materials

Ohio, as well as other states, recently warned residents and the building industry to be aware of the lumber, anchors, and fasteners used on their construction projects. The preservative-treated lumber used for the last 60 years was deemed unusable because it contains arsenic. It was replaced with a new preservative-treated lumber that contains a chemical […]

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Magazine Issues

Oct
29

Summer Meeting Recap At Amelia Island

Thank you to all that attended the CFA Summer Meeting at Amelia Island. Although our meetings and activities were scaled back to save cost for both CFA and the attendees I believe it was a successful and educational meeting, plus we had ample time for networking which is the most important aspect of CFA and the meetings. The education was excellent and covered topics from […]

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Oct
29

The Future of CFA Conventions

We have just completed another CFA Summer Convention. Those who attended generally agreed that the speakers and educational opportunities were among the best we have ever assembled, but we are at a crossroad. For the first year ever, we lost money on the event. Contractors attended at about the same pace as the prior year but other revenue was off over 80%. Our […]

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Oct
29

COST-EFFECTIVE SOLUTION for Insulating and Finishing Poured Concrete Walls benefits Contractor, Builder and Homebuyer

CertainTeed’s T-RocTM Thermal Laminate Foundation Insulation System equips contractors with a tool to save builders money and provide extra living space for homebuyers — without the additional construction and labor costs associated with traditional basement finishing. Using the T-RocTM Thermal Laminate Foundation Insulation System, the builder is able to bypass several costly, time-intensive tasks typically involved with finishing below-grade concrete walls, and offer a prized upgrade to prospective home buyers–a […]

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Oct
29

DELTA®-FOOTING BARRIER

DELTA®-FOOTING BARRIER is a 3-ply sheet membrane containing a polyester needle punched fabric, a polyethylene barrier, and an ant-slip surface layer. Its primary purpose is to act as a capillary break between the footing and the foundation wall to prevent the capillary rise of moisture. Building Code in several jurisdictions across North America have begun to require basements to be insulated to […]

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Oct
29

BILCO INTRODUCES NEW AND IMPROVED STAKWEL® WINDOW WELL SYSTEM ENHANCED DESIGN Results in Added Product Strength

The Bilco Company has enhanced its stakWEL® Window Well System, a modular system of units that are stacked together to accommodate virtually any foundation depth. The new design features high-density polyethylene inserts that add strength and rigidity to withstand adverse freeze/thaw and site-settling conditions. Inserts also simplify the backfilling process and lock modules together to create a cohesive window well assembly. The interlocking modular design of the […]

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Oct
29

Hit The Deck!

As foundation contractors your focus in this recession is certainly obtaining work…any work and as much of it as you can. One way to secure more work in this down economy (and into the future) is to do more on the jobs you do get. Your crews are on the job, your equipment is there, the concrete pump is […]

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Oct
29

ADDIDRIVE SYSTEM DEBUTS on Putzmeister America, Inc.’s 70Z

The Addidrive system, the first of its kind in North America, is an innovative front drive system that provides over 12,000 pounds (5,443kg) of traction force to aunit’s tractor steer axles giving it an incredible 10×10 drive configuration. The system is featured on Putzmeister America, Inc.’s 70Z truck-mounted concrete boom pump. “With the ability to be activated on the fly, this feature is especially helpful when […]

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Oct
29

IMPROVED WALL SURFACES. Cleaner Forms & Cleaner Application. Lower Applied Cost.

Alumi-Con from Nox-Crete Products Group is a chemically reactive, low odor, low VOC, super concentrated form release agent specifically formulated for use on aluminum forms. Alumi-Con is Green Engineered™ and is manufactured to be safer for both the applicator and the environment through the use of safer raw materials. IMPROVED WALL SURFACES. Nox-Crete’s Alumi-Con off ers the consistent, quality performance expected of a Nox-Crete form […]

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Oct
29

WHEN QUALITY MEETS VALUE Zoomlion 40-meter Boom Pump

During the World of Concrete 2009, CIFA USA, Inc., the management group for Zoomlion America, introduced the new ZLJ 40X-4Z. Th is is the 1st concrete boom pump unit produced exclusively for the North American marketplace in cooperation of the two newly joined groups at their Milwaukee Wisconsin facility. “We planned the unit knowing that the American buyer not only looks for a great […]

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Oct
29

Great Reasons to Head to Amelia Island

I hope to see you this summer at the CFA 33rd annual Summer Convention July 29 – Aug 1, 2009 in Amelia Island Plantation, Florida. With the economy the way it is I can understand if you are thinking maybe we should sit this one out. Let me give you some great reasons why you should attend. Education – […]

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Oct
29

Education, Education, Education

The CFA Summer Convention 2009 is all about education. We may be in a down economy but CFA staff feels they have assembled one of the strongest educational programs ever. Our most popular presenters over the past 12 years have been recalled to active duty to serve the needs of members. Topics are relevant and should be indispensable as we enter the recovery (it is […]

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Sep
15

2009 PROJECT OF THE YEAR

Concrete Facts magazine sat down with CFA Technical Director, Jim Baty to find out more about this program for you. See what Jim had to say about this very important membership benefit. Why should your members consider this award program? Awards programs are created to do two primary things. The first is to raise awareness of the professionalism and quality of the market that they surround and […]

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