Anyone have any experience in specifying AAC?
What would you like to know about AAC?
essentially recommended manufactuerers and procedures/cautions in specifying
WE have used AAC in Florida projects - mostly for chase walls and locations where lightweight masonry was paramount.
There seems to be a big turnover in manufacturers, the ones we have had the best response from over the past three years are:
ACCO Aerated Concrete Systems (888) 901-2226 (407) 884-0051 www.accoacc.com and Babb International, Inc. - Hebel, (770) 308-1500 www.babb.com/acc
Only had a couple of hours of sleep last night - oh the joys of being an independent specWriter - so my responses will be slow and over several posts -
Also try:
AERCON International in Haines City, FL - talk to David Miller at (863) 442-6360 - I believe AERCON took over the old YTONG operation in Florida.
Babb International has a great binder.
Also check out article in Constr Specifier - June 2004 - "Understanding Autoclaved Aerated Concrete’ pages 66-74 - we can fax a copy to you if you do not have one.
Also, contact your local IMI representative.
International Masonry Institute
800-IMI-0988
They should be able to help you too.
The one experience I had with specifying AAC was as an alternate to metal studs as a bearing wall on a single story building; brick veneer was to be used in both base bid and alternate. The building was framed with steel joists from exterior walls to an interior bearing wall, which also was to be AAC under the alternate.
The AAC alternate was not accepted because of cost. In post mortem discussions with several of the invited bidders, one of the surprising cost issues was a hefty increase by the electrical subs (and presumably mechanical subs) for the cost of routing out the AAC for their work. The AAC product rep demonstrated the technique, which of course looked simple in his mockup, but apparently the subs thought differently. At the time we bid the project, AAC was brand new in our market, so some of the increased cost may have been due to fear of the unknown. I am sure in areas where AAC is more prevalent, this is less of an issue, but it still may be something to consider.
If your project is in the western US, an experienced AAC installer is Thunderbolt Construction of Arizona, 928-692-1000.
Mitch, check out Tru Stone America, Providence, RI, 401-351-4448, www.trustoneamerica.com. They were part of an excellent program given on AAC at CSI Philadelphia.
Thanks Steven…do you know of a local contact here in the Middle Atlantic? Phila area