The Pomranky family has trusted Helix Micro Rebar in their ICF projects throughout the Inland Northwest, helping to build one of the largest ICF product supply centers in the region.

“We are a one-stop shop for all things related to ICF,” says ICF Specialties owner Ed Pomranky. “But our real value lies in building relationships with our customers. They tell us that they feel like family when working with ICF Specialties.”

A family-owned business since 1999, ICF Specialties is an Inland Northwest (Washington, Oregon, and Idaho) supplier that provides multiple products lines and exceptional service in its retail and wholesale facilities. It has contributed to the construction of hundreds of homes throughout the Pacific Northwest.

With two generations now managing the operations, with decades of experience in ICF, ICF Specialties is the go-to for customer education on design, training, supplies and installation guidance.

ICF Specialties is the Regional Must-Stop for Helix Micro Rebar

The Northwest is another region where Helix Micro Rebar has really caught on with local builders. “It’s amazing how many people are receptive when they learn how Helix Micro Rebar can save on time and labor,” says Pomranky. “We have been involved in a multitude of projects and currently include Helix Micro Rebar in all our quotes and designs every time. I would say at least 85% of the projects we have supported in the last five years are done with Helix.”

Helix Micro Rebar is an innovative concrete reinforcement unlike any other. It’s a one-inch twisted piece of steel combined with thousands of others to build a composite concrete element. By replacing rebar with this product, concrete durability increases and cracks decrease in a wide range of applications, from footings to slabs to ICF.

Not having to spend time and energy on rebar installation means significant time savings. For ICF projects like those that ICF Specialties supplies, Pomranky estimates that it reduces labor time by up to 25%!

Builders Trust the Concrete Reinforcement that Saves Times and Money

Homebuilders here are increasingly trusting Helix Micro Rebar and ICF construction. “We actually just had a customer who called ICF Specialties about Helix Micro Rebar,” says Pomranky. “This was because the inspector was insisting on #6 rebar for a standard concrete form board (non-ICF) concrete wall. The owner remembered when I was talking to him about Helix Micro Rebar and how it can either replace rebar or be used congruently with rebar. We were able to get him hooked up with our engineer and with the correct dose to satisfy the inspector’s request. He was extremely satisfied with the solution to his issue.”

Helix Micro Rebar Takes ICF to New Heights

Pomranky recalls one special project that would have been very challenging were it not for Helix Micro Rebar. “It was on a hillside with two huge homes above it,” he says. “The original engineering called for #5 12” of vertical and #5 16” of horizontal. With 9lbs per yard of Helix Micro Rebar, we were able to reduce the conventional rebar to #5 24” of vertical and 16” of horizontal. It also allowed us to increase the height of the wall from 9’6” tall to 14’2” and remove most of the rebar.”

It was the one simple change to Helix Micro Rebar that made the build much more cost-effective in both materials and labor, while giving the homeowner the opportunity to enjoy taller walls and more spacious interiors.

ICF Stops Wildfire in the Inland Northwest

Pomranky says that their customers “absolutely love” Helix Micro Rebar in ICF construction and that it has always stood the test of time—even when disaster strikes.

Last year, Pomranky’s own installers helped a homeowner build his own ICF home using Helix Micro Rebar. Unfortunately, two weeks after his concrete walls were poured and the center peak roof beam was put up for his roof rafters, a fire swept through the neighborhood and engulfed nearly all of the homes in the area. His home only had a roof beam and upstairs floor framing, which caught fire immediately. 

Unfortunately, the ICF home was fully burned, including the foam that melted off the walls, but the concrete walls themselves were still standing. Though highly compromised, this strong concrete structure had single-handedly stopped the fire from spreading to the home adjacent to it, resulting in five homes left fully intact!

The home was rebuilt and the homeowner is a firm believer that ICF and Helix Micro Rebar are the best duo for new home construction.

A Better Way to Build New Homes

Insulated concrete forms using Helix Micro Rebar save time and money while resulting in homes that greatly improve energy efficiency.

If you’re in the Inland Northwest, drop by ICF Specialties in Spokane and learn more about the many reasons why the Pomranky family’s “one-stop shop for ICF” is your go-to for new home construction.

Would you like to learn how you can build smarter with ICF and Helix Micro Rebar? Reach out!

Give Helix a Listen

Listen to Helix Steel’s Senior Account Executive Erica Marr talk about the power of Helix Micro Rebar in ICF in this “Build With ICF” podcast.