Residential Buildings
Our latest Project…
This is a custom curved seat wall and radius fire pit that we built for a contented customer in Gilbert Arizona. The General Contractor was The Bruce Gardner Company. 
Custom cutting the Travertine Tile to allow for the curve of the bench and fire pit walls was a quite the challenge.
We applied Veneer stone to the face and back of the wall for a great look!
The seat back was stuccoed with a brown mortar. Notice that the Travertine has a bull nose finish on the edge for comfort and style.
This is the radius fire pit wrapped in veneer stone with a custom fit Travertine top. it is now ready to receive the gas insert.
The homeowners also extended their Patio so more columns were added to support it. these were wrapped in Stone and Stuccoed.
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December 23, 2016 | Categories: Fireplaces, Residential Buildings, Uncategorized | Leave a comment
Now that the floor is poured, the Block are delivered along with the Integra rods. These rods are 7/16″ wide, galvanized, and are screwed into the couplers in the stem walls. they are designed to be 3-4″ higher than the top of the wall so that the wood top plate can be attached.
The blocks are then layed around the rods in sections called “runs” until the walls are built to full height.
Notice in the photo below that the block are open on the ends in the shape of an “H”. This helps increase the efficiency of the wall by reducing “Thermal bridging” which occurs when heat travels from one side of the wall to the other through material that conducts it. The foam that is sprayed into the wall is a great insulator!
Custom Integra Block house
Once the walls are complete, Superlite block comes out and places a tension plate, a washer, another “Tension indicator” washer, and a nut over each rod. The rods are then tensioned to 7000 psi. Notice that the top block at each rod is a different “Tension Block” designed to distribute the tension through the rest of the wall.
After the walls are tensioned, Superlite’s technicians spray foam into them. It is important for the masons to lay a “tight” wall because the foam will enter and come out of any voids left in the mortar joints. This can leave a big mess, and some annoyed Superlite Techs! In the picture below, you can see only three places where just a small amount of foam came out of our wall. The foam that you see coming out of the top of the wall is normal. It is allowed to dry, and then is cut off and recycled.
Phoenix, Arizona Custom Block Home
A happy Superlite Block Tech shows how much they enjoy working with the Darrin Gray Corporation. Here, he is adding the wood top plate after the foaming and tensioning of the walls. The house is now ready for the Carpenters.
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April 20, 2012 | Categories: Residential Buildings | Tags: Arizona, arizona custom, Brick, Custom Homes, Energy Efficient, Integra Block, Masonry and Stone, Mesa, mortar joints, superlite block | Leave a comment
Once the Stem wall is built, rebar installed, and Integra bolts layed out, it is time for it to be inspected, and grouted.
This Integra stem wall is now ready to be grouted
On larger jobs, a concrete truck and a grout pump is used to fill up the block wall. Most stem walls are grouted completely solid. You can see in the photo below , a concrete truck, the grout pump, and the hose leading to Jason and Aaron while they place the “grout”. (Grout is concrete that has smaller rocks in it so it will pass through the hose and flow properly inside the wall)
Jason and Aaron pumping grout (concrete) into the stem wall of this Integra House
Once the grout is placed, the grout is scraped level to the block, and the integra bolts are placed into the grout according to a plan outlined by the Integra Engineers.
This is the Completed Integra Stem Wall. The Integra bolts have been placed precisely where indicated by the integra engineers.
Once the stem wall is complete, it is time for the plumbers and electricians to place their “underslab” piping in its position. Then the stem wall is back filled with dirt, and compacted, a layer of ABC (rock and sand) is placed on top of that leaving about 4″ remaining for the concrete floor to be poured to the top of the stem wall.
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January 3, 2012 | Categories: Residential Buildings | Tags: Arizona, Brick, Custom Homes, Energy Efficient, Fireplace, Integra Block, Masonry Conractors, Masonry Stem Walls, Phoenix | 1 Comment
The photo below is of a footing that was recently poured for a custom home that we are building in Central Phoenix. (A footing is a foundation usually out of concrete that is used as a base to support the weight of your house. ) Many houses start out this way unless they are using a Post-tensioned slab. (We can discuss that at another time.) You can see rebar coming out of the footing that will provide a connection between the footing and the stem wall.
Custom Integra Block House
The stem wall is used to raise up the outside perimeter of your house to the future level of your floor. (See Photo below)
- Masonry Stem Walls for Integra Custom Home in Phoenix, AZ
In the photo above, you will notice a channel running through the top row of block. This channel is an opening for the masons to place horizontal rebar into. When grouted, (filled with concrete) that top row of block is called a bondbeam. A bondbeam adds strength to a wall. It combines the weight bearing properties and rigidity of block, with the strength and bendability of rebar.
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November 15, 2011 | Categories: Residential Buildings, Uncategorized | Tags: Arizona, Custom Homes, Integra Block, Masonry Construction, Masonry Stem Walls, Phoenix, Residential Construction | 1 Comment
The Integra wall system, http://www.superliteblock.com/integra_introduction.htm was invented in the 1980s by Paul Scott; a structural engineer in the Phoenix area. He partnered with Superlite Block to produce this energy-efficient building system. It didn’t take long for homeowners to see the advantages of Integra… Combining the strength,and durability of Post-Tensioned block construction with the energy efficiency of a proprietary polyurethane foam insulation that is sprayed into the masonry cores after construction.
The above photo is of an integra block shop that we built for “Grandma’s Farm” in southern Phoenix. We used 8″ wide C.M.U (Concrete Masonry Units). As you can see, the Integra Block looks just like a conventional Masonry building once the construction process is complete. An Integra wall can be finished just like any other block wall with Paint, Stucco,or even a Brick veneer.
Integra Block Barn for Grandma’s farm in Phoenix Arizona
In the next month, we will be building another large custom Integra Block home in the Phoenix-Metro area. We will be documenting the wall construction process so that you can see the differences, and advantages of the Integra wall system.
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October 2, 2011 | Categories: Residential Buildings | Tags: Ari, Block, Custom Homes, Gilbert, Integra Block, Mesa, Phoenix | Leave a comment
Jason, adding Thinbrick to the Site walls
Adding brick to your home will add value and durability to your new or existing home. At the Darrin Gray Corporation, we are committed to help you realize your dream.
- Thinbrick Remodel Finished Product
See the difference that brick can make to your home. Brick does not need to be painted. However, it is a good idea to apply a quality water-resistant seal to it every couple of years. This will increase the lifespan of your walls, and keep them looking like new for years to come.
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September 20, 2011 | Categories: Residential Buildings, Uncategorized | Tags: AZ, Brick, Masonry, Mesa, Remodel, Thin Brick, Thinbrick | Leave a comment
If you are planning a remodel, consider using brick or block to add to its value. Brick is a durable material that never needs paint and adds beauty and style to your home. Masonry walls need less maintenance than wood. This characteristic will save you time and money over the life of your home.
This is Oscar, one of our talented (and camera-shy) masons. He is adding brick to a carport support column in a residential remodel. The brick columns will make a beautiful addition to this remodeling project.
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August 31, 2011 | Categories: Residential Buildings | Tags: Brick, Cement Block, Construction and Maintenance, Masonry, Masonry and Stone, Masonry Construction, Materials and Supplies, Residential Construction | Leave a comment
- Chapman Residence built out of Integra block for Johnson Carlier
The Darrin Gray Corporation specializes in the Integra Wall System. We have many years of experience building these energy-efficient homes. We have built hundreds of tract homes, and many, many Custom homes using the Integra Wall System.
Let us build YOUR next Masonry home!
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August 22, 2011 | Categories: Residential Buildings | Tags: Construction and Maintenance, Energy Efficient, Integra Block, Masonry, Masonry Construction, Residential Construction | Leave a comment
Darrin Gray Corp. 