Andrew and Bill,
I agree with what you are saying. I don’t like to exceed the 18” spacing either. However, the only reason I bring all this up is for the fact that this is such a small addition (864 sq. ft.) so the loads are really pretty low. My numbers show the walls could work with #4 bars @ 24” o.c. each way other than it doesn’t meet the maximum spacing requirements. Looking at IRC Table R611.3(2) it says for an 8’-0” tall 5.5” core ICF wall with 30 psf wind pressure I can use #4 bars @ 48” o.c. each way. Now don’t get me wrong I would NEVER be willing to stamp anything with bars spaced that far apart. But if calculation shows that bars @ 24” o.c. each way work and the IRC table says I can go to 48” o.c., are we really getting the client anything better with 18” o.c. spacing? If this was a commercial building or even a large house, it would be 18” o.c. spacing period. But with such a small residential addition, it sometimes makes you wonder, especially when calculations show that it will work spaced out more than 18”. As far as the beer goes, I definitely agree, never light beer, and always bottles. I usually have the beers with the “watered-down lagerish taste”, but being in Utah, I always have some good Utah microbrews on hand. (Yes, they sell beer here). Polygamy Porter or Cutthroat Pale Ale are a couple of good ones.
Thanks for all the input.
Jeff Hedman, SE