Tilt-Up Concrete Chosen in Florida to Withstand Storm Damage

A Florida owner of a new retail and warehouse/industrial facility chose to have his general contractor use tilt-up concrete wall construction process instead of block and masonry. "I know what block is and how easy it is to break through. I want durable. My big thing with this project — I’m thinking hurricane seasons. A two-by-four can penetrate block but splinters when it hits these walls," he said. "And for insurance reasons, it should be cheaper too."

The system of casting concrete walls on site, lifting them in place and linking them together has been used in Florida for a number of decades, but has grown in popularity, especially the past 20-25 years, as building codes have been modified to ensure large buildings survive hurricanes and strong summer storms.