By Emma Peterson.  

This month’s top articles are a perfect example of the variety of content OCS offers. 

Here at OutdoorCoffeeShop™, our goal is to create a digital space where outdoor professionals can meet to grow and learn together. As part of that mission, we publish articles about all kinds of topics, from business leadership to new product innovations. To give you a bit of a taste of the variety of articles we offer, we wanted to share the top five articles from June 2026!  

On this month’s list, we had several articles about how operating a business has changed recently. One article highlighted a conversation between Heidi J. Ellsworth and Eric Voyer from The Farnsworth Group about how contractors and other professionals can navigate uncertain and unstable markets. Another focused on how the digital era has changed marketing and sales – specifically the way word-of-mouth works. And yet another article highlighted how homeowners' priorities are shifting away from the McMansions of the 1980s-2000s and towards sustainability-focused green homes.  

This month also saw articles about unique projects. I got the opportunity to write one about a 38,000-gallon saltwater swimming pool in Missouri that was made of the innovatively light and versatile Nudura Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs). There was also an article from Jenny Yu highlighting a product that helps contractors work faster while delivering long-term performance – K9 Fasteners' Doberman™ Premium Deck Screw. 

Read the top 5 articles 

5 - Durable and dependable, this screw works for you by Jenny Yu. 

4 - Project profile: Ozark Sunset Pool by Emma Peterson. 

3 - From McMansions to green homes: Modern homeowner priorities by Emma Peterson. 

2 - Navigating a new normal by Emma Peterson. 

1 - Word of mouth still works – It just looks different by Emma Peterson. 

By Emma Peterson. 

How All3 Pools used Nudura ICFs to deliver energy savings, speedy results and long-term performance. 

When All3 Pools got the request for an in-ground 38,000-gallon saltwater swimming pool for a home in Rogersville, Missouri, they knew they would have to think innovatively to get the project done in an efficient manner. The solution they found? Nudura Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs).  

Using ICFs enabled the All3 team to expediate the construction process, taking a project that would traditionally take up to eight weeks down to five days! How is this possible? By constructing the pool out of ICF forms, rather than a more conventional material like Gunite, the All3 team was able to eliminate the need for temporary supports or falsework. Further, using ICFs removed the need for separate Gunite, spray foam and plumbing crews on site and enabled the All3 team to use a monopour shell, rather than pouring the walls and floor separately. All of this made for a cleaner and far more efficient installation process without sacrificing any structural integrity!  

And the benefits of using Nudura ICF on this project didn’t stop after installation was over! By using the ICFs, specifically Nudura’s one-sided XR35 Unassembled Panel with 4 in. thick EPS insulation, the finished pool will have optimal thermal insulation. Combined with the automatic pool cover added to the space, the Ozark Sunset Pool is about three times as energy efficient as your traditional in-ground pool. 

Reflecting on the project, the All3 Pools team couldn’t be happier with the choice to use ICFs, sharing, “We truly believe ICF pools are a disruptive technology in the pool space.” And they’re not the only ones that though the project turned out incredible, their work earned them first runner up in ICF Magazine’s pool category.  

By Emma Peterson. 

Learn about how Nudura Insulated Concrete Forms can make your construction process more efficient and effective.  

Are you looking for ways to streamline the construction process? Consider using Nudura® Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs) on your next project! Perfect for everything from pools to basements, foundations and above-grade walls, ICFs combine multiple parts of the traditional building process into one high-performance system:  

• Wall structure: Nudura ICF systems serve as walls. And once the ICF forms are in place and concrete poured into them, they are incredibly sound and strong, the perfect option for durable walls.  
• Insulator: The insulated part of the ICF name comes from the fact that the forms that concrete is poured into are made of EPS foam insulation. In the Nudura system, this foam is a high-quality EPS that creates continuous insulation across the wall and gives substantial thermal protection.  
• Air barrier: That same foam that insulates the Nudura ICFs also acts as an air barrier, mitigating air leakage due to its permeability level.  
• Vapor barrier: Nudura ICFs also come with a built-in vapor barrier that prevents moisture infiltration. 
• Finish anchorage: Nudura ICF blocks feature embedded fastening strips that make anchoring interior and exterior finishes (like drywall or cladding) easy!  

By combining these elements into one product, ICFs make it easier than ever to build structures. In fact, building with ICFs is a simple process:  

1. Preparing: Like with most products, to be successful you must set up for success. For Nudura ICFs, this preparation primarily looks like ensuring the footings/foundation space is both level and clear of debris. 
2. Stacking the forms: Once you’ve made sure the space is ready, it’s time to start placing the hollow Nudura ICF blocks. Each block will be connected to the adjacent blocks, and vertical seams should be staggered for strength and stability.  
3. Adding reinforcement: Once the forms are stacked, it’s time to add steel reinforcements into the cavities of each block.  
4. Placing the alignment system: Next, a temporary alignment system is put into place to ensure that the blocks stay put during the next phase.  
5. Pouring concrete: In this step, concrete is poured into the hollow, reinforced Nudura ICF blocks.  
6. Adding the finishing touches: After the concrete has set, it’s time for the last touches! On the exterior, this looks like installing windows and fixtures. For interior projects, think about finishes and drywall.  

And this incredible simplification of your construction process is not the only benefit of working with Nudura ICFs! They also allow for more design flexibility as they come in both straight, curved and corner forms and can accommodate virtually any exterior finish. Further, the insulation in Nudura ICFs not only makes the finished structure more energy-efficient, it can also make it more comfortable for inhabitants by providing soundproofing, improving air quality and promoting consistent interior temperatures. Performance-wise, Nudura ICF wall assemblies have been tested to endure winds of up to 250 mph (402 kph) and have a fire-rating of 4+ hours. 

You’re probably wondering what the catch with ICF systems are – but they really are just that good! Interested in learning more about or getting started installing Nudura ICFs? Tremco has a variety of training programs designed to help residential and light commercial contractors get started! These programs and offerings include in-person ICF training, an ICF ebook and a self-paced online option. 

Explore your learning opportunities today!

By Emma Peterson. 

Dive into the world of Insulated Concrete Forms and pools with these four incredible projects.  

Nudura Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs) are great construction materials for building the frame of a pool due to their superior insulation capabilities and incredible durability, improving energy efficiency and overall pool performance.  

Nudura ICFs are EPS foam molds that are filled with concrete once in place. The combo of the foam and the concrete “minimizes thermal transfer for consistent water temperatures and reduced heating costs.” Further, because of the versatility of ICF blocks, it is easy to create pool designs featuring curved walls and other unique geometries with Nudura ICFs. Keep reading to see some examples of how people have built their dream pools with Nudura! 

1 – Janecek Pool and Spa 

When a family in Princeton, Texas, wanted to add both a saltwater pool and an octagonal hot tub to their property, ICFs were a great choice for the project. Completed in 2020, this incredible project doesn’t just look amazing, it’s also high functioning thanks to a “geothermal loop with the nearby pond for more efficient heating.”  

And the homeowners weren’t the only ones stunned by the end result of this project – The Insulated Concrete Forms Magazine named this project as their 2021 Specialty Application winner!  

2 – Pirates World Park 

Along the southern border of France in a town called Agde sits a waterpark called Pirates World. Featuring a variety of attractions including waterslides, pools and a lazy river, this park is not only a great experience for the whole family but also has staked a claim to the title of oldest waterpark in Europe.  

And helping support this park are Nudura ICFs. Why did the park owners choose Nudura? The flexibility of design allowed them to create an interactive and engaging pool shape while the insulation qualities help reduce the operational costs of heating the water!  

3 – Bracebridge Pool 

In 2022, The Insulated Concrete Forms Magazine awarded the ICF Builder Award in the Pools Category to a swimming pool in a stunning, wooded area of  Bracebridge, Ontario, Canada.

And as you might have guessed, the pool used Nudura ICFs in its construction. For this project in particular, Nudura ICFs gave builders the flexibility they needed to deal with the varied landscape and bedrock of the area.  

4 – West End Oasis 

We also wanted to highlight a residential  ICF pool in Newfoundland, Canada from 2022. In this scenario, Nudura ICFs were used to create a hot tub with a spillover into a larger swimming pool.

The result was a beautiful terrace and pool area that optimized the space of a suburban backyard and undoubtedly raised the value of the home.  

5 – Ozark Pool 

And last but not least is a pool installation for a Missouri, U.S. home. In this project, the homeowners wanted an in-ground saltwater swimming pool. To make this happen within the construction timeline and maximize the thermal efficiency of the space, Nudura ICFs were used to create the 38,000-gallon pool.  

At the end of the day, this project not only gave the homeowners a show-stopping feature to their home, it also won the installers a 1st Runner Up Award in the Pools category from the The Insulated Concrete Forms Magazine. 

Learn more about building stunning ICF pools with Nudura.

By Emma Peterson. 

From energy savings to design versatility, discover how Nudura ICFs are reshaping modern pool construction. 

Across the construction industry, Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs) have grown in popularity as a building material. For those that are unfamiliar, ICFs are hollow foam blocks that are stacked and then filled with reinforced concrete to create a monolithic concrete wall with continuous insulation. They are most often used for structural walls in both residential and commercial buildings.  

But that’s not all ICFs can do! In fact, many outdoor contractors use ICFs from Nudura when building in-ground swimming pools. Here are five reasons why builders are turning to ICFs for pool construction! 

1 – Energy efficiency 

One of the benefits of using ICFs over traditional pool materials and methods is the insulation that comes built into them. The insulating power helps maintain the pool water’s temperature for longer, which translates into substantial cost savings. Nudura ICFs have been found to reduce energy costs by 60%. For context, a conventional heated pool actually loses up to 80% of its heat along the sidewalls and floor.  

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2 – Easy installation 

Building a pool out of ICFs requires less labor, expertise and time than a spray concrete pool installation. This is because, unlike traditional pools, ICFs do not require exact excavations. Once you get the ICFs in place, it’s easy to backfill sections. Further, because ICFs are filled with concrete after they are put in place, they stay lightweight while your crew is moving them, making it far easier and faster on labor. 

3 – Durability and strength 

Just because Nudura ICFs are simple to install, doesn’t mean they are lacking strength. In fact, ICF pools avoid the extensive upkeep and costly treatments that conventional concrete pools require to avoid cracks, pores and algae growth. How is this possible? The EPS foam that is part of an ICF wall helps the concrete cure more consistently and creates a waterproof barrier that shields the cured concrete from moisture infiltration.  

4 – Versatility  

Another benefit is the adaptability of ICF forms. Nudura ICF comes in many shapes and sizes that are easily cut in the field to fit your needs. This creates an easier and more economical way to add unique pool design elements such as curved walls and other intricate geometries that make pools stand out.  

5 – Clean aesthetics 

Last but not least, the same waterproof layer that protects the concrete in an ICF also works in tandem with pool liners and plaster finishes to create an aesthetically pleasing, smooth wall finish for a pool. Gone are the days of pool liner ripples or callbacks for ineffective finishes, with properly installed and finished Nudura ICFs, you can expect a pool to go 10 years without needing a refinish. 

Overall, ICFs are a great option for contractors building pools. Not only do they reduce energy costs and increase longevity, they reduce labor requirements and provide huge design versatility.  

Learn more about using Nudura ICFs to build a pool.