DAC-ART looks exactly like the thick, solid stone in many parts of Europe, particularly in Paris. It is made of concrete, formed and shaped artistically to serve Ted Dial's architectural design of each particular home. Théodore Dial, Ted's nom de plume, provides all the architectural drawings for each project through his planning service.
A charming Stone Cottage in DAC-ART. See in its context in California below.
DAC-ART versus ICF. Compare DAC-ART with ICFs. As the ultimate competition for ICFs, DAC-ART is the overwhelming winner. DAC-ART includes concrete outside the ICF foam form to take the place of the layers of ICF's required, inferior materials like stucco and sheetrock and added mouldings and added architectural features. Materials that are added to ICFs are not as hard and solid as the DAC-ART concrete. While DAC-ART looks exactly like French limestone, calcaire, it is harder and more durable than calcaire. A DAC-ART home is not inherently more expensive than an ICF home. Building with DAC-ART has become faster than in the past and is not inherently slower than an ICF home when building the same home plan. When a DAC-ART component is set in its place, it is all done and finished. An ICF put in place is only the beginning of a lot of work by several trades to give it a skin on each side, a finish on each side, sills for doors and windows, wooden jambs for doors and windows that are not needed for DAC-ART. Any and all moldings must be added to ICFs, ICFs do not provide an eave or cornice. The cornice added to ICF then is often no better against the onslaught of hurricanes than the cornices on a wood frame house. The cornice on an ICF house must be built with wood or other materials and then covered, stuccoed and often, repainted after 5 years or so on the beach. Finally, no direct comparison is possible since DAC-ART is complete without all the other materials and features to be added to the surfaces.
