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Build Smart, Build Better

With our Prefab Panelized
Ferrocement Kits

Developed with Builders & Contractors in mind

  1. Lower overhead costs: Our Kits cost less to construct than with wood framing.
  2. Build in days, not weeks: Faster to dry-in ➡️ More projects ➡️ More revenue ➡️ Less risk.
  3. Climate-change-proof your build: Ferrocement as a structural material is durable against natural disasters like floods, hurricanes, wildfires, and more.
  4. Restart stalled projects: Because am-cor Kits are cheaper compared to traditional methods, your customers can afford to build!
Simplified from the ground up: Footers + walls + slab in a monolithic pour
Simplified from the ground up: Footers + walls + slab in a monolithic pour

From code to site, we've got you covered.

On-site Support

Your Kit comes with a site visit by one of our knowledgeable am-cor Field Reps, to instruct your crew & answer questions; e.g.: Ferrocement stuccoing.

💯 Code Guarantee

We guarantee our Kits conform to your local building code: from hurricane winds to heavy snow loads to UL fire ratings, you're safe with us.

Equipment Pack

Each Kit comes with a basic toolkit—screwguns, clamps, measuring tape, etc.—so you can get started ASAP.

Field Manual

An online, downloadable step-by-step guide for assembling your Kit, with structural details, arch. diagrams, photos and videos.

Less Waste

Since we prefabricate and precut as much as possible, our Kits have almost zero on-site waste. Your jobsite and the planet will thank you.

Warranty

We guarantee all our Kits are made to our higher than industry-standard quality control requirements, or we'll fix it at our cost.

How it works

How can the am-cor Prefab System help you?

  • Everything Panelized: Prefab structure—From footers to walls to roof + everything in between.
  • Ferrocement: Structural stucco coats the entire frame, replacing structural sheathing & bracing.
  • Simple to install: Just add water! (+ cement & sand)
  • Monolithic slab: Single pour for foundation & floors—replaces masonry stem wall & formwork.
  • LGSF (Light Gauge Steel Framing): Code compliant, industry standard, quick services installation.

Footer-to-Wall

Key to the am-cor System's structural strength & on-site efficiency is how we rethink standard construction methods. The Footer-to-Wall panel connection is a good example.

  • Simple Assembly: Ready with your foundation trench? Drop in the Footer Panels, then quickly place the Wall Panels, and connect together with included fasteners.
  • Drop-in replacement: Single pour for foundation & floors, aka Monolithic slab—replaces masonry stem walls, blockwork, formwork, bottom plates, rebar reinforcing.
  • Try blowing this house over! Exterior walls embedded min. 2' (61cm) in below-grade fiber-reinforced concrete—a disaster-resistant, super-strong assembly.
  • Earth-Sheltering built-in: Footers+walls are now structurally integrated, so your Kit is earth-tempered by the ground's constant c. 60F (16C) temperature.
Footer+Wall integration: Save considerable time, labor, management, and on-site complication.
Footer+Wall integration: Save considerable time, labor, management, and on-site complication.

On-site Support

Each am-cor Kit comes with:

  1. Site visit by our Field Rep.: Free crew instruction at critical construction points, like footer-wall Panel assembly.
  2. Field Manual: Online, downloadable, step-by-step guide for assembling your Kit, with photos and videos.
  3. Project Manual: Customized documentation for your project, incl. structural details, arch. diagrams, code approvals & certifications, etc.
  4. Equipment Pack: Get started ASAP with a basic toolkit—screwguns, clamps, measuring tape, and more.
Fast learning curve: get started & finish sooner.
Fast learning curve: get started & finish sooner.

Code & Specs

Good news! All am-cor Kits are guaranteed to comply with IRC, IBC, and local USA building codes (2018 or later). In fact, all our materials are carefully specified to breeze through permit approvals & keep inhabitants safe: 

  • Code-compliant materials: Standard Port­land ce­ment, sand (build­ers sharp grade), gal­van­ized cold-rolled steel, gal­van­ized car­bon steel.
  • Keyed to relevant code bodies, including: IBC, IRC, ICBO, AISC, ASSMA, SFA, PCA, UL, ICC, ASTM, AISI, etc.
  • Fire protection built-in: Check out our UL rated 2-4 hr. Wall Assemblies.
Built-in UL-compliant fire at­ten­u­ation: 1hr, 2hr, 4hr wall & roof assemblies.
Built-in UL-compliant fire at­ten­u­ation: 1hr, 2hr, 4hr wall & roof assemblies.

Construction—Simplified

The goal of inventor & architect Angus W. Macdonald was to rethink the entire building process from the ground up.

  • Integrated Footer & Wall Panels: Monolithic slab pour replaces masonry stem walls, blockwork, formwork, bottom plates, rebar reinforcing.
  • Pre-punched Service Runs: No more drilling! Fast piping & wiring with industry-standard light gauge steel studs.
  • Unified Materials: Ferrocement = just 2 types of material for the entire structure—highly-reinforced steel & continuous thin cement skin.
  • Built-in Sheathing: Ferrocement structural stucco serves as reinforcing, exterior weather protection, structural sheathing, and shear/wind bracing.
We instruct your crew in 1 day how to assemble full Prefab Kits.
We instruct your crew in 1 day how to assemble full Prefab Kits.

Insulation & Thermal Performance

Looking for a resilient way to achieve Net Zero? Our standard spec. assemblies intelligently combine thermal properties of Ferrocement with modern insulation materials & practices: 

  1. Earth-Sheltering built-in: Our footers+walls+roof are structurally integrated, so all am-cor Kits are earth-bermed by default. The entire building is earth-tempered by the ground's constant c. 60F (16C) temperature.
  2. Thermal Breaks: Limit heat gain & loss with space-age materials, e.g.: Nasa's aerogel, to stop thermal bridging between the building's interior envelope & structure.
  3. Spray-foamed cavities: We recommend filling framing cavities (ext. walls, roofs, etc.) with a foam coat at min. depth for both air & vapor-barriers; e.g.: closed-cell polyisocyanurate or equivalent.
  4. Wall & Roof Depth: Standard walls are min. 6"-12" (15-31cm), roofs min. 8"-12" (20-31cm), depending on climate zone & building design.
  5. Continuous Insulation: EIFS (Exterior Insulation & Finish) and other system types play well with Ferrocement and meet the latest energy codes.

Combining the above practices results in real-world high-performance off-grid residences—up to 6000 sq.ft. (560m2)—requiring zero energy for comfortable interior temperatures, as full-time homesteads for entire families & communities.

Structural earth-tempering + passive-house insulation levels = Net-Zero energy efficiency, for sustainable off-grid living.
Structural earth-tempering + passive-house insulation levels = Net-Zero energy efficiency, for sustainable off-grid living.

Panelized for Success

Let us take care of the hassle of framing and save yourself time, money, mess, and labor with our Prefab Kits. 

  1. Start Fast: While you prep the jobsite, we'll manufacture & ship out your Kit in a standard 40' container/flatbed.
  2. Precision Pays: Our Panels are made to within approx. 1/8" (0.3 cm) tolerance, to fit together like puzzle pieces.
  3. Everything Panelized: That's right, all structural members! Including: footers, ext. walls, floors, roofs, interior partitions & bearing partitions, columns, beams, stairs, etc.

am-cor Kits are efficiently manufactured in Culpeper, VA, USA in a factory setting with quality control, minimal waste, and a lower carbon footprint.

Get framed up & ready for interiors in days, not weeks. No waste, no mess, no cleanup.
Get framed up & ready for interiors in days, not weeks. No waste, no mess, no cleanup.

Ferrocement: How to Apply

Ferrocement, aka structural stucco, is easy & simple to apply.

  • Mix it up: Combine 3 materials in cement mixer/hopper—standard Portland cement, regular builders sand, and our amcorite-water admixture.
  • Goes on quick: Apply by hand/spray gun over each Panel's carbon steel matrix. Anybody can do it, no prior parging experience required.
  • Save time, leave it rough: No need for smooth or pretty. If your exterior is finish stucco or siding, Ferrocement works better as a rough/scratch undercoat.

Your Kit's Ferrocement coat creates a unibody, hightly-reinforced, monocoque shell over the entire building, from Footer base to Wall top—and back down (Roof optional).
This continuous stucco stress-skin protects against disaster forces like fires, hurricane winds & flooding + as weather/rain shield, structural sheathing, wind bracing, etc.

We show you how: On-site crew instruction included with your am-cor Kit.
We show you how: On-site crew instruction included with your am-cor Kit.

Roofing Solutions

Overhead as well, our Prefab Kits are designed to be compatible with popular roofing products and standard installation methods.

  • Hip to be square: Your Kit's roof structure is panelized, from green flat roofs, shed sloped, scissor trusses, to gables & hips.
  • You've got options: EPDM, shingles, standing-seam metal, sealed concrete or Ferrocement—we've never met a roofing our Kits can't handle.
  • Fasteners included: Let us know your roofing materials, and we'll include what you need, e.g: galvanized wood-to-metal chromium-plated long screws.

Curious how to insulate the roof frame and under roofing? See our Insulation Solutions here.

Huber Zip OSB sheathing as metal roofing underlayment on am-cor roof panel joists
Huber Zip OSB sheathing as metal roofing underlayment on am-cor roof panel joists

Finishes, Interior & Exterior

Inside & outside, our Prefab Kits are compatible with regular finishes, popular products, and standard installation methods.

  • Typical exteriors: Not a stucco fan? How about: Standard siding or cladding, brick & stone, cement board, composite panels, you name it!
  • Rainscreens & ext. insulation: Install over Ferrocement just as on a masonry or block wall.
  • Any type of interiors: Drywall, tile, wood paneling, and other regular interiors on our standard commercial-grade steel stud framing.
Insulated windows with decorative stone wainscot over Ferrocement structural stucco
Insulated windows with decorative stone wainscot over Ferrocement structural stucco

Extreme Durability

When we talk about the 100-year house, we mean it. Inventor & architect Angus W. Macdonald designed the am-cor System to save lives and protect inhabitants & property. 

  • Fire: Nothing combustible here. Ferrocement doesn't give wildfires fuel, protecting inhabitants & property.
  • Natural Disasters: am-cor structures have withstood multiple hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, and flooding—everything & everyone safe & sound inside.
  • Stinkbugs & Termites got you down? Wood is c. 50% cellulose, a sugar that bugs love. A continuous Ferrocement skin is not tasty, and keeps these pests outside.
  • Health & IAQ: Good Indoor Air Quality is key to your family's health & longevity. Ferrocement can't rot, mildew, or mold like wood.

Using our Prefab Kits gives your buildings the high-quality and strength to be a real cut above standard construction.

Long-lasting, safe to live in, life- saving.
Long-lasting, safe to live in, life- saving.

Questions? We've got answers

We're happy to answer technical questions, get feedback, and hear about your projects!

  • Frequently Asked Questions: Check out the link below to see what other builders have asked.
  • Hands-on: Depending on location & schedule, we can arrange a site visit or product demo.
  • Contact Us: By phone, email, or set up an appointment to stop by our offic, see samples, and talk shop.

Why Use am-cor Pre­fab Kits?

The am-cor Uni­fied Steel and Ce­ment™ con­struc­tion sys­tem is a dis­as­ter-res­ist­ant, dur­able and sus­tain­able, min­im­al-main­ten­ance build­ing sys­tem. Build­ings con­struc­ted us­ing the pat­en­ted am-cor Fer­ro­ce­ment Sys­tem cost less to build, less to main­tain, and less to heat and cool.

Lower Cost Use of the am-cor sys­tem sig­ni­fic­antly lowers con­struc­tion cost, us­ing:
  • less ma­ter­i­al
  • less man­age­ment
  • less time & labor
Less Ma­ter­i­al am-cor’s unique Fer­roStress™tech­no­logy cre­ates a con­tinu­ous thin Fer­ro­ce­ment stress skin us­ing am­cor­ite™struc­tur­al gel: am-cor build­ings use 40% less ma­ter­i­al than stand­ard con­struc­tion, lower­ing ma­ter­i­al, ship­ping, and con­struc­tion costs.
Less Man­age­ment The am-cor Sys­tem is pan­el­ized and pre-en­gin­eered; it ob­vi­ates the need for a num­ber of ex­pens­ive and re­dund­ant build­ing prac­tices, re­duces onsite er­rors, and lowers man­age­ment costs & li­ab­il­it­ies.
Less Time & Labor am-cor build­ing are erec­ted in days. am-cor pro­jects are built in re­cord time, without large crews, heavy ma­chinery, com­plic­ated rig­ging, etc. Less time on site = Faster com­ple­tion
Full Site Sup­port In ad­di­tion to pan­el­iz­a­tion and pre-en­gin­eer­ing, am-cor inc. provides full site sup­port:
  • All struc­tur­al frame draw­ings sealed by an ar­chi­tect for build­ing per­mit sub­mis­sion
  • All pan­els keyed to Field Manu­al, which de­scribes build­ing with the am-cor sys­tem
  • Op­er­a­tion Manu­al de­scribes us­ing and main­tain­ing the fin­ished build­ing am-cor
  • Field Rep­res­ent­at­ive provides build­er crew in­struc­tion
Tried & Proven am-cor ho­tels, houses, vil­las, of­fices and casi­nos have weathered hur­ricanes, floods, tor­nadoes, and seis­mic events with no struc­tur­al dam­age. The am-cor sys­tem provides high­er qual­ity for a lower price, bal­an­cing beau­ty with af­ford­abil­ity.
A Green Sys­tem
  • am-cor Pre­fab Kits are fab­ric­ated us­ing 100% re­new­able en­ergy and 90% re­cyc­lable ma­ter­i­al.
  • Pre­fab Con­struc­tion res­ults in: less waste, less labor, less ex­uded car­bon due to trans­port­a­tion and time on site.
  • In­cor­por­a­tion of re­new­able en­ergy gen­er­a­tion tech­no­lo­gies (sol­ar hot wa­ter, wind, photo­vol­ta­ics, geo­therm­al, etc.) in­to a pro­ject res­ults in a neg­at­ive car­bon foot­print over the build­ing’s life­time.
  • Sus­tain­abilty & Re­si­li­en­cy: Due to Fer­ro­ce­ment's strength & dur­ab­il­ity, am-cor Pre­fab struc­tures weath­er­ nat­ur­al dis­as­ters like wild­fires, hur­ricanes, floods, earth­quakes, tor­nadoes, heat waves, etc.

Let us know about your pro­ject!