Tilt-Up Concrete Assn
PO Box 204
113 First Street W
Mt. Vernon, Iowa 52314

T: (319) 895-6911
F: (320) 213-5555

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• St. Sarkis Armenian Church

A dream come true for this congregation, this facility utilized Tilt-Up because of the method’s ability to provide a faux stone finish, lower construction cost and thermal efficiency of the insulated Tilt-Up panels.

The congregation wanted to have the exterior of the church match tuffa stone that is native to Armenia. A true stone building would have doubled the cost of construction, and an EIFS solution would not have provided the desired durability.

The more than 10,000 feet of reveal create decorative patterns in the concrete that mimic a stone building. Lining up the reveals from panel to panel to give the building the stone look was essential in keeping the symmetrical patterns that give the church its unique stone finish.

In order to minimize drilling and cutting of the concrete, boxes for electrical wiring devices were installed in the panels during the casting process. In addition to the wiring boxes, all electric features, switches, lights and alarms were placed into the panels to avoid cutting them into the panels, which saved the congregation time and money. Located on a tight site, casting beds took up much of the construction location so precise coordination of the casting bed placement and the panel erection sequence was necessary.

Two inches of insulation placed in the panel create an R-11 value, which will minimize operating costs for the church. The interior sides of the panels were exposed concrete and finished with a flecked hard-trowel finish, avoiding costs associated with interior metal studs, insulation and gypsum board.

The congregation is extremely pleased with the outcome of the project. The church features a sanctuary, family life center, utilities for an upcoming kitchen, an office area and a classroom area.