Concrete formwork is used as support structures and molds to create structures out of concrete which is poured into the molds.

There are many different types of formwork used in construction, usually differing according to what the building requirements and challenges are. Formwork is used by creating molds out of wood, steel, aluminum or prefabricated forms into which the concrete is poured. This is then allowed to harden and set after which it is stripped, or in the case of stay-in-place formwork, it is left as part of the structure.

Formwork allows contractors to cast and construct the main parts of a building which are required to be strong and support the structure such as floors and walls, as well as smaller parts of a building such as stairs relatively quickly.

Types of Formwork

There are many different types of concrete formwork used in construction.

Traditional timber formwork

Traditional timber formwork uses timber and film faced plywood to form the molds for pouring the concrete. This method is cheaper than other methods, yet not as effective because wood is not as strong as metal or steel. However, on complicated sections of buildings that need great attention to detail, timber formwork is still widely used.

Steel formwork or Aluminum formwork

Steel formwork or Aluminum formwork systems use prefabricated molds made from a metal frame, usually either steel or aluminum. Steel formwork or Aluminum formwork is much cheaper and quicker to use than traditional formwork. The frames are extremely strong and rarely need replacing, reducing costs. Due to the formwork systems being engineered, their construction is faster and requires less manpower, again saving money. Simple structures can be built with re-usable plastic formwork systems (a type of engineered formwork), which consists of strong, lightweight, interlocking systems.

Stay-in-place formwork

Stay-in-place formwork is used generally for the supporting parts of a structure. This type of formwork consists of insulating concrete formwork which is filled with reinforced concrete and once set, is left in place.

About Concrete

When concrete is mixed, the success and quality of the concrete in structures is known as workability. Concrete can be made to different qualities depending on the amount of water, the type of water, the shape of the mold, how long the cement has been hydrating for and the amount and type of cement contained in the mixture. The quality of the cement is reduced if too much water is included, causing the cement to separate from the other substances which make up the concrete mixture.

Concrete can crack, which was problematic for constructions throughout history as they ran the risk of collapse. Today reinforced concrete is used which is a much stronger substance and rarely cracks. When concrete is reinforced, it is filled with metal rods and reinforcing bars with other materials such as glass and plastic fiber.

Concrete formwork is widely used in present-day construction. With the many different types of formwork available, any building project is more easily achievable because different methods can be used to achieve the desired result. When reinforced, concrete is a virtually indestructible material, perfect for major construction work, as well as small, detailed and complex structures.

ADTO GROUP is a leading scaffolding and formwork manufacturer based in China, providing high-quality concrete formwork services for construction which are safe and reliable. Any requirements for building materials, please feel free to contact us.