Concrete Forms

The concrete forms are a stable barrier that helps to carry the liquid concrete till it hardens and attains a specific form, concrete takes the shape of the form or mould during which it’s contained.

Nowadays a new concrete form system has been developed which provides additional properties such as insulation, surface pattern impact to concrete cast.

Types of Concrete Forms:

The different types of concrete forms used in concrete casting as follows:

1.Wooden Form:

The wooden form is the basic and the most conventional type of concrete form, it is mainly used for casting concrete, whose height does not exceed 6 inches.

The wooden form consists of wooden boards, they are either nailed or screwed together within the desired mould or formwork shape.

Special levelling devices are used to correctly level or slope the form relying on the requirement.

 For laying concrete with curves or any type of free-form design, thin cross-sections are employed to make the form.

Before pouring the concrete, inside surfaces are applied with low-grade oil or any form of releasing agent in order that the concrete doesn’t cling to the surfaces.

If correctly cleaned and maintained, these forms are appropriate for many uses.

2.Insulated Concrete Form:

Insulated concrete form (ICF) compromises hollow blocks manufactured from insulating materials that match collectively like building blocks.

These techniques are constructed on foundation slabs, it forms part of the foundation and wall systems and the reinforcement is placed inside these blocks and filled with the required slump and cast concrete.

Forms and concrete are laid out like sandwiches, this technique offers excessive energy efficiency.

It’s not essential to take away forms by implementing ICF as soon as the concrete is filled it doesn’t must be eliminated.

3.Foam Concrete Form:

Most of these forms follow non-traditional methods, the concrete is poured upside down so that the concrete of the specified finish is obtained.

These forms are manufactured from melamine, acrylic glass, or laminated boards that create adverse spaces that give a creative look to the ultimate concrete cast.

4.Concrete Wall Forms:

These are pre-fabricated formation techniques which can be used to make use of large space walls, foundations and piers.

These techniques are made from either engineering wooden with steel framing or solely steel and individual elements are joined collectively by pins or latches.

In this formwork, the tie is used to carry the reinforcement when the concrete is poured and concrete wall forms are available in numerous sizes and shapes.

There are additional producers which offer custom shaped wall forms relying on the venture requirement.

5.Steel Concrete Forms:

These are concrete forms manufactured from steel, if correctly maintained and used, the stability of steel forms may be achieved even for 2000 work cycles.

Due to this fact, there is a better long-term resolution in the building than solid forms of wood.

Metal forms do not absorb moisture from the concrete, subsequently decreasing the errors noticed after eradicating the concrete forms.

Selection of Concrete Form:

Intimately, there are some key elements that can be considered when deciding on strong forms that are described below:

• The concrete forms chosen may be owned or rented.
• The cost of the owning and its long-term use should be analyzed before purchasing.
• If renting the form is preferable, the type of form that is readily available and affordable is chosen.
• Experience with a particular type of form affects the choice of form.
• If a form system is chosen, no production losses are expected, which is more familiar to workers.
• Without proper training of the new form system, losses are expected.
• In terms of aesthetics, steel forms provide a clean finish with fewer bug holes on the cast solid surface than wood forms.
• Steel types are a better choice than other types in providing tolerance.
• These forms have internal hardness and do not absorb moisture.
• Wood forms are the best option for low-height structures.
• For longer forms of 20 feet, heightened steel forms with additional bracing and support are the best option compared to wood forms.
• For the casting of concrete with straight, curved, or multiple offsets and abstract turns, the steel form is an efficient alternative.
• If cost is an issue then thin wood forms may be used.

Also read: Concrete Screed, Concrete Spalling & Concrete Mix Design

Conclusion:

The concrete form is a solid barrier that holds the concrete in a place or forces the concrete to assume a certain shape.

However, many new forming systems provide insulation or provide special decorative effects.