Formwork is sometimes referred to as shuttering, and it is that structural mould inside which a fresh concrete mix is poured until it hardens. In applying concrete Formwork in your structural buildup, there is a need to note crucial matters about it. Below are the details of the contents of the concrete Formwork worthy of note. Click here to read more about Formwork.
Formwork comprises 25% of the total cost of the structure
Taking up the concrete Formwork is an integral part of the project that can take up to a quarter of the total budget cost. Therefore, it is crucial to consider it and make an accurate decision in the same line. Consequently, apart from the fraction of the cost, it also takes time to create a formwork. At the same time, concrete Formwork can be easily stripped off when the user is over and then kept.
When another similar need arises, the Formwork can be reused to reduce the time and cost of the project. On the other hand, reusable formworks can also be referred to as panel forms, especially if reusable. In comparison, the kinds of Formwork that you cannot reuse is called stationary formworks.
The most common formwork material is Timber
The different sectors of the construction project also require different kinds of materials that are common in everyday use. One of such materials for making construction formworks includes Timber, plastic, metal and other materials. In contrast, the most common material for Formwork is Timber, which must be seasoned, easily workable and well-seasoned.
At the same time, the Timber should also be free of all kinds of loose knots. However, the Timber is not without disadvantages, such as the warping of timber concrete formwork while in place. But the way to mitigate this problem is to apply water-based treatments to the surface of the wood to reduce these effects. These protective substances are known as films.
Steel, Plywood and Fibreglass help build a Formwork
Apart from using Timber as a formwork material, we can also make concrete Formwork from steel, fibreglass and, of course, plywood. In some cases, you have to combine these materials to get the formworks that fit your project. On the other hand, other tasks may warrant that you use them separately to obtain optimum effectiveness. Similarly, the most common type of concrete Formwork that you find in heavy civil engineering construction is steel.
Furthermore, Formwork made of steel also comprises panels within thin steel plates with stiffened edges. Also, it may contain some small steel angles. Meanwhile, the panel units are held together with bolts and nuts or clamps. These items can also be produced in various shapes and sizes and large quantities. One advantage that steel formwork has over timber framework includes the fact that
- It is more potent than timber formwork
- It has a more durable lifespan than timber formwork
- Steel formwork has a longer life than using timber formwork
- It does not shrink or warp, unlike the timber formwork
The plywood formwork can be crafted into resin-bonded plywood sheets, often attached to the timber frames. These components make up the panels of the Formwork. At the same time, one can conveniently compare the price of timber formwork with plywood formwork in which the latter can even be cheaper. Meanwhile, fibreglass is made of precast aluminium and concrete used in construction structures cast in situ. Some of these structures include cover slabs or curved surfaces of unique projects.
A suitable formwork must be firm but light in weight
One may think that the use of Formwork suggests that it will be heavy. However, as strong as Formwork is and indeed should be, it should also be as light as necessary. In the construction of the Formwork, it should be rigid and braced, both on the vertical and the horizontal sides. This brace helps to retain the shape of the poured concrete. At the same time, the Formwork should also be tight against any leakage while resting on a firm base.
The cost of Formwork can be reduced
Although the Formwork is responsible for a quarter of your entire budget, it can be reduced to a reasonable amount based on some conditions. So, to reduce the cost of Formwork appreciably, the following steps should be taken
- The design of the building plan must include the number of variations of the room sizes being reduced to the barest minimum. The reason is that the Formwork may be reused as necessary
- There should also be some slender sections in the construction process of the building design to allow a minimized formwork size
- In preparing the Formwork, ensure that you reduce the process of cutting and sawing to the wooden pieces of the Formwork. The reason is that the material may help reuse the Formwork for other projects, thereby reducing the cost
Formwork can be removed early under some conditions
If there is a need to remove the Formwork early, you may employ quick hardening elements such as a special cement in warm weather and light loading conditions. However, you should ensure that all the substantial parts are strong enough to withstand up to twice the actual level of stress it would have. Apart from the exerted tension on the structure, the pressure level is also essential to consider. As soon as the Formwork is removed from the network, it can easily be moved off-site so that the structure’s load can now begin to rest on the existing concrete.
Steel formwork can also be resold when not in use
One of the peculiarities of steel formwork is that it can be prefabricated off-site and then brought to use on the site. Although, this kind of method will warrant taking accurate measurements of the dimensions of the Formwork in use. In addition, Formwork made of steel is also very useful due to the strength and long working life it has. Therefore, it has a significant market value when used for Concrete Formwork.
Consequently, concrete Formwork can work magic in the project perfectly for the contractors to make enough money. Earning after the project may also be another way to recover some of the invested funds in the project. On the other hand, purchasing used or surplus formwork from another site for your project may also be a good way for contractors of the new project to save some money.