What is Formwork ?
Definition of Formwork in Construction
Formwork is any product or material that is positioned or constructed to receive the placement of concrete.
Normally formwork is composed of wood products such as plywood and framing materials. Concrete foundation formwork is also made of fiberglass and metal and can be gang formed by attaching the panels to one another. The term gang in this case, refers to the attachment of several panels of formwork to produce a larger more efficient section. There are several different types of formwork such as gang forms, sliding forms, telescoping forms, hanging forms, etc.
The construction of formwork is in many cases the most important part of any concrete structure. There are form liners which can be installed to create architectural surfaces on the resultant concrete. Concrete surfaces that appear like stonework, wood boards, masonry products, can all be achieved with the proper form liners placed on the interior of the formwork. Once the concrete has been placed in the forms and the concrete cures, the careful removal of the forms produces a surface reflecting the form liners pattern. The removal of formwork is assisted by an application of form oil on the interior of the forms prior to the placement of the concrete. This application of form oil allows an easier and cleaner removal of the forms to achieve a clean sharp concrete face. The process of constructing the formwork and then removing them, is in many cases, much more time consuming and detailed oriented, than the actual placement of the concrete within the forms.