What material are formwork posts made of and what are they used for?

Construction of a house or other utility building requires the use of solutions that, first of all, will ensure the durability and strength of the structure. One of the most important elements in any construction is formwork, which is responsible for the creation of certain parts of the building. It is used, for example, when creating foundations. Formwork is also used to create staircase structures, as well as for reinforced concrete floors, lintels and ring beams. What materials can formwork be made of?

How to choose the right formwork?

When building a house or other structure, it is necessary to consider which formwork is best suited. The choice of material should depend primarily on the type of soil on which the building is being erected and on what materials will be used for it. Size is also important. There are several materials from which system formwork is made.

In addition, investors can choose from 

• foundation formwork, which consists of a small number of modules, 
• wall formwork, which can be installed manually or with a crane, 
• and floor formwork, which is based on quick-release or wooden beams.

It is also worth noting that the formwork is usually removed after the monolith has hardened, i.e. the concrete has hardened and the structure has become stable.

What materials can formwork be made of?

There are several materials from which formwork is made. They should be selected based on the factors described earlier. We distinguish the following formwork:

• board formwork, which is most often used in construction. Pine boards are often used for its production. The installation of wooden formwork takes a long time, but it is a simple installation method,
• formwork made of slabs, which are used mainly for concrete floors,
• formwork made of OSB and MFP boards, which can be used, for example, to make non-standard building elements (for example, round lintels),
• removable formwork, i.e. made of steel or aluminum. They are used mainly for the construction of walls and ceilings.

When a monolithic building is being erected, and it will have a reinforced concrete ceiling, then you cannot do without such elements as formwork racks. The role of formwork racks is to hold horizontal reinforced concrete elements, such as a ceiling / floor, which are cast from concrete. This is a very important function, since the reliable and safe operation of the entire building depends on the reliability of the floors. Formwork pillars are made of steel, since this material is characterized by high strength and has a long service life.

We suggest you read the article "What kind of maintenance does formwork require?"