For anyone working on a new construction product, having the best materials to work with is necessary. Not only does it mean a higher-quality finish, but the materials are also much more workable. Concrete forms happen to be one of these construction elements. However, purchasing them could blow the project spending out of proportion and leave you short on money. So instead of permanently buying concrete forms, you could opt for temporarily renting them. But before deciding on a particular one, one must consider all the options. Lucky for you, we will walk you through the various concrete forms and things to look out for before renting them. But before that, let’s take a look at what these are.
What are concrete forms?
Concrete is a one-of-a-kind material that starts as semi-solid, can be handled and sculpted into nearly any arrangement and then solidifies into that shape. Concrete is the most widely utilized building material globally because of its capacity to fill spaces and assume forms. Without these concrete forms, none of this would be attainable.
Concrete forms are a solid barrier that keeps liquid concrete in place until it solidifies and takes on a distinctive shape. The concrete adopts the structure of the mold or form.
New concrete form mechanisms are now under development. As a result, this gives additional features to the concrete cast, such as insulation, surface patterns, and effects.
Types of concrete forms
Wooden forms
The most basic and traditional type of concrete form is the wooden form. Its most usual use is for concrete castings that aren’t taller than 6 inches. Wooden boards make up the wood form varieties. These have fastenings like nails or screws to make the mold or formwork shape that is desirable. Special leveling devices are employed to ensure that the form is appropriately leveled or sloped according to the requirements.
Thinner cross-sections are in application to produce the form for casting concrete with curves or other free-form shapes. Before pouring concrete, the interior surfaces are coated with a low-grade oil or another type of release agent to prevent the concrete from sticking to the exteriors. These forms may be used for a variety of purposes if properly managed and maintained.
Insulated concrete forms
Insulated concrete forms (ICF) have an insulating material with a building block assembly. Their creation takes place on the foundation slab. It is a component of both the foundation and wall systems. After strengthening the blocks, then obtain a concrete filling of the desired slump and cast.
The shape and concrete have a sandwiched placement together. This system is remarkably energy efficient. Using ICFs eliminates the need to remove forms. Additionally, it is not necessary to remove the concrete after pouring.
Foam concrete forms
Non-traditional techniques have a part to play in these types of forms. The concrete is upside down in this case to get the required finish. Melamine, acrylic glass, or laminated board are often the choice to create these structures. These shapes produce negative gaps in the finished concrete cast, giving it an aesthetic appearance.
Concrete wall forms
These are pre-fabricated forming systems for large-scale walls, foundations, and piers. Engineered wood or steel frame are the two options to construct these systems. Pins or latches connect the various individual parts of the system. In these formworks, ties keep the reinforcements in position while pouring the concrete.
Concrete wall form parts are available in a variety of sizes and forms. Manufacturers can also create custom-sized wall forms based on the project’s specifications.
Steel concrete forms
These are steel-based concrete forms. Steel forms may stay up and running for up to 2000 work cycles if properly maintained and handled. As a result, as compared to wooden concrete structures, this is a better long-term building choice. The steel forms do not retain water from the concrete, resulting in fewer mistakes during removal.
Selecting concrete forms
While selecting used concrete forms for sale, one has to consider various factors, such as:
- Pouring size
- Overall form pressure
- Form weight
- Compaction types
- Concrete retention
There are a few significant aspects that are taken into account while choosing concrete forms, which are detailed below:
- The concrete forms you choose can be purchased or rented. Before finalizing something, consider the cost of ownership and its long-term utility. If it is more cost-effective to rent the form, the form type that is most readily accessible and affordable is most suitable.
- Previous experience with a specific sort of form influences the choice of design. If a form system that is more recognizable to the workforce is adopted, no production loss is foreseeable. However, a loss is predictable if there is no proper training for a different construction form system.
- Compared to wooden forms, steel forms produce a cleaner finish with fewer holes on the molded concrete surface.
- Steel forms, as opposed to other varieties, are a superior choice for delivering tolerances. Steel shapes are rigid by nature and do not retain moisture.
- Wood forms are the most excellent option for low-rise constructions. On the other hand, steel forms with additional supports are the ideal option for taller forms.
- Steel forms are an economical alternative for casting concrete with multiple offsets and abrupt turns. If money is a problem, utilizing thin wooden frames is also possible.
Benefits of renting concrete forms
Transportability
Concrete forms are delivered to your project site when you rent them. You are not required to purchase them from a retailer. You can negotiate the type and size of forms you want with the rental supplier for desirable provision. Some of these forms will arrive complete, while others will arrive unassembled and ready to construct in minutes, saving you time over building your own.
Effortless storage
For each task, you can rent concrete forms. The rental service will be on its way to collect the materials after completion of the job. If you have numerous job sites running, there is no need to worry about coordination if resources are scarce. Furthermore, if there is a lot of downtime between tasks, you won’t have to store these concrete forms.
Better quality
If you bought forms for recurrent tasks, there would be continuous creation for new ones to meet different jobs’ requirements. Damaged concrete form sections always require immediate replacement. The same is true for rental firms, but you won’t have to worry because they have to keep the quality standard high.
Lower cost
Making a concrete shape using your time, effort, and money might be invaluable. You must also tend to the refurbishment and maintenance requirements. Concrete forms are rentable at a reasonable price. On top of that, you are not responsible for the materials, time, maintenance, or storage. All you have to do is pay for their delivery.
Lesser time spent
Since you do not have to make the concrete forms yourself, there is a significant cut-down in the time spent on the project. Concrete form rental is much easier, and you don’t have to go through the stress of an easily avoidable process.
Final Thoughts
If you have tasks that vary in scale and location, renting concrete forms might save a lot of time. However, make sure that the chosen concrete form type fits the job requirements and is effortlessly workable.
