Concrete forms are molds used to hold concrete in place as it hardens. They can be made from various materials and are critical for ensuring the concrete sets into a specific shape. Generic modular shapes are available, but handmade forms can also be used for specific tasks. Insulating concrete forms provide insulation and structural stability.
Concrete forms are molds that are used to hold the concrete in place as it hardens, ensuring that the concrete sets into a specific shape. For people who work with concrete, concrete forms are a critical part of the process. There are a wide variety of concrete shapes in use, ranging from custom shapes used to make concrete artwork, to mass-produced modular shapes that can be used to produce standard concrete shapes.
Without forms, when the concrete is poured, it will pool in a large puddle. Concrete forms are used to hold concrete in place as it is poured and to stabilize it as it hardens. Once the concrete has cured, which can take a varying amount of time depending on the size of the concrete pour and the climate, the molds can be removed so the concrete has a chance to cure. Curing is an important part of the process, ensuring that the concrete is strong and evenly sets. After curing, structures can be built on or around the concrete and other tasks such as painting can be performed.
Concrete forms can be made from wood, plastic, metal, foam, and a variety of other materials, as long as the material is strong enough to handle the weight and pressure of the concrete. Joints and rough spots in the forms are usually filled in so they don’t leave lines on the concrete and so that the forms are easier to pull apart once the concrete has set. For structural concrete, lengths of rebar or other rebar can be placed inside the formwork before pouring begins, so that the concrete sets around the structural support, making it much stronger.
Several companies produce generic concrete forms, usually in a modular format that allows people to snap them together. These shapes can be used to model slabs, walls, driveways, and other concrete structures. Depending on the application, modules can be designed for reuse, such as modules purchased from a contractor for normal use, or they can be single-use modules, lacking the structural integrity needed for repeated use.
People can also build concrete forms by hand for a specific task. Even the handmade forms can be reusable, depending on the construction technique used. Handmade forms are used for castings in difficult areas, or for castings that require an unusual shape that cannot be achieved with mass-produced modular forms. Artists who work in concrete also use concrete forms in their work.
A variety of the basic form of concrete, the insulating concrete form or ICF, is designed to stay in place after the concrete is poured. These forms of foam concrete provide insulation and structural stability to the finished structure and reduce construction time and overall building weight.
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