Column formwork supports poured concrete column forms. It can be simple, like a reinforced cardboard tube, or complex, like wood and metal shapes. Forms can be left in place or removed after the concrete sets. Different materials and methods are used for different column shapes.
Column formwork is a term used for structures used to support poured concrete column forms or molds. It can be as simple as a reinforced cardboard tube for small cylindrical columns or very complex shapes built with many pieces of wood and metal. Shapes can be constrained with clamps in the case of columns with flat sides or complex shapes. In some cases, the formwork is meant to be left in place after the concrete has been poured, in others, it is removed after the concrete has set.
The simplest and most basic type of pillar formwork is the cardboard tube. These tubes aren’t like the typical corrugated cardboard used for boxes, but are made by gluing together numerous layers of heavy paper or card stock and wrapping them tightly around a cylindrical shape. Pipes have walls that are typically at least half an inch thick (1.25 cm) that are very dense, stiff, and strong. Sometimes, these pipes are left in place after the concrete has been poured and are used as a foundation for further decorative coatings. These types of column formwork tubes are limited by column size and are not available for very large or heavy columns.
Another common type of cylindrical column formwork is corrugated steel forms which are usually left in place after casting. These forms are often made from fairly thick galvanized steel that is formed into tubing. They have wavy sides resembling the threads of a screw but with rounded points and grooves. These forms are often sunk into the earth and then filled in, increasing the strength of the column.
Similar to paper and metal tubes are the shapes of the columns made of heavily glass-fibre reinforced plastic. They are used for applications where additional protection for the concrete is needed, such as for piles or other applications where the column will be exposed to the elements. These shapes are often left in place after the column has been poured.
Concrete columns with non-cylindrical shapes require more complex shapes. These forms are constructed from a complex assembly of wood, metal, or metal-reinforced wood planks, beams, and spacers that are tied together with clamps. Almost any column shape can be constructed this way. Once the concrete has been poured and allowed to cure long enough to hold its shape on its own, the column form is taken apart.
Some column formwork, for both cylindrical and flat columns, is constructed by assembling a series of interlocking metal plates to build a mould, which is removed after the column has cured. Other types of column formwork are also possible. Any frame or mold for pouring concrete into columns can be considered column formwork, and builders and homeowners can find many ways to improvise or invent other methods.
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