Major Advancements in Concrete Formwork

The Conco Companies are one of the foremost providers of superior concrete formwork as well as place and finishing, reinforcing, concrete pumping and shotcrete services in the Western United States.  Over the last several decades, there have been major advancements in concrete formwork as a result of environmental concerns and in an effort to keep construction costs down.  There have also been changes to improve the health and safety of the workers.  At Conco we are committed to implementing and following the most stringent safety standards in the construction of formwork and in any of our other services.   

  

Formwork is simply the temporary structure built to contain and mold the poured concrete until it hardens into the required shape.  Its job is to control the concrete’s position and alignment and must be strong enough to support not only its weight but that of the concrete, the workers and any equipment or materials used in the process.  In order to meet the specifications of each project, concrete engineers, and architects take into account the quality, cost, and safety requirements as they design and implement forms. 

With the development of the newer types of forms, it has helped to improve safety, speed, and manageability on the jobsite.  In addition there are now a variety of materials used to construct forms and the choice of material will be based on the type of job it is required to do.  In the past, forms were mainly built out of lumber but now plywood, aluminum, and steel as well as custom-made plastic and fiberglass forms are commonly used.

After a form is built, the concrete is poured into it.  Once the concrete has hardened, the forms are disassembled or “stripped” to be used again.  Care must be taken not to strip the forms or remove the shoring before the concrete has sufficiently cured and is able to support its own weight.  Today, a lot of the formwork in the U.S is made from prefabricated modules, which allows the forms to be assembled on a jobsite quickly and in a cost-effective manner.  The modules can be reused thousands of times whereas older wood forms had to be replaced much sooner. 

When your project demands exceptional services and the best value, Conco can deliver.  We have been offering premium concrete services throughout the Western U.S. since 1959, and have four regional offices serving California, Washington, Oregon, Nevada and Colorado. With state-of-the-art equipment and modern facilities, we work diligently to meet goals and stay within budget.