Formwork Services from the Experts

Along with our broad range of commercial concrete services including pumping, shotcrete, rebar fabrication and installation, trucking, and design/build, The Conco Companies also offer superior formwork.   This all-important temporary structure is designed to contain and mold poured concrete until it hardens into the required shape. 

As formwork controls the concrete’s position and alignment, it needs to be strong enough to support its own weight, that of the concrete, as well as the workers and any equipment or materials that will be used in the process.   Over the last couple of decades, there have been major advancements in formwork that have resulted in greater cost-efficiencies and have improved workers’ safety.    

The process behind creating topnotch formwork is a collaborative effort between the concrete contractors, engineers, and architects. The group must take into account factors such as the quality, cost, and safety requirements needed in order to design and implement forms that meet their project’s specifications.  The materials used to construct the forms will depend on the type of job it is designed to do.   

Forms used to be built out of lumber, but today, a variety of materials is used including plywood, aluminum, and steel as well as custom-made plastic and fiberglass forms.  With the development of newer types of forms, it has helped to improve the safety, speed, and manageability on a jobsite. 

Once the form is built, concrete is placed into it.  After the concrete has hardened, the forms are disassembled or “stripped” and can be used again.  It is important to not strip the forms or remove the shoring before the concrete has sufficiently cured and is able to support its own weight.    

In the U.S many forms are now made from prefabricated modules that allow the forms to be assembled quickly and cost-effectively on the jobsite.  The modules can be reused thousands of times whereas older wood forms had to be replaced much sooner. 

The Conco Companies are a leading supplier of concrete services for the Western U.S.  We got our start in the Bay Area in 1959 by offering clients the best value on a wide range of concrete services and products.  Since that time, we have taken a leading role as one of the top concrete contractors in the region. We have four regional offices serving California, Nevada, Washington, Oregon and Colorado.