Plastic Formwork (Shuttering) – Usage

Now and then there will be a new boom of technology in every industry. Plastic Formwork is one of them in the construction industry like m sand replacing the river sand.

What is Plastic Formwork?

We are using traditional god materials such as timber & steel for formwork so far. 

Using polypropylene plastic panels as formwork is called plastic formwork, which outweighs the benefits of using others.

• Modular & versatile usage
• Lightweight and easy to handle
• Can be used more than 100 times
• No need for oiling before concreting
• Time Efficient to install & dismantle 
• These panels do not react when they get in contact with concrete. 

Plastic Formwork on Concrete Construction

We could use these panels in any form to support the concrete.

It will fit perfectly with each other, avoiding any concrete leakage and also aesthetically appealing. No specific tools required to install or dismantle the formwork. Nailing is totally avoidable.

Unlike timber & steel, which comes with predefined dimensions that we can only use for specific elements such as column, beam,  the same set of plastic panels can be used for walls, columns, slab & beam (using the interconnecting frames) at minimal effort.

According to the usage, the plastic formwork panels come under predefined panels also.

• For Walls

• For Columns

• For Slabs (or) Floors

Advantages of Using Plastic Formwork

• Economical – Comparing other sorts of formwork, transportation & cleaning is inexpensive.
• Quality – Unlike other formworks, the quality of concrete finish will be good with an accurate dimension.
• Labour Friendly – It is easy to install, clean, and maintain the plastic formwork with less number of labour.
• Work Efficient – It is sturdy & lightweight also easy to handle and manage
• Little Maintenance – Unlike steel or timber, it needs low maintenance. No need for oiling. Easy to clean with water
• Smooth Finish – It gives a glossy finish to the surface, so any kind of plastering requirement will be minimal compared to other formwork types
• Recyclable – The plastic panel used is 40% recyclable.

Formwork Animation Video

Video Courtesy – Dscaff Group

Comparison with Steel & Timber Formwork

SPECS	Plastic Formwork	Steel Formwork	Timber Formwork
Easy to Handle	Yes	No	No
Recyclable	40%	10%	No
Maintenance	Little	More	More
Water-Resistant	Yes	No	No
Quality of Work	Good	Good	Ok
Formwork Installation	Easy	Difficult	Difficult
Deformation / Corrosion	No	Yes	Yes

Hope you enjoyed this basic knowledge topic. Happy Learning 🙂