Off-Form concrete formwork is one of the most commonly used materials for load bearing and non-load bearing functions in construction. As a cost-effective building solution it can be found in nearly every building structure throughout Australia.
The way concrete is created from a mix of materials, then applied via pouring or spreading gives rise to an almost limitless range of forms and finishes.
One of the most common ways to install concrete is using off-form or poured in place concrete. For walls and decorative surfaces, the quality of the off-form determines the resulting look of the concrete surface.
Aside from thorough planning and design, the formwork which forms a mould for the concrete to be poured into, is critical to the quality of the off-form concrete finish.
For complicated concrete designs where precision is required timber formwork is the most versatile of the different types of formwork available. Others include engineered or concrete formwork.
The team at LF Construction Services have over 10 years experience constructing timber formwork. For a residential project designed by Chanine Design Architects in Strathfield, Liam and his team were called in to do the off-form formwork for the concrete walls.
The first stage of the formwork is to assemble the steel structure and prepare the timber surfaces for the mould.
The timber formwork must be designed to support the loads from placing and compaction of concrete during pouring.
All the joinery has to be as straight and true as possible, making sure to mitre all the formwork joins and use the appropriate fasteners.
Installing the concrete reinforcement.
A walk through of the off-form formwork ready for pour day.
The big pour day. Concrete is piped into the top of the off-form formwork very carefully section by section followed by a vibrator to compact the concrete. Any mistakes in the formwork could lead to a catastrophic blowout at this stage.
For this project LF Construction Services worked closely with EKC Construction on the concrete pour. Paul Corbett and his team at EKC Construction are well known in the industry for their high quality workmanship and expertly managed projects.
The resulting smooth concrete walls showcase the quality off-form formwork of LF Construction Services and the professional workmanship of EKC Construction.
This is a render of what the completed building will look like with the off-form concrete walls.