Formwork is ... How to make a formwork?

Forms are structures consisting of many details. Their immediate purpose is the creation of monolithic blocks. Therefore, if you are going to build a house, then that part of the foundation that will be above the ground requires a formwork. Let's figure out what it is, what kinds exist and how to make a quality formwork under the foundation with your own hands. Believe me, everyone who will show due diligence will be able to cope with this.

Decking and its types

We have already figured out that in order for the foundation to be strong and to have a certain structural appearance, it is necessary to build a formwork. And now I would like to say about its types. Currently there are only two of them: removable and non-removable. Various types of shuttering systems are presented, for example, in the company "KRAMOS" - http://www.kramos.ru/opalubka/. Regardless of the type, formwork should perform a few simple, but at the same time very important tasks, the main one of which is to perceive and retain specific pressures from concrete, without changing its shape. It is inadmissible for the concrete mixture to flow through the structure, in addition, the formwork must be constructed quickly and easily. Let's take a closer look at its types and determine the advantages and disadvantages of each of them.

Non-removable and removable formwork

It can be understood from the title that after installation the building becomes an integral part of the foundation of the building. Such formwork is a structure made from improvised materials. They are simply and quickly mounted. As a material, chipboard, fiberboard or metal frame is used. In some cases, it makes sense to use expanded polystyrene. This we will talk about a little later. There are similar solutions, for example, a columnar foundation of metal or asbestos pipes. Their diameter varies in the range of 150-200 millimeters. The obvious advantage is strength. This is especially true when using columnar foundations and reinforced concrete slabs. In addition, such formwork is the absence of additional earthworks, as well as the need to install auxiliary supports and spacers. As for removable structures, then there is nothing special to talk about. After pouring the foundation and its formation, the formwork is dismantled, and boards or plywood can be used in any other business.

Metal structures: advantages and disadvantages

One of the most expensive materials that can be used for making formwork is iron. Most often, sheets with a thickness of a few millimeters are used, which is quite enough to perceive the efforts from the foundation. At once I would like to say about the merits of such a decision. First, it is the ability to bend the steel sheet as you please. Due to this, it is possible to adjust to the desired form of the foundation. Secondly, this is the best waterproofing that you can only come up with for your foundation. Another important point is the possibility to weld the foundation reinforcement to the frame. This increases the strength of the structure several times. But for this it is necessary to use a monolithic or ribbon foundation. As for the shortcomings, it is only one - the cost.

Non-removable formwork made of expanded polystyrene and reinforced concrete

The first thing I would like to say about reinforced concrete products. This solution is a little cheaper than using steel sheets, but the price of concrete slabs is not that small, so the costs will be appreciable. However, due to the possibility of changing the thickness of concrete products, you can reduce the consumption of concrete on the foundation, therefore, save a little. But here the problem is this: first, the plates are very heavy, and secondly, it is necessary to use additional spacers, since the products are non-monolithic. As for such material as expanded polystyrene, it is used as a formwork not so long ago, but has already gained great popularity because of its practicality. The main advantages are the ease of assembly. Blocks are quite simply attached to the fittings, and they are held together by metal staples. Such a solution is good because, thanks to the unique design of monolithic blocks, the foundation is not only perfectly even, but also qualitative (good heat and waterproofing).

What to use under the tape foundation?

Tape foundation to this day is considered one of the most relevant methods of obtaining a foundation for the future building. The principle here is extremely simple. There is a sand cushion, a prepared screed is poured onto it and a frame made of reinforcement is formed. Only after this, concrete is poured. But which is better to use the formwork? Here almost any solution is suitable, for example, a structure made of expanded polystyrene, metal, reinforced concrete, etc. In some cases, you can not use anything at all, just dig a trench. But it is strongly advised not to do so, because the consequences are possible, the most unpredictable. According to statistics, most often the timber formwork is wooden. This is mostly due to a small price for its manufacture, and the installation itself is quite quick.

Classical wooden formwork

Despite the fact that today there are more new and unique in their technical characteristics of materials, most prefer wooden structures. This is due to many factors. Firstly, this is the price. Today, there is an opportunity to take the formwork for rent, and a month later to return it. But even if you just buy boards, you are unlikely to lose anything, because they can be used in the future. For example, you can put the floor in the same house. Another important parameter, because of which it is worth giving preference to this material - practicality. If somewhere something sticks out or, on the contrary, there is not enough piece of a product, it is very simply solved by means of a saw or a hammer with nails. For example, plywood for formwork is used on floors. It is not only inexpensive, but also very reliable.

We make the formwork with our own hands

All the works take place in several stages. Let's start from the very first. We need to carry out all the land works. After calculating the load on the structure, get down to business. It is recommended to leave approximately 1-2 centimeters of space between the formwork and the foundation. This is necessary for easier installation. In the future, emptiness is filled with earth. The trench must be filled with sand (sand cushion). Next is a concrete screed, which is necessary to reduce the loss of material during pouring. If it is planned to reinforce the structure with rods, then they must be pushed into the ground at this stage. At the second stage we will build the formwork. To begin with, we adjust all the elements, and only then go directly to the construction.

Layout, reinforcement and assembly

First you need to perform the markup. After that, where the corners of the formwork should be, we slaughter small pegs (wooden). They are needed directly for fixing the structure. Further, according to pre-calculated sizes, shields are selected. Here the monolithic formwork is more preferable, as it is easier to install due to design features. The shield is attached to the stakes with the help of nails, screws and screws. So, in fact, the frame is being formed. But that is not all. With a significant length of formwork or large volumes of poured concrete, it is necessary to strengthen the structure. This is done with the help of struts, which are set with a step of 70-90 centimeters. There is another solution: to tighten the structure with studs, but in this case further use of the shield in the farm will be difficult, since there will be holes in the boards. During installation, you need to carefully monitor the vertical structure, for which you need to use the building level. All the cracks must be closed. To do this, almost any improvised means. If the distance between two formwork elements is more than 4 mm, then this is an obvious leakage of concrete.

How do I calculate?

Before the formwork of the house will be erected, it must be calculated. This is done to determine the decisive parameters. As an example, consider the most common wooden formwork. So, the standard board has a length of 6 meters, a thickness of 25 millimeters and a width of 100-150 mm. The perimeter of the foundation must be divided by 6, that is, by the length of the board, and the height by the width. The results must be multiplied and you get the finished number. On average, one cubic meter takes about 42 boards with a width of 100 mm. Proceeding from this, it is necessary to spend approximately 5-6 thousand rubles per cube. To all this, it is necessary to add the price of the bar for struts and strengthening the structure. All together will cost about 10 000 rubles. For example, a fixed formwork made of expanded polystyrene should be calculated by a specialist. Here we take into account the foundation plan. If there are many complex nodes, the cost will be approximately the same as when buying steel sheets. In addition to all of the above, we must not forget to take into account the cost of consumables: nails, screws, fittings, struts, etc.

Need to get a rounded shape? No problem

In some cases, without a rounding just can not do, and this is an obvious fact. As a material, a metal shield or a wooden non -ventural board can be used. If you want to build a column, the first thing to do is to create a L-shape from the mounting corners. Do not forget to fix them together. But everything is much more complicated if it is necessary to obtain a square shape rather than a round one. It is best to use the boards. They need to be recruited according to the principle of a barrel. The fact is that column formwork must withstand large specific loads, therefore it is recommended to make a non-detachable structure. For this, after every 50-80 centimeters it is necessary to use screeds and pegs for strengthening. In some cases it makes sense to look for a ready-made frame. If you are lucky, you will find a suitable diameter and can save a lot, not only money, but also nerves.

What other materials are right for you?

Of course, not only the board can be used, but in some cases this is the only correct solution. If you want to build a formwork of small strength, but a round shape, use plastic. An excellent solution for building a gazebo, but no more. The material bends well, especially if it is slightly heated. But, again, the strength is minimal. For example, plywood for formwork is also a good solution, but all this is good if it is additionally strengthened by the board. Its strength is slightly higher than that of plastic, but it is still not the best solution for serious purposes. As for the metal sheets, they can be used almost everywhere. But it hardly makes sense to form the floors of metal. Loads here are small, and the amount of foundation too. But the cost of the sheet will unpleasantly surprise you. If you take the metal sheets, use them for columns or where very strong material is required.

A few important points

So we discussed with you how to make the formwork, and also what materials are better suited for the realization of this or that purpose. As you can see, there is nothing complicated, the main thing is to observe several important rules. First, it is worth paying enough attention to the strength of the structure, and secondly, we must not forget about the verticality of the structure, since this is of great importance. For example, when column formwork is created in order to make the structure more smooth, it makes sense to dig in a bit of the ground. So you give strength and avoid distortion during the pouring of concrete. If you do not work with external walls, then it is not necessary to use metal sheets, it's just irrational. Most often, formwork of ceilings is created from plywood or boards, it is really advantageous and expedient.

Conclusion

Now you know what formwork is. This is something that any construction of a building can not do without. Despite the fact that there is a huge selection of materials, the principle of erection remains the same.

Well, that's all that can be said about how to make the formwork with your own hands from various materials. If you are going to live in this house, then be careful at all stages. You surely do not want to then "enjoy" the curve with a wall or damp corners due to the fact that verticality was not observed, or the wrong material was used.