Lumber boards are the support blocks that you need to hold any poured concrete together in the position and design that it has been poured to wait till it sets. The form lumber is necessary because concrete is liquid at room temperature and hence cannot fit or form a particular shape unless it is constructed using materials such as form lumber. Form lumber comes in a number of shapes. For instance, if you want the concrete to occupy a square shape, you will make form lumber with a square cross-section. On the other hand, if you want to create rectangular shaped forms, you will have to create form lumber with a rectangular cross-section. The lumbers are usually attached to the floor using devices such as tie anchors or shores among other appropriate materials.
The lumber making process
When the lumbers have been made in the desired shape, the concrete is poured into them and allowed to cure. The lumber maker must therefore put into consideration the dimensions of the structure that they are trying to make before they start the lumber shaping process. If lumbers are made, but they do not fit the dimensions or size of the required structure, it is possible to combine more than one, especially if the issue is the height.
The structure of the lumber
First of all, when making these forms, you have to realize that they will end up carrying a lot of weight. This means that you need wood that is strong enough to hold a substantial amount of concrete weight. If the wood used to make the form lumbers is weak, it could crack during the process, ruining the perfection in shape. Then, make sure that the form is made in a way that after the concrete dries and is able to stand on its own, the pieces can be easily removed and the concrete can sustain its own weight after the removal of the support.
Uses of form Lumber
There are a number of constructions which need the application of form lumber:
- Beams
- Building columns
- Slabs
When making these lumbers, there are precautionary measures that are listed down as standard procedure. It is recommended that you follow these measures because failure could lead to accidents, injuries and even compromise the structural integrity of the entire building.
Guidelines to follow when creating the form lumber
- When installing the form lumber, make sure that they are supported well using well-reinforced ground support mechanisms.
- Make sure that the forms are strong enough to withstand the force of the vibrating machine. Remember that the vibrating machine has to be used on the concrete to make sure that all the air bubbles have been removed beforehand.
- Make a few extra lumber forms so that if in any case they get ruined in the process, you will manage to repair them easily.
- Never try to remove the form lumbers unless the concrete is completely dry.
- Measure the dimensions of the structure that you want to mold correctly and create form lumbers that correspond to these dimensions. These measurements help you avoid overloading the structure.
- When making the form lumbers, pay special attention to the joints and make sure that they are firmly secured. This will protect the nails from getting loose because of the weight of the wet cement, something that could lead to the shapes getting distorted.
- Go for superior quality wood when you are making the forms as this will eventually minimize your overall construction costs and make it possible to recycle the lumbers, lowering your costs even further.
These are some of the things that you need to know about the process of making form lumber. The most important thing to note is that the more you invest in quality wood for the construction process, the lower the possibility of getting forms which aren’t strong enough for their purpose. Therefore, it is wise to take time and pick the right wood, learn the right joinery processes and allow the lumber to cure before using it in construction. If you are in doubt of your ability to join the wood into your desired shapes, ask a professional in joinery to help you make it happen.
Security Building Supplies in Tulsa, OK provides commercial grade rebar, lumber, fabrication for footing steel and quick response service for many of the commercial contractors in Tulsa and surrounding areas.