What are Formatubes?
Formatubes are lightweight and cost-effective fibre forms designed to provide an efficient and versatile method for pouring concrete columns and round voids.
Designers have spent many years researching and developing to come up with these low-weight and water-resistant cardboard forms. You simply set up today and pour tomorrow.
The strength to weight properties of the Formative forms prevent blowouts and may eliminate the need to use a crane during setup.
What are the applications of Formatubes?
- Columns for residential and commercial buildings and structures
- Footings
- Piers
- Round void-forming in cast-in-place and pre-cast concrete for roof slabs, bridge decks and beams.
What are the advantages of Formatubes?
- Easier to set up and brace
- Fewer blowouts due to superior strength to weight properties
- Easy to cut to length and drill at the job site
- No cleaning, reassembling or return freight costs
- time efficient – set and pour multiple columns at one time
Formatube Design
- Formatubes are a lightweight, cardboard product, specifically designed to provide a fast, versatile method of pouring concrete columns and structural members
- A one-time use form – there’s no cleaning, no oiling and no form inventory required
Placing
- Easy to handle
- The form can be easily cut to length on site
- No bolting, nailing or piercing
- Can be dropped over reinforcing bar cage
- Can set and pour multiple forms at the same time
Bracing
- Easily brought to plumb with only minimal bracing required
- Use light timber or available scaffolding to keep forms plumb during pour
- For tubes up to 225mm diameter, brace at 2.5m intervals
- For tubes over 225mm diameter, brace at 3m intervals
Pouring
- Formatube forms are designed to be poured in a single lift using conventional methods at a pour rate not exceeding 4.5 metres per hour and not in excess of 14Kpa
- Use of a release agent is not required when using Formatubes but is recommended when working with aggressive concrete formulations
Curing
- Formatubes forms left in place prevent loss of moisture due to seepage, absorption and evaporation, there by assuring proper hydration of the cement content and better curing.
Stripping
- Easy and quick – recommended 1-5 days after pouring
- Forms an be stripped by; 1. Making 2 vertical cuts up the column with a power saw and pulling form off. 2. Making a vertical 30cm cut in the tube with a linoleum knife and then peeling spirally using a broad blade tool.
Finish
- F-3 Grade finish.
Important
- Keep dry before use
- Sore vertically to maintain roundness
- Keep ends covered at all times and elevate a minimum 100mm off the ground.
- Keep the base of the Formatube above the surface water before pouring
- After placing the Formatube, cover the top of the tube to prevent moisture damage before the concrete is poured
- DO NOT use if the Formatube form is wet or soft.