Film faced plywood- advantages, types and applications

Plywood formwork，Film faced plywood,Plywood formwork is a lightweight, durable, and eco-friendly system that provides a high-quality concrete cast surface. It is prepared by combining three specially prepared layers on top of each other. Plywood formwork is applicable where a large surface needs to be coated with a light and durable material. It is especially preferred in the preparation of molds for pouring concrete in construction. Usually, plywood boards are made of birch, poplar, spruce, or pine, but there are many types of materials used by plywood manufacturers in different parts of the world. While the type of plywood used is important, the real opportunity to make a difference for the final concrete result is the type of coating: the film applied to the plywood surface.

Advantages of plywood formwork

Plywood has the natural property of absorbing moisture, resulting in a sponge effect. This causes the movement of the panels, affects the weight and mechanical properties of the material, and ultimately affects its life cycle. Its advantages include:

• Provides a high-quality concrete cast surface.
• Favorable for the weight-to-strength ratio.
• Minimal deflection due to inherent stiffness.
• High durability.
• Can be reused.
• The panel shear of plywood is nearly double that of solid timber due to its cross-laminated structure.
• Easy to machine and fix using standard machining and fastening methods.
• Easy to handle on-site.
• Good chemical resistance.
• A wide variety of different overlays and sizes are available.
• Plywood has ecological importance.

Different types of plywood formwork panels

Panels are typically used in two ways: as forming panels or as form liners. Forming panels not only impart the desired texture and pattern to the concrete surface, but also provide the structural strength and stiffness to hold the fresh concrete in place. Form liners can only import the desired texture and pattern to the concrete; a backing panel carries the load of the concrete. There are different types:

• Film faced plywood: This is a commonly used panel. The surface film is impregnated with glue/resin. Film faced formwork plywood has improved resistance to abrasion, moisture penetration, chemicals, insects, and fungi. They have a smooth, hygienic, and easy-to-clean surface.
• HDO plywood: HDO forming panels stand for high-density overlay with a greater amount of resin in the overlay; their surfaces are harder and more impervious to water and impacts than MDO forming panels. A greater number of uses and a smoother finish on the surface of the concrete can be expected when using HDO Plyform.
• MDO plywood: MDO stands for medium density overlay, which is much better/expensive than the surface film for ordinary film faced plywood. The quality surface of concrete comes from MDO’s ability to mask imperfections and reduce the transfer of the wood grain onto the concrete surface. The result of using a medium density overlay is a consistent color and a smooth finish that is ideal for painting or coating.
• A wood veneer faced plywood: A wood veneer faced plywood is the cheapest among the three. To use formwork easily, people will print a kind of glue/oil to the face/back of wood veneer faced formwork plywood during production.
• Specialty plywood: Specialty plywood forming panels with proprietary overlays are also available, e.g., overlay materials include laminated plastic, epoxy resin, metal, and glass-fiber-reinforced plastics (fiberglass). The metal and fiberglass overlays may also add stiffness and strength to the panel. Users of these proprietary panels should check with the manufacturer for design specifications and surface treatment recommendations.

Plywood form Grades and categorization

Plyform is manufactured with Exterior bond classification plywood and is limited to certain wood species and veneer grades to assure high performance. Products bearing this specific identification are available in three basic grades: Plyform Class I and Structural I Plyform. Each may be ordered with a High or Medium Density Overlaid surface on one or both sides.plyboard 3/4,18mm pre laminated board

Applications of plywood formwork

Plywood formworks are a wide range of construction formwork systems that are economical and easy to manufacture. Its areas of application are discussed below:

• Wall and column: Plywood formwork is used in various shapes in the walls and columns of a concrete structure. They are used in different forms such as framed system, area system, side support system, weight framed system, circular system, column system, column system, etc.
• Slabs: Plywood formwork is used in various shapes. They are used in different forms such as ceiling slabs, formwork for slab tables, drop beams, etc.
• Infrastructural uses: For infrastructural projects, such as tunnels and bridges, the building process is the factor that substantially affects the choice of plywood sheets. When a continuous flow is important and multiple concrete pouring is planned, the plywood material must be durable. Therefore, customized plywood formworks are used. It is used in different forms such as crane climbing formwork, shaft platform, a configured tunnel system, customized steel forms, etc.

Conclusion

Plywood formwork is used for shuttering or pouring concrete into molds. Due to the properties of plywood, it is weather-resistant and does not stick to concrete. Constructed with thin layers of wood glued together, it can be very strong and therefore unlikely to split. Ideal for external applications, it offers strong resistance to moisture, warping, rotting, and splitting.plyboard 3/4,18mm pre laminated board