Structural Steel Formwork – The Best Choice for Construction
The construction industry is changing. For decades, timber has been the preferred choice of material for formwork in reinforced concrete construction. With cost of timber continuing to rise and environmental awareness a hot topic of today, this method of construction is quickly falling out of favour. Structural steel offers major benefits over timber, ranging from speed of construction through to lower lifecycle costs and superior strength and durability.
As a leading supplier of structural steel in Sydney, Mascot Steel are proud to provide builders, engineers and architects with high quality steel for construction projects big and small. In this post, we’ll be highlighting the benefits offered by steel formwork.
Steel Formwork – The Basics
Formwork forms the basis of any building. The purpose of the formwork is to serve as a mould for fresh concrete. The formwork must be able to withstand the weight of the wet concrete, as otherwise distortion may occur. Timber is a porous material, and as such it is prone to warping, swelling and shrinkage. Whilst in most cases formwork is only temporary and will be removed once the concrete has set, in some cases it may be left in place. Not only will steel serve its purpose long term, it can also be re-used hundreds of times over, whilst timber is often sent to scrap after just a few uses.
Steel formwork can be adjustable, and it can be used at all stages of construction including:
- Suspended reinforced concrete beams
- Columns
- Walls
- Slab Floors
- Bridges
- Kerb and gutters
- Tunnels
- Culverts
Advantages over Timber
There are many advantages to using steel formwork. Some of these have already been discussed above, but it is also:
- Easy to fix and non-adherable with concrete
- Comes in a uniform size/shape according to requirements
- Does not absorb moisture, more fire resistant and is not affected by termites/mould
- Assembly/Disassembly around 5 times faster than timber
- Less obstruction on busy construction sites
- Cost effective
- Steel plates can be stacked, making it ideal for high rise structures
Get Creative – Architecturally Exposed Structural Steel (AESS)
If you want to make an impact, AESS is the way to go. Industrial design can be seen everywhere from warehouses to trendy coffee shops, restaurants, offices, art galleries and much more. No matter what type of design you have in mind, AESS can be bent and shaped to suit. The end result will be nothing less than astounding whether you go for classic straight lines and right angles or get creative with twisting curves.
AESS lends an artistic edge to your space, and visitors will experience excitement the moment they enter your facility and gaze up at the inner support structures which would normally be hidden from sight. You can also explore various finishing options ranging from gloss through to matte, as well as a wide range of colours. Matching up with company/brand colours is ideal if you are looking to create a memorable experience whilst also strengthening your identity.
Structural Steel – The Mascot Steel Range
Mascot Steel have provided some of Australia’s leading construction companies with quality structural steel throughout our 40+ year history. Our range includes steel angles, flat bars, channels, pipe, circular, square and rectangular hollow section, beams, concrete reinforcing and REO. We can fabricate steel according to your unique size and finish requirements, including galvanised, DuraGal and metal.
Contact Mascot Steel Today
The team at Mascot Steel are standing by ready to assist with your steel supplies and structural steel fabrication needs. We’ll help you meet your design and aesthetic goals at a cost-effective price. To discuss your project, contact us on (02) 9313 1313 today, or email us at sales@mascotsteel.com.au
