In civil construction, formwork ensures that beams, slabs, and horizontal structures are safely supported until the concrete reaches the required strength.
Although essential, errors in its use are still common, which can lead to the risk of collapse, rework, and increased costs.
In this article, we highlight the 5 most common formwork errors and how to avoid them with safe, technical solutions.
- Improvising with wood for heavy loads
In heavy construction, it is still common to see the use of wooden props to support slabs and beams.
➡ Problem: Wood does not guarantee stability, warps, is susceptible to moisture, and is difficult to adjust in height, compromising the safety and quality of the formwork.
✔ How to avoid: Use metal formwork and shoring systems designed for heavy loads, with precise adjustment and reuse between stages, ensuring formwork efficiency.
- The risk of ignoring great heights and long spans
In projects with great heights or free spans, the risk of buckling and instability during shoring increases.
➡ Problem: The use of isolated struts is more susceptible to buckling and has difficulty absorbing the horizontal forces generated by concrete pouring.
✔ How to avoid: Use load towers (LTT and LTT Extra), designed to support great heights and concentrated loads, which ensure stability, resistance to horizontal forces, and reuse in different phases of the project.
- Overreliance on isolated struts
Metal struts are essential, but their use in isolation and without proper engineering evaluation can compromise the safety of the structure.
➡ Problem: The use of isolated struts without technical analysis alters the distribution of forces, creating overloads in specific areas and increasing the risk of failure. ✔ How to avoid: Consider the correct sizing of the formwork, ensuring adequate load distribution and engineering validation.
- Lack of a technical design and ART
Many construction sites still assemble formwork “by eye.”
➡ Problem: Without technical calculations, there is a risk of failure, the possibility of noncompliance with safety standards, and the responsibility falls on the construction company.
✔ How to avoid: Contact SH’s technical team to prepare the design with ART and calculation report, ensuring regulatory compliance and safety during execution.
- Lack of planning for material handling
Each stage of the project needs to be planned comprehensively. Ignoring the reuse of formwork prevents the optimization of resources across sectors.
➡ Problem: Increased costs and wasted materials when using formwork without planning. ✔ How to avoid: Adopt modular formwork systems, which allow for rearrangement and reuse at different stages of the project.
Formwork is one of the most critical stages of any concrete structure. Improvising or neglecting calculations can compromise not only the project but also the safety of the teams.
✅ By using SH Formwork, you ensure:
Design sized with technical calculations;
Art. included for technical validation;
Modularity and reuse at different stages of the project;
Reduced risks and rework costs.
👉 If you want safety and predictability on your project, talk to the SH team and find out how to apply the ideal formwork system for each structure.
