To achieve a top-quality sophisticated results in concrete construction, the planning and quality of formwork systems play a decisive role. The new Metsä Wood DURAForm formwork panel line from Metsä Wood features high stability and reduced deformation, despite its low weight. The birch plywood panels made of sustainably produced raw materials are maintenance-free and can be used up to 200 times. They yield particularly smooth surfaces while complying with the principles of  circular economy circularity.

Smooth finish

The Metsä Wood DURAForm panels are available in a variety of standard sizes and thicknesses for a multitude of applications, featuring a width of up to 1.5 metres and a length of 3.66 metres. The product is based on resource-friendly sustainably produced Finnish birch plywood. The plywood in turn is produced using 1.4 millimetre thick crosswise glued veneers. To achieve higher bending resistance and durability, the panels can be ordered for use in especially demanding formwork applications with specially aligned veneer structures. The dimensional tolerance of the elements complies with standards at ±0.1 percent for length, perpendicularity and edge straightness. The composite coating applied single-sided on the concreting side is moisture-proof, reducing rippling as a result, allowing for a smooth concrete surface from the first use. The panel edges are additionally sealed with acrylic paint against the penetration of humidity.

Simple to use

The quality and processing of the formwork panels used are  a decisive factor for reliable and attractive results. Despite its composite structure and improved wear resistance, Metsä Wood DURAForm is just as easy to handle as conventional birch plywood panels. The uniform and even panels can be easily processed and installed using standard tools and fasteners. Produced from high-strength Metsä Wood Birch Ply, the material offers minimal deflection, even with wide spans. Despite its low weight, Metsä Wood DURAForm demonstrates especially high strength. Featuring a density of 700 kilograms per cubic metre, birch plywood allows for the construction of lighter systems which still achieve permissible concrete pressures. Thanks to the special design, the panels guarantee considerably leaner resource-saving formwork structures and easy handling on-site.

“Selecting the right formwork panels is often one of the greatest difficulties you encounter when producing a concrete surface, especially when a top-quality smooth finish is the goal,” says Marc Juste, Managing Director at Müller Holzgroßhandel GmbH. The material needs to fulfil stringent requirements in terms of film quality as well as panel design. In addition, concrete construction planners are often confronted with a highly individual formwork pattern coupled with a limited budget. “Thanks to the formwork panel range from Metsä Wood, we are able to overcome these challenges in an optimal manner,” says Juste. 

Clean thing

Concrete formwork is heavily stressed during use at construction sites. In this context, the hard scratch-resistant composite surface of Metsä Wood DURAForm makes cleaning and later reuse of the panels easy. Water and moisture are sufficient to clean the formwork panels of any concrete residue. “After the concreting process, the formwork panels can be easily cleaned using a high-pressure cleaner – it saves not only time but money as well. Quick and easy surface cleaning and repair allow for shorter concreting cycles. The panels, therefore, provide an excellent return, no matter if they are used for formwork systems or for rental formwork,” says Thomas Schleper, Key Account Manager at Metsä Wood.

Exceptional surface quality from the first to final use.

The improved crack resistance and reduced chipping, even when fastening using nails, contribute to a consistently high surface quality. If repairs are nevertheless needed, a variety of methods can be used to restore the panel surfaces to their original condition. Phenolic film surfaces can be repaired with coated wood patches or by using a suited water-resistant putty. No expensive special equipment is needed – standard wood processing machines are perfectly sufficient.

“The top-quality Metsä Wood DURAForm panels are super easy to process and later reuse. Even if nails are used for fastening, the panel surfaces can be easily restored to their original condition,” says Alexandre Juste, who manages the timber wholesale company with his brother. “The price/performance ratio in particular is decisive for our customers, thanks to the durability of the Metsä Wood DURAForm products.”

Since they can be reused up to 200 times, the Metsä Wood DURAForm panels produce minimal scrap throughout their lifetime when compared to conventional plywood formwork, an advantage that is fully in line with the principles of a sustainable circular economy.

Sustainable and efficient

The Metsä Group wood used for Metsä Wood DURAForm comes from sustainably managed forests in the north, where the growth of the forest exceeds the use. In addition, the Group endorses the maintenance of biodiversity in the long term. The birch plywood panels are thus manufactured from renewable materials, which are fully traceable in accordance with the requirements per ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certified quality and environmental management systems. The energy and emissions expenditures for manufacturing the panels are conceivably low.

Versatile

Yet the latest complement to the high-performance formwork panel product range from Metsä Wood makes an impression not only with its degree of sustainability, but also with its high cost-effectiveness. Metsä Wood DURAForm thus provides system formwork manufacturers, formwork system rental companies and users a proven cost advantage compared to other formwork panel materials and guarantees smooth concrete surfaces in a wide range of applications in an affordable manner - not only in prestigious architectural projects.

Disclaimer:
Metsä Wood does not sell, market or distribute the product and does not allow anyone else to do the same under the mark “Metsä Wood DURAFORM” or “DURAFORM” in the United States of America or Canada.