In the building & construction process, the poured concrete needs to be held in place till it hardens. Shuttering is a process whereby concrete is held in place while it solidifies. Shuttering, (also called as formwork) are temporary moulds in which the concrete is poured in-situ. Shuttering is usually a specialty job that involves lot of skilled workmanship, especially for vertical concreting. Hence, the shuttering must be sturdy and capable of withstanding the pressure of concrete and the weight and force of the vibration equipment.

There are three types of shuttering:

• Plywood Shuttering
• Steel Formwork Shuttering
• In-situ Shuttering

Of all the three, plywood shuttering is the most economical and flexible, as the plywood used for shuttering can be cut into any shape. Plywood shuttering is also one of the commonest forms of shuttering. It is also the usual choice for vertical concreting.

The Release Process

Once the concrete is set, the shuttering has to be removed. To achieve this, all shuttering is coated with a mould oil before the concrete is poured in the mould. The most commonly used release agent is known as ‘shuttering oil’.  However, in film faced shuttering plywoods (Like Platinum Ply & Techno Ply).  The Phynolic Film itself acts as a non-sticky agent & thus shuttering oil is not essential.  For extra precautions very little shuttering oil may be used on the film face of the plywood, especially at the joints in formworks.