formwork

English

Animation depicting construction of multi-story building using aluminum handset formwork.

Modular steel frame formwork for a foundation

Etymology

From form +‎ work.

Noun

formwork (usually uncountable, plural formworks)

1. (construction) A temporary mold, made from planks, into which concrete is poured.

   Synonym: shuttering (chiefly British)

   • 2023 August 23, Chris Howe, “Green screen: HS2's route through the shires”, in RAIL, number 990, page 35:

     The floor and walls for Copthall tunnel have already been constructed using formwork into which rebar (reinforcing bar) was placed, and then concrete poured.

Derived terms

• formworker
• formwork carpenter

Translations

used in construction

• French: banche (fr) f, coffrage (fr) m
• German: Schalung (de) f, Verschalung f, Betonschalung f, Einschalung f, Betonverschalung f
• Greek: καλούπι (el) n (kaloúpi)
• Italian: cassaforma (it) f, cassero (it) m
• Portuguese: cofragem m, forma (pt) f
• Russian: опа́лубка (ru) f (opálubka)
• Spanish: encofrado (es) m

Further reading

• formwork on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• “formwork”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2025
• “formwork”, in Dicionário infopédia da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Porto: Porto Editora, 2003–2025
• “formwork”, in Dicionário inFormal (in Portuguese), 2006–2025
• “formwork”, in Dicio – Dicionário Online de Português (in Portuguese), Porto: 7Graus, 2009–2025