Paving Forms and Metal Concrete Forms Videos

The Poly Meta Forms system combines the light weight of poly ethylene with the durability of steel hardware where you need it. Poly Meta Forms are light to carry, easy to handle, but made to last. Damage resistant steel pockets withstand the impact of wedging, and Poly Meta Forms are easy to use. These paving forms are easy to set, normally requiring less than half the set up time of lumber, and easy to transport. Poly Meta Forms are weather resistant. Poly Meta paving forms do not absorb water and will not rot or splinter, and they'-re easy to clean. Maintained properly with form oil, Poly Meta Forms present no problems with concrete adhesion. Now let's take a look at the special features of Poly Meta Forms. Poly Meta paving forms are made of virgin, high density, poly ethylene with a uv inhibitor, and they are durable. Contractors commonly report 100 or more reuses. Poly Meta Forms are 12 feet long and are available in 4"and 6" heights. Also, the Poly Meta Form is a true 4" high eliminating the need to back fill below the form to prevent concrete seepage. Poly Meta concrete forms are available for either strait or radius work. Aluminum tubes reinforce the entire length of the strait form giving it the stiffness of a wood 2x4 and also serve as the end connection. Shorter yellow poly ethylene inserts provide a flexible end connection for the radius form. 4" flex forms weigh a ½--lb/foot, about half the weight of a wood 2x4. The other Poly Meta Forms vary in weight with the strait forms weighing more because of the aluminum inserts.

So, let's review the advantages of the Poly Meta form system over wood forms. It requires less labor because the Poly Meta concrete forms are easier to set, strip, and transport. You can reduce set up time at least 50% compared with lumber. Poly Meta Forms are moisture resistant. They won'-t rot or splinter. And Poly Meta Forms are reusable. Poly Meta paving Forms have been used over 100 times while wood forms normally have to be thrown away after 2 or 3 uses. Poly Meta Forms are lighter in weight, the flex forms are about half the weight of wood and the y are versatile. There are Poly Meta paving forms specifically designed for strait work and radius work. But the versatility doesn't stop here. This forming system can be used for both flat work and curb and gutter.

Let's look at the advantageof these paving forms over other poly ethylene forming systems available. Poly Meta Forms are a true 4" high. This is not the case with other poly ethylene plasticconcrete forms or wood 2x4s. They are 3 ½--" high requiring you to back fill at the bottom to prevent ready mix loss. Poly Meta Form steel hardware provides durability where you need it. It doesn't break like nylon clamps do and end connections keep adjoiningpaving forms held tight and on line while other poly ethylene forms tend to break apart with form movement and have to be realigned. Consider the many advantages of the revolutionary Poly Meta Form system. Make your next paving form purchase an investment, rather than another cost. Call your local dealer or Metal Forms Corporationfor more information about paving forms.

The Poly Meta Forms system is a very effective method for forming concrete. Following recommended field instructions and procedures will provide optimal results. One rule of thumb is stake as you go. In other words, stake about every 3 feet from one end to the other rather than driving a stake at one end of the paving form then moving all the way to the other end before driving the next stake. We recommend that each paving form have slide pockets on the end where it joins another form and twist pockets every 3 feet in between. Note that you can insert twist pockets into the channel at any desired location along the length of the form. Each flex form can be bent to achieve a minimum 3 foot radius. Theform actually becomes more rigid as you bend it and stake it. Unlike wood, radius forms have a memory and will eventually straiten after use so you can use them again and again even bending them in the opposite direction. Our steel stake pockets are extremely durable. They hold up to repeated use unlike some competitive nylon clamps that tend to become brittle and break.

A short clip on the easy way to transport your plastic concrete forming system.

Transporting our Poly paving forms is a snap. One person can do it easily. You can easily put these paving forms in a pick-up truck or even on top of a small van or truck for delivery to the job site.

An overview of the different styles of metal staking pockets for the Poly Meta plastic concrete forming system. Sliding, Twist and Stacking pockets are demonstrated.

The inside channel on both the 4" paving form and 6" paving form is identical. The channel is designed to accept 3 types of stake pockets: a slide pocket, a twist pocket, and a stacking pocket. The slide pocket is inserted into the end of either the 4"or 6" paving form. The pocket provides a positive reinforcement at the joint between two forms. All slide pockets have nail holes to permit easy splicing to wood forms. Also, the slide pocket can be moved along the channel to any desired staking position. The twist pocket can be easily inserted at any location along the length of the paving form. By a simple twist, it can be attached either before or after forms are set to grade. The slide type stacking pocket permits forms to be stacked one on top of the other to achieve heights of 8", 10", or 12" depending on which combination of 4" and 6" concrete forms are used. The pockets come in plastic buckets, again, easy to ship and inventory. Slide pockets and twist pockets are packaged in the appropriate amount required to set one box of forms.

How to clean your plastic concrete forms and take care of them so they will last up to 150 uses.

Keeping Poly Meta Forms clean requires a small amount of maintenance. Apply a conventionalconcrete form release agent to prevent concrete build up. Then cleaning is east. Simply move a slide pocket back and forth in the form channel to help dislodge any granules. Then hose the form down with water.

Tips on how to sucessfully take down your Poly Meta plastic concrete forms when you are done pouring. Be careful not to damage pocket channel.

When loosening stakes to strip the form, hit them parallel to the concrete form. Don't hit the stakes directly away from the form because this could damage the paving form. Also, do not pull the pockets strait out as this may damage the channel. Instead, when stripping a concrete form, untwist the pocket as you take it out.

Our special end connections prevent 2 adjoining concrete forms from breaking apart during extreme temperature variations. All poly ethylene paving forms will expand when the weather is hot and contract when it's cool. Sometimes you may set concrete forms during the day when it's hot, and come back the next morning after a cool night and find that the forms have separated due to contraction. With Poly Meta Forms, a slight tap at the end of the form will close the gap, and you're ready to poor. This is unlike some other plastic forms which can become completely disjointed and have to be realigned and pushed back together to rejoin the connection.