What is a formliner? Formliners are forms that can be reused to create many copies of the same design. Matrices allow for the formliners to create different patterns such as wood, brick, or artistic designs on concrete components. The use of formliners gives designers the freedom to create many different looks for structures’ facades.
FPCA has several associate members who are capable of working with precast producers and architects to achieve their projects’ aesthetic goals using formliners.
Architectural Polymers has been a leader in the concrete form fabrication industry for over 20 years and offers high quality concrete form liner molds.
US Formliner is a manufacturer of reusable elastic forms and matrices that planners and architects all over the world have used.
ALP Supply produces precast concrete accessories for precasters and prestressers including formliners and their accessories.
Formliners are commonly used to replicate masonry appearances such as brick, cut stone, or limestone. However as techniques have evolved over time, precasters now have a wider number of options to choose from resulting in more personalized aesthetic designs for precast projects.
A variety of patterns, shapes, and textures can be achieved when concrete is cast against objects such as wood, metal, plastics, or polystyrene foam. These elements can either be incorporated directly into a precast mold or they can be attached to its surface.
One of the unique ways that formliners and precast concrete can be used together is to create concrete art. These pieces use a mixture of texture and/or graphic elements to create artwork within precast pieces and can help create precast with sculptural, photo engraved, or other unique artistic elements.
Professionals can learn more about precast and formliners by reading PCI’s free technical document below.
Melbourne Air Traffic Control Tower
Involved an LED backlit embossed sail on the precast panels
Asheville Regional Airport Parking Structure
Featured precast spandrels with formlined patterns which were meant to resemble a mountain view
Witness Walls
Created using a series of formliners that exactly replicated sharp edges along with light and shadow to achieve the photographic details
Below are some examples of how formliners can be used to created various textures and shapes to help precast projects come to life!
Photos via US Formliner and Architectural Polymers
