No, #4 finish nails are driven into the inside of the form at the desired grade, with about 3/4″ sticking out, usually about 4′ apart. A chalk line is then snapped inside the forms at the desired grade. Concrete is then floated off up to the chalk line.

4″ is the shortest, 144″ is the longest.

Yes. You will need to order special length ties to produce a tapered or battered wall.

Yes, there are different techniques depending on wall thickness and radius. Contact us for additional information and how to properly accomplish this type of pour.

1 1/8″ plywood is a good insulator. Placement of concrete is possible at 0 degrees. Exposed concrete on top must be covered with insulated blankets, and inside corner must be insulated. Our plywood forms have an “R” value of 1.41

Flatbed truck or trailer, or boom truck with form cages.

Approximately every 8′ to 10′, using the Advance turnbuckle braces.

On forms with top bar 16″ or 20″ down, a top waler is installed every 4′ to 6′. On forms with top bar 8″ down, a wells-allen bracket on top bar works the best. In all cases, brackets are installed on the outside of the forms.

No, the backing bars act as walers to keep forms straight horizontally.

No, the forms are set right on the footing. The face of forms is set on the building (chalk) line. The slots in the locking lever will allow the forms to “float” up or down every 2′ and remain plumb. The weight of the forms keeps them in position.

Yes, for curb height walls, form clips may be used top and bottom. Forms can also be laid horizontally on top of other forms with the use of off-set clips or snap-i-ties and wedges with form clips on top. Additional, Advance offers stacking clips for 1-1/8″ to 1-1/8″ if you are laying down a form or 1-1/8″ to 1-5/8″ if you are adding dimensional lumber on top of your form.

Yes, we recommend the forms be oiled before each pour. We offer form releases specifically designed to work with our forms and the specifications of your jobs.

Not generally. After forms are stripped you scrape off any loose concrete above pour line and knock concrete out of the holes by tapping the back of steel bars.

You should get around 200 pours depending on care and how they’re handled, oiled, cleaned, transported, etc.

Between 4.5 to 5.1 lbs. per sq. ft. depending on bar configuration.

Advance forms are made with 1-1/8″ 120 / 120 HDO (High Density Overlay) plywood. 120/120 plywood is comprised of 2 sheets of HDO and 1 sheet of MDO to add to the life of the panels.

No, this is a hand set system.

Advance forms are chosen for reduced labor costs, ease of use, low initial investment, dependable product and reliability.

Vibrating should be kept to a minimum as bowing between bars may occur during excessive vibrating.

It depends on the wall thickness and height of the pour. Typically for a wall 8″ thick and 8′ high the recommended rate of pour is 4′ per hour at an air temperature of 65 degrees.

Form sizes are in 1″ increments from 4″ to 24″ wide. Heights vary between 2′ and 10′.

Yes, Advance forms largest growth of use has been in light commercial and industrial work. Engineers have found the system to handle most jobs.

Advance forms are very forgiving, so your footings do not need to be perfectly level. The system is designed to take imperfections in the footing.

Temperature is not a limiting factor in using Advance forms. Advance forms are actually an insulator, so they do well in hot and cold temperature. Our forms have an “R” value associated with them of 1.41.

Each individual job needs to be calculated separately, but the general rule of thumb is every four to eight feet.

Advance recommends pouring up to 24′ using our 6-bar system for experienced users. For walls over 8′ you will need to determine the load pressure of your pour to determine if you need to double tie and how many bars to double tie.

Double tying refers to using two ties instead of one per lever area. This is used when your concrete pressure exceeds the strength of one tie.

Converting to Advance is extremely easy due to using 4×4 and 1×1 corners from a learning curve standpoint. Advance is also very friendly to be able to connect directly with your existing system.

You want to use a chemically reactive release agent that works well with high density overlaid (HDO) plywood, not a barrier release agent.

Advance forms are sold on a piece price not a per square foot price because all the hardware is already attached.

Repeat Advance customers report getting 200+ pours on their forms, many customers state getting well in excess of that number.

Advance’s tie capacity is 3,000 pounds with a 1.5 safety factor and a maximum working load of 4,500 pounds.

A cone tie is used when the job or specs call for a thermally broken wall and/or a wall that calls for a 1″ break back of the tie.

It is 11 ply’s of douglas fir veneer bonded together to be 1-1/8″ thick. Our plywood has a High-Density Overlay called “120/120” for the weight of the paper on each side. Each side is comprised of one sheet of 60-pound MDO paper and two sheets of 30 pound each HDO paper.

12′ and 16′ walls can be done easily by stacking our 6 bar system. 10′ and 12′ walls can be done with our 4 bar and 5 bar system by using a separate piece of hardware called a stacking plate of with special 2×2 stacking forms. 9′ and 10′ forms are also available on special order.

No. Most users keep even inch fillers between 6″ and 20″ and a few small, odd sizes which combine to make any dimensions.

Yes. The components of the forming system, corners and fillers, make complex dimensions easy to handle.

Standard ties break-back in the wall 1/4″

At the start of the pour, each panel touches the footing and will ANCHOR ITSELF to the footing as the pour continues. Rough or uneven footing (up to 1/2″) create no problems because of the slotted pivot arm of the locking lever. “Advance Panels” will never float out of alignment.

Because each Advance form is a complete unit by itself with hardware attached, the number of loose hardware pieces is minimized. Other than bracing accessories all hardware is attached.

It is fast and efficient, therefore, reducing your labor costs.

A four-man crew should be able to complete one foundation per day. By this we mean, strip yesterday’s wall, set up and pour a new wall, and set and pour a footing for the next day.

1) The Advance forming system initial cost is much less than other comparable forming systems which do the same types of jobs, that is, residential, agricultural, light commercial and industrial.

2) There is less labor time involved in setting, bracing, stripping, maintaining, storing and transporting our panels.

3) The cost per pour is the real determining factor when comparing value.

Less labor hours are required per foundation using the Advance forming system as compared to other comparable forming systems. This also reduces other overhead costs, such as insurance and employment taxes.

4) Foundation walls are completed quicker (quick in and quick out). Time lost because of bad weather is reduced to a minimum. The Advance forming system can be used in a wide range of temperatures. Wood is not hot to the touch in hot temperatures and is an insulator in colder temperatures.

As with many items of equipment the longevity depends upon the care you give the forming system. Excessive “rate of pour”, improper application of form release or not using a chemically reactive release agent, will shorten the life of the plywood. The method of transportation and storage you use will also impact the life of your forms.