How Many Formwork Props Are Needed on A Construction Site?

Formwork props are an important tool for temporary support during formwork construction. Formwork props can be used as diagonal braces and temporary scaffolding supports to hold floors, walls and beams in place. They are also known as Acrow props and steel props. Adjustable heights, various sizes and working loads ensure they are suitable for any construction site. Efficient installation makes Formwork props the tool of choice for temporary support.

Formwork props include an inner tube with a welded top plate, an outer tube with a welded bottom plate, nuts and handles, and a chainless prop pin. All formwork prop components are made of high-quality steel and are galvanized on the surface to provide long-term corrosion protection. The outer tube of the formwork props adopts rolled threads to maintain the thickness of the tube wall for maximum strength.

Users can determine the number of formwork props based on the following factors:

1. Size of Formwork props

The safe working load that each formwork prop can withstand depends on the size. As the formwork props stretch, the safe working load decreases. EK scaffolding is available in six adjustable sizes. Each formwork prop is rated according to its structural load capacity. The longer the size, the worse the load capacity.

2. Angle of formwork props

Like other structures with supporting functions, formwork props must be vertical to maximize load-bearing capacity. If the center of the formwork prop is offset, its maximum load-bearing capacity will also be affected, reducing the safe load capacity. Formwork props can also be used at an inclined angle, but more are required to achieve the required load-bearing capacity. If the terrain makes it impossible to apply the formwork props vertically, a rotatable base jack can be added to the bottom of the formwork props. Adjust the base jack to ensure that the formwork props can be applied vertically. Or find a structural engineer to evaluate the best solution based on the site conditions.

3. Use of formwork props

When multiple formwork props are used in one area, the formwork props can act as a supporting frame. Horizontal bracing used in conjunction with couplers ensures that when one formwork prop fails, the adjacent formwork props can withstand the impact. Horizontal bracing also distributes the weight acting on the formwork props more evenly, thus increasing the stability of the structure.

Dividing the weight to be supported by the kN capacity of the formwork props will tell you how many formwork props you will need. Adding formwork props to your bracing system will increase the load-bearing capacity of the system. The height of the formwork props can be adjusted using large diameter threads on the outside of the tubes. Using threads means that the props can be tightened while in place, which allows the user to adjust the load that each formwork prop will bear. Always consult a professional before building any bracing project, errors in bracing framing can be disastrous, life-threatening, and very troublesome to repair.