Paving Forms FAQs

Forms are made to properly support the equipment that will be used in the placing and finishing process. Typically, forms will be made to the following guidelines:

• Equipment weighing less than 3,500 lbs. will require a form made of 1/8” (10gauge) steel.
• Equipment weighing 3,500-12,000 lbs. will require forms made of 3/16” steel.
• Equipment weight over 12,000 lbs. will require forms made of ¼” steel.

Our staff will guide you through the form selection process to ensure your forms will meet both your requirements and your project specifications. Approval drawings will be provided for your review and acceptance prior to manufacturing.

Forms are manufactured in 10 ft. lengths. However, forms can be made shorter to help meet dowel specs, or for any other reason. Forms cannot be made longer than 10 ft.

Typically, paving forms are made with a base width equal to the face height. Many state and federal agencies will have this as a requirement in their specs. However, forms can be supplied with a wider or narrower base if requested and ok’d by project authorities. Also, dual paving forms are available that will allow you to pour two different slab thicknesses with the same form.

Top treads on single-duty and dual-duty paving forms are 2” wide.

Paving forms are supplied with a “bent plate” sliding end connection. End connections have strike angles made of ¼” steel to withstand years of use. You can also get a gusset-style end connection to allow you to bolt the forms together to assist in gang-stripping

Yes, we can put dowel holes in forms to the size and location of customer’s specification

Our staff will help you determine the size of the hole in the form. However, it is a standard practice to have the hole be at least 1/8” larger than the diameter of the dowel.

Plastic, or rubber, grommets and plugs are typically not required for use with dowel bars. The use of grommets does however facilitate the stripping process, in that the grommet can pull out with the dowel bar causing less restriction in the form. Grommets and plugs are available in most sizes. Again, our staff would be happy to work with you in selecting the correct one for your form.

The dowel bar support locates and holds the dowels in the correct location and plane so the dowel doesn’t move during the concrete placement process. Supports also facilitate “stripping” the forms by keeping the dowels aligned with the holes in the face of the form.

Yes, all keyways are made to customer specifications. Keyways can also be punched with dowel or rebar holes if required. Forms and keyways will be punched with three bolt holes for attaching the keyway to the form.

Steel forms are supplied unpainted and not oiled. There may be a very small amount of “mill oil” on forms.

Yes, it is highly recommended that a good, quality form release or form oil be used to preserve forms and help keep concrete from sticking to them.

Replacement stake pockets, wedges and end connections are available for MFC manufactured forms by simply providing us with the size of forms, and a rough date of purchase. Lead times for replacement parts will depend on availability and quantity.

Forms are usually made to accommodate 1” diameter stakes. 1” stakes provide the most holding strength and are less susceptible to bending. Forms can be made to accommodate 7/8” or in some cases 3/4" stakes if requested.

Length of stakes is determined by the height of form and sub-base material they are being driven into. Typically, stakes should be no less than twice the height of the form. If stakes are being driven into cement-treated or an asphaltic base material, shorter stakes may be used.

Forms up to 18” in height will be made with three stake pockets. Forms over 18” will be supplied with four stake pockets. If sub-base material is poor, stake pockets can be made to accommodate two stakes per pocket.

Lead-times can vary depending on plant availability. Click HERE to e-mail our sales team or call the office direct at 414-964-4550 to speak with a sales person. We will do all we can to accommodate your project timeline. The lead-time will begin once a sign-off drawing has been approved and a deposit check has been received. See terms information listed below.

Paving forms are “nested” together and banded with steel strapping. Bundles of forms are usually less than 2,000 lbs. Many paving form orders will be shipped on a flatbed carrier. We require all carriers to tarp their shipements before leaving our facility.

MFC will supply an estimated freight quote at the time of order. However, depending on availability of trucks and the fluctuations in fuel prices at the time of shipment, we cannot guarantee the actual shipping charges. Customers are always welcome to arrange their own freight pick-up. We ask that customers arrange all shipments with our shipping office before picking up freight.

All MFC manufactured forms are ready for use upon delivery and require no extra assembly. However, customers purchasing dowel bar supports or keyways will need to assemble them to their forms. Assembly hardware is provided for dowel bar supports and keyways.

Forms shipped on flatbeds will normally require the use of forks to remove them from the truck. Equipment should have lifting capacity of a minimum of 3,000 lbs.

24" tall is our standard maximum height, however you can contact a sales representative to discuss various options.

There are several different factors that will determine the best form for your application. Our sales team can assist you in determining which form best suits your needs. Listed below are a few questions you will be asked;

• What is the slab thickness?
• What is the slump of concrete you will be pouring?
• What type of finishing equipment will you be using? 
• Do you have various slab thickness?
• Are you working on an FAA, Corp of Engineers, State or Federal Highway project?
• Does your project have specific form requirements?

Standard credit terms are Net30 days pending credit application approval. Most orders will require a minimum 30% deposit before production will begin.

Metal Forms does not rent forms.

Metal Forms does not sell used forms.

Dual paving forms have two different face heights to allow you the ability to pour two different slab thicknesses. Face heights typically vary by no more than 5", however if you have a special application our engineers can review.

Dual paving forms provide a cost savings to you because they eliminate the need to buy two seperate form set-ups.

If your existing formwork is made by Metal Forms please let us know and we can make your new order to match. We cannot guarantee that forms made by other manufacturers will work with our forms.

It is not advised to stack your paving forms, however, in some instances form risers may be purchased to meet your needs.

Click HERE to request a quote online, or you can contact any member of our sales team for assistance.