Aluminum formwork goes up in a fixed sequence, and the order matters: any error at slab level travels upward through every wall and floor that follows. Here is the sequence as it runs on residential projects.
Step 1: Verify Materials
Before anything is erected, check the delivery against the panel schedule: wall and slab panels, pins and wedges, wall ties, prop heads, and alignment tools. Most of what you are handling is Reusable Aluminum Formwork, which cycles through dozens of pours on a single project. Sorting panels by wall number at this stage saves hours of searching later.
Step 2: Prepare the Base
The slab that receives the formwork must be clean, level, and structurally sound. High spots are ground down, low spots are filled with leveling mortar, and the wall lines are set out from the survey points. A base that is out of tolerance puts every wall above it out of plumb.
Step 3: Set the Starter Plates
The Starter Plate Aluminum profiles are fixed to the base along the wall lines with bolts or fasteners. These plates establish the datum for the whole system, so alignment is checked in both directions before the first wall panel goes up.
Step 4: Erect the Wall Formwork
Wall panels are assembled from the starter plates upward. The Aluminum Formwork Profiles built into the panels carry the stiffness at a weight that still allows one worker to handle a panel; panels connect with pins and wedges, and wall ties are placed as the wall rises. Joints must close tight - any gap is a grout leak once pouring starts.
Step 5: Form the Openings
Window And Door Opening Formwork is installed at the positions marked on the drawings. This is the step that punishes carelessness: an opening that is out of position or the wrong size is far cheaper to correct now than after the concrete has set. Check every dimension against the plans.
Step 6: Beams and Slab
With the walls up, the Aluminum Beam Formwork is propped on shores in a grid pattern and the slab panels are laid on top. Props are set plumb and tightened to a consistent torque so the soffit comes out level.
Step 7: Final Check and Pour
Before pouring: verify levels with a spirit level or laser, check that all pins, wedges, and ties are seated, confirm prop bracing, and apply release agent. Once the concrete is in, adjustments are over - so the inspection is what protects the pour.
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If you are planning a residential project and need aluminum formwork matched to your floor plan, send us your drawings through the inquiry form. Our engineers respond within 24 hours and quote within one working day.
References
ACI 347, Guide to Formwork for Concrete, American Concrete Institute.