PSA: Check your forms before the truck shows up

I was on a driveway pour in Des Moines last Tuesday and didn't notice the form board had a big crack in it. The concrete blew out the side and I spent an hour cleaning up a mess that could have been avoided with 30 seconds of inspection. Has anyone else had a close call because of a bad form?

2 comments

2 Comments

drewsullivan1mo ago

Mason City last spring I had a 2x4 kick out on a stem wall and lost about a yard of mix before we caught it. Now I go around with a sledge and tap every board before the truck pulls up, takes an extra five minutes but saves a lot of grief. That crack in the form is just waiting to ruin your day, man.

paigep201mo agoMost Upvoted

Did your buddy ever tell you about the time he had a form blow out over in Clear Lake? Happened to a guy I used to work with on a retaining wall job, he was bragging about how fast he set the forms and then the truck showed up and the whole bottom let go. He lost maybe a half yard of mix before we could get it stopped, covered half his boots and all the rebar. Took him an hour with a shovel and a hose to clean up, and the pour was trash anyway.