Choosing a form release agent

Much depends on the type of form material

T he basic task of a form release

agent is to permit clean release
of the form from hardened concrete
vent them from migrating out of the
concrete. Heavy-bodied oils should
thus be avoided. Because of these
provide any release pro p e rt i e s. A
nondiscoloring emulsion used in
the right amount will leave the con-
during stripping. Usually, the re- possible adverse effects on concrete crete uniform in color with few bug-
lease agent is also expected to pro- a p p e a ra n c e, some authorities rec- holes. Excess oil, howe ve r, can still
tect the form and contribute to the ommend against plain oil on archi- cause color variations on the con-
quality of the concrete surface. Sev- tectural concrete. crete surface. Water-in-oil emul-
eral types of form release agents are Plain oil with wetting agent. Sur- sions were originally developed for
a va i l a b l e, some better suited to a face activating agents are added to use on wood forms; they should not
particular form material than oth- plain oils to dissipate the oil so it will be used on steel unless they contain
ers. Five basic types are described not bead up on the form and pro- a rust inhibitor. These oil-phased
in this article (see table on page 420 duce bugholes. Plain oils with wet- emulsions can be applied to damp
for summary): ting agent can be used on all types surfaces.
• Petroleum oils of forms. If they are applied nonuni- Petroleum-in-water emulsions.
formly or in excess, staining or col- Petroleum-in-water emulsions con-
• Emulsions
or differences may occur. The oil sist of globules of petroleum oil dis-
• No n - re a c t i ve coatings with may also be affected by rain. persed in a continuous water phase.
volatile solvent Used oils. Because they are less They are rarely used in the United
• Waxes expensive, used motor oils and in- States, and, to our knowledge, none
dustrial waste oils are sometimes is manufactured in the United
• Chemically active agents contain-
used as form release agents. They States. Because of their adverse ef-
ing fatty acids
are generally not recommended be- fects on the appearance of concrete
Release agents which do not fit cause they may contain sulfuric when applied in excess, they are not
these classifications have also pro- acid, which is harmful to both con- widely recommended.
duced satisfactory results. Many crete and forms. Industrial waste Other emulsions. One manufac-
agents now on the market are com- oils may also contain harmful PCB turer of a polymer-in-water release
plex combinations—with ingredi- (polychlorinated biphenyl). agent says that this type is more
ents from several of the categories common than petroleum emul-
shown. Emulsions sions. It consists of a polymer mixed
Emulsions consist of a water with a fatty acid and dispersed in
Petroleum oils
phase, a water-insoluble phase and water by an emulsifier. Re p o rt e d
Plain oils—Light-bodied (low vis- an emulsifier which suspends one cost is 25 to 50 percent less than that
cosity) petroleum oils are available phase in the other. Because all of oil-based release agents.
from major oil companies. The wax emulsions contain water, problems
content of the oil varies with the can occur in cold weather in storing Non reactive coatings with
source of crude and the amount of and applying the release agent, and volatile solvent
refining. Paraffin oil and pale oil are in keeping it from freezing once it is These form release agents consist
two petroleum oils sometimes used on the forms. In cold weather, emul- of a volatile solvent derived from pe-
as form release agents. Pale oil has a sions may thus be restricted to jobs troleum combined with one or
lighter color and contains less wax where forms are heated. Emulsions more active ingredients, such as
than paraffin oil. are not in wide use in the United waxes, silicones, synthetic resins
Petroleum oils provide good form States, but as the price of petroleum and water-insoluble soaps. The sol-
release and if properly applied will increases, their use may increase al- vent evaporates, and the active in-
produce uniform concrete color. Ex- so. gredients are left behind on the
cess oil, howe ve r, can cause discol- Wa t e r- i n - p e t roleum emulsions. form surface. Because the solvent
oration and collect dust. Plain oils To reduce the cost of using petrole- e va p o ra t e s, it cannot stain the sur-
also tend to leave more bugholes on um oil, water is suspended in the oil face, and viscosities can be more
the concrete surface. Thick oils may by an emulsifier. Water does not readily adjusted to suit specific ap-
physically trap air bubbles and pre-
plication procedures. The form sur- made of concrete, but uniform ap- acids react slowly with the alkalis in
face is left dry and non-slippery. plication is difficult to obtain with concrete to produce water-insolu-
These compounds tend to be regular waxes. Emulsified waxes ble soaps. This process is called
more expensive than oils or emul- used in the past could overcome this saponification. It prevents the set of
sions, and, depending on the com- difficulty. Wax residue left on the a thin film of concrete in contact
position of the active ingredients, formed concrete surface can pre- with the form. When wet, this slip-
they do not necessarily provide bet- vent paints or other coatings from pery soap film allows air bubbles to
ter perf o rm a n c e. Note: because adhering to the concrete. slide up the form surface and es-

QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN CHOOSING

form cleaning is easier after stripping.
A FORM RELEASE AGENT
• How long can the release agent stay on the forms
The best way to evaluate a form release agent is to before concrete is placed? Some release agents
try it out under actual job conditions. Make a test must be applied the same day that the concrete is
panel or use the unfamiliar release agent on a non- placed; others are effective after they have been
a rc h i t e c t u ral portion of the concrete. Also get the on the forms several weeks. Get the manufacturer’s
manufacturer’s advice on what types of forms it can recommendation.
be used on and how it should be applied. Here are a
few things to consider: • Will the form release agent still be effective, if the
forms are not stripped for a long time?
• Will coatings be applied to the finished concrete? If
the concrete surface is to be plastered or painted, • How does the release agent affect the form surface?
the release agent should not leave any residues Does it rust metal? Does it soften plastic? Is it ab-
that prevent adhesion. Waxes and silicones are sorbed by wood? or does it provide a waterproof
known to do this. barrier that preserves the form?
• Are the forms being used for architectural con- • Does the release agent dry out on the forms? Dry
crete? If so, stains, dusting, and conspicuous bug- release agents aren’t slippery, and they don’t get
holes are probably unacceptable. Use the same re- tracked onto reinforcement as easily as others.
lease agent throughout the entire job, and take • In what environment will the concrete be placed?
care to apply it in a thin, uniform coating. As far as How cold will it be? What is the freezing point of
the appearance of the concrete is concerned, care the release agent? What is the flash point? Can it be
in applying the release agent is probably as impor- used in dusty areas? In ice and snow? Will it wash
tant as the choice of any particular type. off in the rain? If the concrete is to be steam cured,
• Is a superplasticizer used in the concrete mix? In- can the release agent tolerate the high tempera-
creased slump that occurs with superplasticized tures?
concrete facilitates the movement of air bubbles • Does the release agent produce toxic fumes or
and water drops, but the early slump loss tends to cause skin rashes?
trap these voids at the surface. Form release agents
• What is the cost per square foot? Bulk material
with special additives can help reduce friction at
costs and coverage rates vary. The material that
the form face so air bubbles and water drips can
costs more per gallon may cost less per square foot.
rise and escape more easily.
• Is the release agent premixed or a concentrate?
• Is concrete surface retarder used? Many retarder
With a concentrate you can save on shipping and
manufacturers recommend applying a volatile-
storage costs. But a premixed release agent saves
type release agent before applying re t a rd e r, so
time on the job.

benzene is a suspected carcinogen, Chemically active agents con- cape. Bugholes are thus reduced.
mixtures of stearic acid and ben- taining fatty acids When dry, the soap film becomes a
zene which have been used in the A majority of the proprietary form release agent.
past are not recommended now. release agents on the market today Fatty acids are usually used in for-
are chemically active, in the sense mulations with other ingredients
Waxes that they react with the free lime in such as emulsions, petroleum oil,
Though rarely used today, waxes concrete. The reactive component is and volatile solvents, sometimes
have excellent release chara c t e ri s- usually fatty acid in the form of ani- along with waxes. Because of the
tics. They can be used on forms mal fat or vegetable oil. These weak fatty acids, the resulting form re-
lease agent will usually react with cur. ed will react at a different rate and
the alkalis in concrete. Fatty acid re- thus be a different color than other
lease agents based on volatile sol- Other products areas.
vents leave a dry film on the form Some manufactured release
surface after the solvent has evapo- agents contain soaps made by com- Which release agents can be
rated. On deck forms, particularly in bining a fatty acid with an alkali or used on which forms?
high-rise construction, this dry, an amine. One release agent on the Select the form material, then se-
nonslip coating makes walking safer market based on an amine soap is lect the release agent. A given re-
and prevents transfer of release said to eliminate bugholes, even lease agent may perform differently
agent from footwear to re i n f o rc e- when superplasticized concrete is on different form materials.
ment. Drying-type fatty acid release used. Another release agent based Wood and plywood forms. For
agents used on forms for precast on a soap is said not to react with wood forms most commercial oils
concrete keep release agent off pre- the alkalis in concrete. and chemically active agents are
stressing cables, and the dry film is A release agent based on an ester satisfactory. Some producers of ply-
not washed off by rain. Release is also available. The ester is formed wood for forms recommend either
agents that contain fatty acids can by combining a fatty acid with an al- oils or chemically active release
also usually be used at high temper- cohol. It reportedly does not react agents. Release agents that contain
atures with heated formwork. Bulk with concrete. Its high carbon con- waxes or silicones should not be
cost of fatty acid release agents is tent and high molecular weight pro- used where the concrete is to be
higher, but some of them allow vide a slick, water-insoluble surface. painted. Diesel and other fuel oils
greater coverage rates than do plain Some release agents that contain are sometimes used in the field on
oils. fatty acids are purposely formulated plywood, but the American Ply-
Chemically active release agents so they do not react with concrete. wood Association (APA) considers
based on fatty acids produce con- Why? One manufacturer claims that them poor substitutes for proper
crete surfaces uniform in color, with the reaction of chemically active re- form oils. Says the APA: “They have
a dull, flat finish. If applied in excess, lease agents is influenced by heat neither sufficient lubricity nor body
though, dusting of concrete can oc- and vibration. Areas that are vibrat- for good release.”

TYPES OF FORM RELEASE AGENTS

Petroleum oils Light-bodied plain petroleum oils provide good release and produce uniform
concrete color. May leave more bugholes than other release agents, and if
over applied may stain concrete. Relatively inexpensive. Petroleum oils with
an added wetting agent reduce bugholes. They can be used on all types of
formwork.
Emulsions Emulsions contain a water phase and a water-insoluble phase. All emulsions
freeze in cold weather. Usually they cost less than plain oils.
Water-in-petroleum. Emulsions of water in petroleum oil where the external
phase is oil. For all types of formwork except steel; especially for absorbent
forms such as wood.
Petroleum-in-water. Emulsions of petroleum oil in water where the external
phase is water. Excessive application may cause severe retardation, discol-
oration and dusting. Inexpensive, but not widely recommended.
Other emulsions. Emulsions that contain little or no petroleum oil. Polymer-in-
water emulsion is an example.
Non-reactive coatings Volatile solvent is derived from petroleum. Active ingredients may be waxes,
with volatile solvent silicones, synthetic resins or water-insoluble soaps. Petroleum solvent evapo-
rates so it cannot stain concrete. Tend to be more expensive than oils or
emulsions.
Waxes Good for forms made of concrete. Excellent release characteristics but diffi-
cult to apply. Wax residues on formed concrete surface can prevent paint
from adhering. Emulsified waxes are easier to apply.
Chemically active agents React with alkalis in concrete. Reduce bugholes. Those suspended in volatile
containing fatty acids distillate dry on form face and resist washoff by rain. Excess application can
cause dusting of concrete. More expensive for given volume, but rate of cov-
erage is often greater.
 Form grade plywood is oiled at contain a rust inhibitor. Ma t e ri a l s A vegetable oil or emulsified wax
the mill, unless otherwise specified, that have been used successfully in- can be used, though, if desired.
generally with 100 or higher viscosi- clude plain oil with wetting agent, Elastomeric form liners—those
ty pale oil. Unless the mill oiling is fatty acids in pale oil, and saponified flexible, rubber-like plastics—are
still reasonably fresh when the pan- fatty acid emulsions—all applied used more than rubber form liners
els are first used, the plywood will very lightly. With aluminum forms, today. Almost any type of form re-
require another oiling. To prolong vegetable oils, oil-based emulsions, lease agent can be used on elas-
the life of the plywood form, im- and chemically active agents con- tomers, but since so many chemical
prove its release characteristics and taining fatty acids have been used. types of elastomers are available,
minimize staining, the APA recom- Special additives may be required to the elastomer manufacturer’s in-
mends that a liberal amount of oil compensate for aluminum’s porosi- structions should be followed. In no
be applied a few days before con- ty and reactivity. event should elastomeric liners or
crete placement, then wiped so a Glass fiber reinforced plastic liners made of ABS plastic or GFRP
thin film remains. The form oil—ei- (GFRP) and stiff plastic. So-called be coated with surface re t a rd e r s
ther pale oil or paraffin oil—should “fiber glass” forms are really plastic containing toluene or xylene. Be-
be capable of penetrating the wood forms reinforced with glass fibers. cause elastomers are slightly ab-
to some extent while leaving the GFRP forms and forms made of ABS sorbent, the form release agent
surface only slightly greasy to the ( a c ry l o n i t rile butadiene styrene) should be applied on the day of con-
touch with no free oil on it. For best plastic should be coated with form crete placement.
performance and longest form life a release agent with each use to mini- Plastic foams. Polymer-in-water
light coat should be applied before mize bugholes, prevent sticking and emulsions and conventional con-
each use, especially if the concrete save on cleanup. Uniform color is centrated liquid detergents have
mix is rich in cement, the curing is obtained by using a release agent been used as release agents on form
rapid, or there is to be a long time throughout the job from the very liners made of plastic foam. CAU-
before forms are stripped. first use. Color of the concrete sur- TION: Since some of the foam plas-
The need for oiling between con- face is different when a release tics can be dissolved by some re-
crete placements is reduced by agent is not used. lease agents, consult the
coating the plywood with epoxies or Water-in-oil emulsions and most manufacturer or make a small test
moisture-cured urethanes. Shellacs, chemically active release agents can before proceeding.
varnishes, lacquers and plastic-base be used on GFRP and ABS plastic. Concrete forms. Forms made of
compounds have also been used, One manufacturer makes a poly- concrete require a release agent to
but epoxy and urethane coatings are mer-in-water emulsion specifically p re vent sticking, even if they are
more popular today. The water- for use on GFRP or ABS plastic ground, smoothed, and polished.
proofing provided by these coatings forms and form liners. A silicone re- Light-colored oils and oil emulsions
offers benefits for both form life and lease coating can also be used if cur- have been used. Tilt-up bond break-
concrete surface quality. ing requires high temperatures, but ers that contain fatty acids and sili-
Overlaid wood panels. Plywood the silicone may permanently stain cones are also recommended. For
and waferboard are available today the concrete. detailed information on bond
with resin-fiber overlays that extend Various plasticizers that may be b re a k e r s, see the article, “Bond
the life of the wood form face. High- incorporated in the plastic to permit Breakers and Their Effective Use,” in
density overlays have a resin-fiber fabrication may not always remain the October 1977 issue of CON-
ratio close to 50/50. The APA claims inert in the presence of form release CRETE CONSTRUCTION, pages
high-density overlays do not need chemicals. Their effect on forming 547-552.
oiling, but says many users never- materials or concrete may not be Plaster molds. When plaster waste
theless apply a light coat. Release apparent until after several reuses, molds are thoroughly dry, a white
agents that are recommended for but they can cause crazing of con- shellac or an epoxy or urethane seal-
use on glass fiber reinforced plastic crete or dusting of the form surface. er should be applied to the mold
(see below) should be used on high- Such tendencies should be watched surface to make it waterproof and
density overlays. Medium-density for, and if there are any problems, nonabsorbent. Before concrete is
overlays have a resin-fiber ratio the manufacturer of the plastic placed, a release agent recommend-
close to 35/65. Most release agents should be consulted. ed for use on stiff plastic should be
can be used with medium-density Rubber and elastomeric liners. Oil applied.
overlays, but chemically active re- causes most rubbers to disintegrate
lease agents are recommended. and should therefore not be used on
Metal forms. Form release agents rubber liners. Most rubber liners do
that are satisfactory on wood are not not require a release agent if the sur- PUBLICATION #C840417
always suitable for steel forms. Re- face is cleaned and moistened with Copyright © 1984, The Aberdeen Group
lease agents for steel forms should water just before concrete is placed. All rights reserved