"Treatment of formwork
The nature and treatment of the WORKING FACES of the formwork, that is, the faces in contact with the concrete, will affect the finished surface of the concrete. All WORKING FACES should always be treated with mould oil to prevent the concrete adhering to them and thus reduce the risk of damage when the formework is stripped ...
[Mitchell's Structure & Fabric, Part 2, 5th ed., Jack Stroud Foster & Raymond Harrington, p. 397]

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Note added at 35 mins (2008-07-13 15:57:06 GMT)
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A formwork for precast concrete panel comprises of a quadrangle panel with a base ... The molds ( 102, 104 ) have substantially planar WORKING FACES ( 108, ...
www.freepatentsonline.com/CCL-249-162.html

To reduce build-up of residue on steel moulds in precast works DISCRETE may be diluted up to 50% with Kerosene. Where moulds are rusty or have a build up of old concrete, they should be liberally coated with DISCRETE and left overnight: before use they should be cleaned down and then scrubbed with a 50% mixture of DISCRETE and lighting Kerosene. This will clean the WORKING FACES and DISCRETE can be used in the usual way.
fbsltd.co.nz/pdfs/Discrete.pdf

An SGB release agent should be used on the WORKING FACE of the forms ...
www.sgb.co.uk/NetBuildPro/process/56/Groundworks.html?PHPSE...

PolyForm concrete forming panels are an excellent choice where architectural finishes are desired and high number of reuses are a factor. With reasonable care, up to 100 reuses can be expected. Because of the panel's high density polyethylene WORKING FACE, concrete finishes are extremely smooth with no grain or patch transfer. Further, since concrete will not adhere to the surface of the panel, PolyForm panels eliminate the need for release agents or oils.


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Note added at 4 hrs (2008-07-13 20:10:30 GMT)
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Are we to discuss the meanings of the words that can be used here?

The quote given by Fourth here uses "shuttering": "These shutterings are composed of rectangular or square profile tubes (2, 3, 6, 7) forming a frame intended to receive a slewable and convertible shuttering face". The word is misused, for strictly speaking "shuttering" is "That part of formwork which either is in contact with the concrete or has the form lining attached to it". IOW, the "face coffrante" MIGHT be the shuttering, or might be the form lining attached to the shuttering. Besides that, "shutters" and "shuttering" are widely used as equivalents to "formwork" which in fact has a much broader meaning: "Anything that holds fresh in-situ concrete in place until it hardens, such as plywood shutters, steel pan forms, fibreglass moulds, or profiled decking, AS WELL AS its supporting props, centering or falsework, plus accessories like wedges and clips for tightening up joints ... ".

Whether one says "shuttering" or "formwork", "working face" actually specifies the bit we are talking about, i.e. the bit in contact with the concrete, be it a steel form, wooden boards, or plastic 3D-elements fixed to the steel, wooden, etc. backing, and not the supporting framework, catwalks, props, etc.



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Note added at 4 hrs (2008-07-13 20:12:42 GMT)
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Sorry, not the quote by Fourth, the quote by Speakering. I agree with Fourth that "shuttering" might (and should, in principle) be sufficient, but the word IS used to cover a multitude of sins.