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Why ECO-PIER is “Green” and saves you Money

Today’s building industry focuses considerable attention on ‘Green’ materials. To address this effort, Frontier Construction Supply, L.L.C. has developed ECO-PIER, a pier form that is adjustable, reusable, and closed-loop recyclable. The product description of ECO-PIER will benefit from a brief comparison of other pier forms.


Cardboard Pier Forms

Cardboard is the most common type of pier form in use. Cardboard forms must be kept dry, inside a warehouse. Even a small amount of dampness can destroy a substantial amount of inventory. The most common cardboard forms are manufactured in three sizes, so an inventory of each size must be kept on hand. This can use up a large amount of warehouse space.

On the job site the challenges continue. Moisture in the form of mud puddles, rain showers, or any other kind of dampness will weaken the cardboard form. This weakness will result in the form tearing. When it tears, the form is a total loss and must be replaced. The concrete that was in the form must be shoveled into the new form and some concrete will be wasted. Even in dry conditions low viscosity concrete can cause the cardboard form to tear. Workers must also be careful when placing concrete into the form, too much concrete too fast will tear the form.

After the concrete hardens the cardboard form must be removed.. Cardboard forms contaminated with concrete can only be down cycled and usually the used forms end up in a landfill. Cardboard forms are a one-time-use product.

As stated before, there are three sizes of cardboard forms. These are 18”X18”X8”, 24”X24”X8”, and 24”X24”X12”. Engineers often specify other sizes than these three. The contractor may have to use a larger size form than specified. For instance the blueprint may call out a 15”X15”X8” pier pad. There is no cardboard 15”X15”X8” form, so an 18”X18”X8” form must be used. This causes an unnecessary increase in concrete use.

Cardboard forms are designed to be poured square, for example 24”X24”X8”. However, as concrete is poured into the form the square shape distorts into a circle. Suppose the blueprint specifies a 24”x24” square pier. The concrete pushes the cardboard form out to a round shape, so that a 30 9/16” diameter round pier is the result. A 24”x24” square pier should cover an area of 4 sq. ft. A 30 9/16” round pier covers an area of 5.09 sq. ft. This is an increase of 27% in area and a waste of as much as 27% of the concrete. This 27% waste factor remains constant with all sizes of square forms that distort to round.

Plastic Pier Forms

Plastic forms are an improvement over cardboard pier forms. Plastic is waterproof so plastic forms can be warehoused without moisture precautions, even outdoors. Plastic pier forms are available in 8 sizes. The warehouse has to stock 8 sizes of plastic piers, and maybe 3 sizes of cardboard, too. This could be a very substantial amount of warehouse space.

Another problem is that the workers on the job site need to have been supplied the correct forms. More choices, more opportunity for mistakes. On the job site using plastic piers forms has some advantages. Mud puddles, rain, or any other moisture will not damage plastic forms. The concrete can be very wet and the form will not tear. Plastic forms are durable so that even inexperienced workers cannot tear them by placing concrete too fast or too hard. Plastic forms can be left in place, so they won’t end up in a landfill. Plastic forms are also a one-time-use product.

As mentioned previously, plastic forms are available in 8 sizes. These sizes are 18”, 24”, 30”, and 36” square with 8”, 10”, and 12” depths (8 sizes). Engineers often specify more that these 8. Again the contractor may be forced to use a larger form than specified. Plastic forms, like cardboard forms, distort from square to round, using up to 27% more concrete than specified.

ECO-PIER Plastic Pier Forms

ECO-PIER forms are revolutionary in their adjustable design, ease of use, are reusable, and conserve concrete. ECO-PIER is produced from high impact polypropylene copolymer and is closed-loop recyclable.

Warehousing ECO-PIER is easy. ECO-PIER is waterproof and durable. It can be stored outside. ECO-PIER adjusts to fit 56 different sizes of piers, so only one product is needed. A warehouse only needs to stock 1 product instead of 3 as with cardboard or 8 as with other plastic piers.

On the job site ECO-PIER is easy to use. No danger that water will weaken the form and cause it to tear, thereby wasting concrete. Inexperienced help cannot tear the form by rough placing of concrete. The correct size of form can be used because ECO-PIER fits 56 sizes. After the concrete hardens the form can be easily removed, if desired. Merely remove the pin from the wing, fold the adjustment tabs back, and the form is off. The plastic does not stick to the concrete. The form can be left on the pier, but most contractors take them off and reuse them.

Being reusable qualifies ECO-PIER as a salvaged product.

Most important, ECO-PIER’s shape does not distort. ECO-PIER maintains its designed shape,* using only the specified amount of concrete. ECO-PIER conserves as much as 27% of the concrete that could be wasted with cardboard forms or other plastic forms.

ECO-PIER conserves concrete, thus minimizing the overall impact to the environment.
ECO-PIER reduces the waste associated with construction.
ECO-PIER therefore qualifies as a “Green” product.