What is HDO plywood?
HDO plywood is a concrete forming panel with a resin-impregnated fibre overlay hot-pressed onto one face or both. The overlay grade, more than the thickness, decides how long the face lasts and how glossy the cast concrete comes out. Our range runs from HDO Basic, bonded to Class 2 (EN 636-2), up to HDO Standard and HDO Premium, which carry a phenolic Class 3 (EN 636-3) glue line.
What is the difference between HDO and MDO plywood?
HDO uses a high-density fibre overlay that casts a glossy, closed concrete face. MDO as a search term usually means North American kraft-paper panels made for paint and signs, although formwork buyers also type it when they want a matte phenolic face. Our formwork panel for that matte finish is MatteFace Plywood (MTF), so write MatteFace on the RFQ when the drawing calls for matte and HDO when it should be glossy.
Which HDO grade should I start with for walls and columns?
For one-sided walls and columns we usually start the conversation at HDO Standard 1SF. It moves the bond up to phenolic Class 3 and the rating up to 20 reuses, which is where most repeat programmes pay back. HDO Basic suits shorter jobs at up to 10 reuses, and HDO Premium or Premium HD make sense when the concrete is exposed and the panels will rotate hard.
Should I order HDO in 1SF or 2S?
Order 1SF when the panel is fixed into a gang form or frame and never gets flipped, because only one face ever meets the concrete. Choose 2S when crews turn sheets over once the first face is worn, since the second overlaid face roughly doubles the useful surface. HDO Basic comes in both, HDO Standard is a 1SF grade, and HDO Premium is a 2S grade.
What should an HDO plywood datasheet show before you buy?
A usable HDO datasheet names the overlay grade, the face count (1SF or 2S), the bond class, the sheet size and thickness, and the reuse rating written as up to N under stated site care. On our range that means HDO Basic at up to 10 reuses on Class 2, and HDO Standard, Premium and Premium HD at up to 20 on Class 3. If any of those lines is missing, ask for the grade leaflet before you compare prices.
Is HDO plywood better than film-faced plywood for concrete forms?
Neither wins outright, so pick by the finish you need and the number of pours. HDO casts a glossy face from a fibre overlay with real body, while film-faced panels carry a phenolic film specified in grams per square metre. In our film-faced range Pro Form is rated for up to 20 reuses and Pro Form Lite for up to 15, both on a Class 3 bond, so the two families can sit side by side on the same quote.
