When you are installing a manhole for you can save both time and money by using forms to pour your manhole on site instead of transporting a pre-poured one to site and incurring the additional costs of haulage and delivery.

When you are utilising a manhole form, it is important that all you have the right form parts for the job. A basic manhole form consists of an inner drum, outer drum and a manhole lid form. To help tailor your form to suit your project you can also hire square manhole forms, manhole form scaffolds, lifters, taper backs, inner risers and outer risers.

How do I use a manhole form?

1. Dig a pit where you want the manhole to be placed

2. Assemble your form

All panels and parts of a form are numbered. In order for the form to fit together each piece needs to be positioned in numerical order, 1 next to 2, 2 next to 3, etc.

When all the panels are arranged, line up the bolt holes in the panels using a screwdriver to ensure they are even. Start inserting the bolts and attaching the nuts starting from the top and work your way down. Hand tighten all the nuts and bolts on a panel before you start connecting the next panel. Once the form is fully assembled, go over it and tighten the bolts again to make sure none have come loose during construction.

3. Stacking Forms

When a single form length isn’t enough to get the depth that your project needs you can fasten multiple forms together to achieve the desired length. To do this just lift another drum of the same diameter on top of another drum of the same diameter and ensure that all the numbered panels line up, 1 on top of 1, 2 on top of 2, etc. When all the panels are aligned, insert the joining nuts and bolts and tighten them all.

4. Place the forms into the pit.

When you are inserting your forms into the pit start with the inner drum and then the outer drum. These will form the mould for the pit.

5. Once everything is securely in place you can pour the concrete to create the manhole.

6. Allow the concrete to set then dismantle the forms

Inner forms need to be dismantled by removing the bolts along the join of two panels leaving the top bolt in place and then removing it panel by panel using a crane. Outer forms are removed in the same way as inner forms but fall outwards so having the correct chain and crane tension is important to prevent damage and injury from falling panels.

The removal of forms can be a delicate process, so it is important to follow the instructions of the team at Manhole Form Hire to ensure that it is performed correctly.

7. Backfill the hole around the manhole.

Backfill the rest of the pit area to ensure that your newly constructed manhole remains upright and straight. This process also levels out the surrounding area and provides a stable area for continued work around the manhole.

Manhole Form Hire is an industry leading form hire company specialising in providing a variety of self-assembled manhole form products to clients across Queensland and New South Wales. From their home base in Brisbane, forms can be delivered to sites across both states including as far away as Sydney in less than 24 hours.



For more information about Manhole Form Hire and their Products contact the team here. You can also read more about how to correctly assemble and dismantle manhole forms here.