Frequently Asked Questions

How should Reebaklens be applied to steel formwork and what quantity is needed per application?

Reebaklens should be applied to clean, dry steel formwork by brush, roller, or low-pressure spray as a thin, even coat covering the entire form face to be in contact with concrete. The key is to apply a continuous film — missing spots will cause concrete adhesion at those points at stripping, leaving concrete staining on the form face. The coverage rate on smooth steel shuttering is approximately 40 to 50 square metres per litre — approximately 20 to 25 ml per square metre — which is a very thin coat. Excess release agent (pools or runs) must be wiped off as too thick a coat can cause concrete surface staining, particularly on architectural concrete where a clean off-form face is required. On previously used steel shuttering that has old concrete residue on the face, the residue must be cleaned off by wire brushing, scraping, or grinding before the release agent is applied — a release agent applied over old concrete residue will not prevent adhesion at the next pour.

Can Reebaklens be used on architectural concrete formwork where a fair-faced concrete finish is required?

Yes. Reebaklens is suitable for use on architectural concrete formwork where a fair-faced (visible, unexposed concrete) finish is required, provided it is applied correctly as a thin, continuous film without excess pooling. Wax-based release agents such as Reebaklens are generally less prone to causing surface colour variation and patchiness on the concrete face than oil-based release agents. The two main risks on architectural concrete are: over-application (thick or pooled release agent causes light-coloured staining or wax deposits on the concrete surface that are difficult to remove); and under-application (missed spots cause concrete adhesion and tearing of the concrete surface at stripping, producing surface defects visible on the finished face). For the highest quality architectural concrete with demanding colour consistency requirements (such as fair-faced concrete for prestige buildings, museums, or high-specification commercial developments), it is recommended to carry out a trial pour on a small test panel using Reebaklens on the intended form material to verify the finish quality before full-scale production.

How often should Reebaklens be reapplied on the same formwork during a construction project?

Reebaklens should be applied fresh before each concrete pour on the same form — the release agent is consumed in the release process (it remains partly on the stripped concrete surface and partly on the cleaned form face after stripping) and does not provide adequate release for a second pour without re-application. On steel shuttering in good condition with no concrete residue, the re-application process before each pour is quick — clean the form face of any concrete splatter or residue from the previous pour, inspect the face for any surface rust or damage, apply Reebaklens by roller as a thin continuous coat, allow to dry (typically 15 to 30 minutes air drying), and the form is ready for the next pour. For multiple-use formwork in precast factories where the same mould is used many times per day, the release agent application is incorporated into the standard daily mould preparation routine between each casting cycle.