Formglas® Concreet™ vs. Concrete

Formglas® is a leading manufacturer in molded fiber-reinforced gypsum, concrete, and composite-based architectural products for interior and exterior spaces. Their products are designed to accelerate construction, simplify installation, reduce cost, and ensure durability.

*Five Manhattan West (New York, NY); Formglas® Concreet™*

Formglas® Concreet™ is a lightweight, pre-finished alpha-gypsum system that simulates the appearance of poured-in-place concrete. With Concreet™, all components are custom-made to design requirements and arrive ready to be installed, greatly reducing the time-consuming and costly processes typically associated with standard concrete. In addition, Concreet™ is extremely lightweight (ranging from 2-5 lb/ft2, depending on the design and application), requiring much less robust structural framing to support itself. Using light-gauge framing instead of heavy duty structural steel greatly reduces the cost of the structure required. This effect is compounded when applied on multiple floors of high-rise projects.

*Judith & Charles Signage; Formglas® Concreet™*

At 415 Natoma in San Francisco, the project team wanted a sleek, industrial look but without the time-consuming and costly installation of concrete walls. They went with Concreet™ veneer panels at the reception area, and custom-molded Concreet™ panels in the elevator lobby.

*415 Natoma (San Francisco, CA); Formglas® Concreet™*

All products that Formglas® produces, whether it’s a gypsum-based, plastic-based, or concrete-based aggregate, is cast from a mold. One of the strengths of Formglas® is their engineered-to-order approach to optimizing the design of these molds. The Formglas® design team will assist to engineer a mold type and pattern that minimizes the number of unique molds required, thus minimizing the cost overall.

*One Restaurant & Lounge (Atlantic City, NJ); Formglas® Concreet™*

For example, at the One Restaurant & Lounge in Atlantic City (above), all wall panels are GFRG-based Concreet™ formed with custom, repetitive molds. Below is a detail from the project, showing how the molds were engineered to maximize repetition without compromising on the design intent.

*One Restaurant & Lounge (Atlantic City, NJ); Repeatable patterns in engineered-to-order custom molds*

Concreet™ is used in a variety of applications including ceilings, beams, columns, walls, signage, and more. The molded parts can be produced in varied finishes, surfaces, textures, and colors to match desired aesthetics.