Frami Formwork Panel System

A modular panel system for forming concrete walls, foundations and columns by hand

Set by hand, no crane needed
Clamps together to form almost any layout
Straight or curved walls
Panels up to 3000mm high
Temporary Works Design available
Nationwide delivery
Competitive rates

Doka's Frami Xlife system is a modular concrete shuttering panel system for forming walls, foundations and columns in reinforced concrete. The panels are light enough to set by hand, while remaining robust enough for even large pours. Doka's plastic Xlife face gives a clean concrete finish.

The panels clamp together in a 15cm grid to form a wide variety of shapes. Typical uses include:

Foundations, bases and pile caps
Retaining walls
Basement and lift-shaft walls
Columns and piers
Kickers
Pits, tanks and pool structures

How Frami panels go together

Frami works to a size grid, with panel widths from 0.30m to 0.90m in 15cm steps and only five widths to plan around. The Frami clamp does the joining: one blow of the hammer pulls two panels together into a flush, aligned joint, and the connectors self-align so no extra stiffening is needed.

A continuous slot runs down each frame, so the clamp fixes anywhere along it. That lets you step panels up and down to follow stairs, slopes and uneven ground without cutting anything. Universal panels with a hole grid handle the stop-ends, outside corners and columns.

Foundations and curved walls

Laid on their sides, Frami panels form foundations and base slabs, supported by Road Form stakes and Trench Struts and tied down with a flat tie-rod and foundation clamp rather than ties cast through the concrete, with no supporting timbers. For curved work, circular forming plates can be fixed across the panels to form curved and polygonal walls.

A clean concrete finish

The Xlife face is a plastic-coated sheet that strips off the concrete clean and gives an F2 finish straight from the form, so there is less making-good afterwards. The galvanised steel frame is stiff and stays true, which keeps the panels flush and the finished wall accurate.

Let our engineers plan the pour

Give our engineers the wall, the pour height and the ground conditions and we'll take the headache out of formwork planning. We have vast experience with complex panel layouts; our designs will show where the ties, props and accessories should go for a smooth, problem-free pour. Our temporary works designs meet BS 5975 so you can deliver to code and on budget. Get in touch for a free consultation.

Common Questions

What is Frami formwork?

Frami is a modular panel system for forming concrete walls, foundations and columns. Each panel is a hot-dip galvanised steel frame with a plastic-coated Xlife face, and the panels clamp together in a 15cm grid. They are also called concrete shuttering panels, or shutter pans on some sites.

Do Frami panels need a crane?

No, and that is the point of Frami. The smallest panels weigh around 19.5kg and are set by hand, so a gang can build the wall forms without lifting plant. The largest, at 3.0 x 0.9m, are heavier at about 86.5kg and are handled with a small excavator and lifting hooks.

Can Frami form curved walls?

Yes. Circular forming plates can be fixed across the panels to form curved and polygonal walls from the same kit.

What concrete pressure can Frami take?

Frami panels are rated to a permissible pressure of 50kN/m², so tall pours are possible at a controlled pour rate, with panels up to 3.0m high. The safe pour rate for your wall is set out in the temporary works design.

Do I need a temporary works design for a Frami pour?

For anything beyond the simplest layout, yes. The design confirms the panels, ties and props hold the concrete pressure at the planned pour rate. Our in-house Civil and Structural Engineers produce and check it to BS5975, so your site team is not left carrying that responsibility.

Hire Frami Panels

To find out more about our Frami concrete shuttering panels and get latest rates, please contact our nearest depot.

Case Studies

Real pours our team has formed with Frami, from retaining walls to awkward geometry.

Products that pair with Frami on a pour