How to Keep Cement From Sticking to a Wood Mold

Builders desire clean edges on many concrete applications, including counters, swimming pools, sculptural concrete work and exposed retaining walls. For lightweight concrete pours, builders sometimes substitute melamine-coated particleboard for lumber forming material; concrete cleanly pulls away from the melamine's slick surface. However, if builders must use lumber or plywood to construct forms, they sometimes coat the wood with a lubricant or, preferably, a concrete form release agent, which chemically reacts with concrete to prevent sticking during removal.

Rags
Broom or brush
Form release agent
Sprayer or paint roller
Paint tray

Instructions

- 1
  Clean the forms' interior surfaces with rags, a broom or a brush. Remove dirt and debris from the forms. Allow the forms to dry prior to applying the release agent. Wait until minutes before the concrete pour to apply the release agent. Alternatively, you may apply the release agent several days ahead of the pour if the forms are covered and protected from contaminants and weather.
- 2
  Load a sprayer's canister with the release agent. Refer to the release agent manufacturer's guidelines to determine the ideal spraying equipment; manufacturers recommend specific spraying pressures and spray tips according to the desired level of smoothness. Alternatively, fill a paint tray with the release agent.
- 3
  Apply the release agent to the interior surfaces of the forms with the sprayer or a paint roller. Refer to manufacturer's guidelines to determine the application rate; application rates vary according to the desired level of finish.
- 4
  Pour and finish the concrete. Allow the concrete to set and cure. Remove the fasteners from the forms and the form stakes. Pry the forms from the concrete to reveal the finished edges of the project.

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