21 Apr 2026 · Materials
Board-formed concrete, done honestly
The grain of the timber stays in the wall forever. That’s the point, and also the risk.
Board-formed concrete records everything: the width of each plank, the knots, the joints, and every mistake in the pour. You cannot sand it later or paint over it without losing the reason you chose it.
So we draw the boards. Every elevation in board-formed concrete gets a formwork drawing with plank widths, joint positions and tie holes set out like a façade. On site, we ask for a one-square-metre test panel before the first real pour.
Done this way it costs around 15% more than smooth formwork. We think it is worth it on the walls people touch and walk past every day, and nowhere else.
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Taller Ocre
Taller Ocre, architecture and interiors since 2014.
Photography: Pexels contributors