Addressing Common Misconceptions About Plastic Shuttering Boards

Across India’s construction sites—from fast-growing tier-2 cities to large-scale infrastructure works—plastic shuttering boards are finally getting the attention they deserve. And yet, despite their rising adoption, misconceptions continue to distort how builders evaluate them.

Most blogs on this topic repeat the same tired comparisons.
This article does not. Instead, it cuts through the noise and focuses on real-world challenges Indian contractors face, what actually happens on-site, and why plastic shuttering boards (especially advanced composite ones) behave differently than people assume.

Misconception 1: “Plywood gives a better concrete finish than plastic.”

This belief hasn’t been true for years.
The problem is not plywood itself — the problem is its nature.

Plywood is porous. It absorbs water from the concrete mix and humid air, which leads to:

• grain patterns on slabs and walls
• patchy surfaces
• premature drying
• surface weakness
  

Plastic shuttering boards, being completely non-porous, do not interfere with the curing process. They deliver a smooth, fair-faced concrete finish without grain, blotches or colour variations. Many contractors now report that plastering requirements drop significantly after switching.

Plastic doesn’t drink water from the mix, the concrete cures uniformly — resulting in a fair-faced finish, especially beneficial for:

• Commercial slabs
• Retaining walls
• Exposed concrete
• Architectural elements

Misconception 2: “Plastic shuttering boards are weak.”

Reality: Weak boards exist — but strong boards exist too. The difference is engineering and material quality.

Most of the “weak plastic board” complaints in the market come from cheap PVC or recycled municipal-waste plastic boards. These boards are made from municipal waste, washed scrap, and unpredictable low-grade materials — which naturally leads to bending, bubbles, swelling, and cracking.

High-quality shuttering boards — especially composite boards like PAC®  boards— are made from industrial-grade plastics, which are:

• Directly sourced from industries
• Pre-consumer plastic (unused, high-purity material)
• Consistent in density and composition
• Free from fillers, dirt, and municipal impurities

So the misconception that “plastic boards are weak” comes from poor-quality recycled municipal plastic, not from the material category itself.Strength depends on the engineering, the composite mix, and the source of plastic.

Misconception 3: “Plastic boards are expensive and not economical.”

This misconception exists only because people compare price per sheet, not cost per use.

Plywood looks cheap at the start — until it starts absorbing water, swelling, splintering and getting replaced every 8–12 uses. Cheap PVC sheets last slightly longer, but their composition is inconsistent, so performance drops quickly.

PAC® shuttering boards may cost more on Day 1, but they last 100+ cycles with minimal surface degradation. When you divide the total cost by the actual number of repetitions, the economics shift dramatically — especially in India, where labour, time and machine downtime are major cost factors.

Misconception 4: “It’s difficult to work with Plastic Boards.”

Reality: The learning curve is almost nonexistent.
But Plastic Shuttering Boards like PAC ® Boards aren’t complicated. They use the same carpentry tools — saws, drills, nails, tie rods .In reality, engineered plastic shuttering boards handle exactly like plywood — just without the headaches.

They are:

• Easy to cut using the same tools (circular saw, hand saw, router).
  
• Easy to drill and fasten, as screws and clamps hold firmly without chipping.
  
• Lightweight, making them easier to lift and align during slab or column setup.
  
  

Most workers report that after 1–2 days of use, plastic panels are actually easier, because they don’t swell, splinter, or jam during de-shuttering.

High-performance  PAC ® Shuttering boards behave exactly as formwork should — reliable, predictable, and fast.

Misconception 5: “Plastic shuttering panels can’t handle heat or weather.”

High-quality plastic shuttering panels, especially PAC ® Shuttering boards, are built to withstand India’s toughest site conditions. Because they are made from pre-consumer industrial plastics blended with Aluminium Oxide , fibers and XLP metals, they remain dimensionally stable even under intense heat, continuous sun exposure, and heavy moisture.

Unlike plywood, they don’t absorb water, don’t swell in monsoon humidity, and don’t soften under 40°C+ temperatures. And unlike cheap recycled PVC boards, they do not warp, bend, or sag when exposed to heat or vibration.

These boards are designed for outdoor conditions — UV-resistant, heat-resistant, waterproof, and engineered to maintain structural accuracy across repeated cycles.

Misconception 6: “Plastic shuttering panels don’t give value after reuse.”

Reality: This is only true for low-grade sheets that lose shape after a few cycles.
PAC ® Shuttering boards are built for long service life, which means the value doesn’t just come from repeated use — it continues even after the board reaches the end of its working cycle.

Because these boards are made from industrial-grade, pre-consumer plastic, they retain intrinsic material value. That’s why systems like our 40% Buyback Guarantee exist: when boards complete their service life, they are taken back, recycled, and re-engineered into new products like planters, doors, utility panels, etc.

This means contractors recover a significant part of their investment instead of discarding damaged plywood or low-quality plastic boards into landfill.

With PAC ® Shuttering boards, value doesn’t stop after reuse —
it extends into a circular loop where the material keeps working, and so does your money.

Conclusion: Misconceptions Fade. Performance Stays.

Plastic shuttering boards are no longer an experimental material — they are now a proven, high-performance choice across India’s construction landscape.

Try , PAC ® Shuttering boards, the next generation of plastic shuttering boards that redefine quality, reusability, and sustainability. 

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