Slab concrete H20 beams
The H20 is an I‑shaped glued wood beam specially designed for formwork systems. The designation “H20” refers to its 200 mm section height. It is the most widely‑used formwork I‑beam complying with European Standard EN13377 and Chinese Standard JG/T425‑2013, commonly known as the yellow I‑beam.
H20 Beam Section
Finished H20 beams
On‑site Application
📐 Standard Section Parameters
Overall height: 200 mm
Flanges (top & bottom solid wood): 80 mm wide, 40 mm thick; material: solid spruce/pine or LVL
Web (vertical middle panel): 27‑30 mm waterproof multi‑ply plywood
Weight per metre: 4.6‑5.0 kg/m
Mechanical properties: maximum bending moment 5 kN·m, maximum shear force 11 kN
Surface: yellow waterproof weather‑resistant paint; fitted with red plastic end protectors at both ends for impact and moisture protection
Standard lengths: 1.8 m, 2.45 m, 2.9 m, 3.3 m, 3.6 m, 3.9 m, 4.5 m, 5.9 m; custom lengths available
🧱 Structure
Top and bottom flanges: solid wood, resists tensile and compressive stresses from bending
Web: waterproof plywood, carries shear forces, bonded with water‑resistant adhesive
End caps: plastic / steel sleeves, prevent beam‑end damage during site handling
✅ Applications
Slab formwork: used as secondary and primary beams, overlaid with film‑Faced Plywood, combined with adjustable steel props
Horizontal wales for wall formwork, column formwork, climbing formwork and bridge formwork
Replaces traditional solid timber; a core component of imported formwork systems such as Doka
✨ Features
Lightweight with high stiffness: much lighter than solid timber of equivalent load‑bearing capacity, easy for manual handling; long span capability reduces prop quantity
Reusable: 30‑50 reuse cycles with proper maintenance
Low deformation, resistant to warping; can be nailed, sawn and drilled on‑site
Standardised and highly versatile, compatible with domestic and international formwork systems
📌 Comparison within the Product Range
Model Section Height Application
H16 160 mm Short‑span, light‑load conditions
H20 200 mm Most widely‑used in construction projects
H24 240 mm Long‑span, heavy‑load conditions
⚠️ On‑site Precautions
Do not drop or strike the beams. Replace damaged plastic end protectors promptly, otherwise delamination and cracking will easily occur.
Store under rain‑proof and moisture‑proof conditions; avoid prolonged sunlight exposure.
Do not exceed design bending moment and shear force. Arrange spacing in accordance with formwork design drawings.
Should you require, I can provide the H20 beam span selection table or a simple formwork layout example.