Board formed concrete is a favorite of architects and clients, but it can initially be daunting for a builder. In this video, Matt Risinger, master builder, provides 10 tips to do the board form right. Most architectural concrete is a plywood form that will be underground, so unseen. The majority of concrete poured in America residentially is not finished concrete. In the video, we see that board-formed concrete is not just finished concrete, but it is an art form. Here are 10 tips, the first five on forming and the last five on pouring. When forming the walls, it's important to take time. It takes at least two or three times as long to form concrete walls, knowing they will be shown and that they will be pretty. It's important to miter inside and outside corners to make sure everything is plumb, straight and true. Use Doug Fir as it leaves a beautiful green pattern that people appreciate.Most concrete walls have steel wall ties with a cone showing through. Since these walls are stand alone, fiberglass wall ties are used. When flush, they are gray and blend in and also won't rust. Use screws and not nails to lock everything in place, making it all very tight for pour day. When the boards are coming together, run a bead of silicon in between them to keep the water in the mix and not allow cement to leach out.Use a mix that's 3500 psi, a good strong high cement ratio to pattern the wood nicely. Run a 5-inch slump instead of a standard 5-inch slump. This will ensure it flows well with less chance of honeycombing. On pour day," use a steel wall pipe to place the concrete rather than dropping the concrete in from the top of the form. Reach the pipe all the way to the bottom of the wall. Place the concrete and lifts all the way up in 2-foot lifts all the way around—not going too high on each pour. The last tip for our day is one of the most vital. Vibrate! Make sure all of the air bubbles get out and reducing the honeycombing as much as possible.