Comparing Fast-Tube to cardboard

» PRODUCTS > FAST-TUBE™ > COMPARISON TO CARDBOARD

Factor	Fast-Tube	Cardboard
Cost	Less expensive	More expensive
Variability in length	Cut any length from 120 ft roll	Available in 8 ft and 12 ft lengths
Waste	None, cut to length on site	Trimmed ends are waste
Ease of cutting	Cut in seconds with utility knife	Difficult to cut square
Ease of bracing	Easy to brace	Difficult to brace
Ease of stripping	Strip in seconds	Difficult and time consuming
Ease of handling, shipping	Easy to handle and ship	Large, cumbersome, difficult to handle and ship
Water damage	None, setup and pour in rain	Damaged by moisture, cannot be used in wet conditions
Damage by handling, storage	Undamaged, packed in protective boxes	Prone to flattening and end crushing
Appearance	Textured architectural finish	Unattractive spiral pattern
Architectural reveals	Reveals are easy to achieve	Unattractive spiral pattern
Compactness	1 box (480 ft) is only 16 in x 16 in x 22 in	480 ft requires 330 cubic ft of space, over 100 times the fabric space
Diameter accuracy	Consistent and accurate diameter	Cardboard tubes are made to nest within each other, resulting in up to 1" in diameter difference for the 'same' size.
Storage	Can be stored anywhere, even in wet conditions	Must be stored in a dry area indoors, in a vertical position
Weight	Light weight, 120 ft roll weighs 16 lbs.	Heavy, 120 ft weighs over 135 pounds.
Strength	Strong, engineered for up to 29 ft of liquid concrete head	Height limitation is a function of cardboard thickness.

Fast-Tube