Tilt-up panels are becoming very popular as a means of construction today; these are concrete walls that are poured on a jobsite and then tilted up or lifted up and put into position. If you're a contractor considering tilt-up panels as a method of building for your customers, you might have some questions about the process and if it would be a good choice for your standard methods of construction. Note a few of the most commonly asked questions here, as these might help you to determine if you should investigate tilt-up panels as an option for your company.

1. What is the difference between tilt-up panels, tiltwalls, and precast concrete?

The terms tilt-up panels and tiltwalls actually refer to the same thing; these are walls that are poured onsite and then tilted or lifted up into place. They are different than precast concrete, which refers to concrete panels created offsite and then transported to your construction location. Tilt-up panels may be more at the mercy of climate conditions; in very rainy, snowy, or cold weather, the panels may not cure as they should.

However, tilt-up panels or tiltwalls also save on the cost and time of transportation, since they are created on the jobsite. Transporting precast concrete also means being limited as to the size of the panels you can create, whereas tilt-up panels can be created to any size needed.

2. Why choose tilt-up panels versus steel frames?

The cost of concrete versus steel is something to consider, especially when constructing larger buildings that require a larger frame. Even if you need to rent a crane to lift the larger concrete panels in place, you may still find that tilt-up panels are cheaper than steel frames and the building materials that surround them.

Also note that fire codes in certain areas may keep you from using steel frames, as steel is more likely to become structurally unsound when exposed to high levels of heat. Even if you're allowed to use steel in certain areas, you might use the tilt-up panels just because the material is safer in case of fire than steel. This is especially true for larger buildings when the frame is supporting more weight; if the steel were to become structurally unsound due to heat exposure, it may collapse more readily under the weight of those added stories. To keep costs low and to keep the building safe, you might choose tilt-up panels for those types of construction.

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