The panel joint
The best place. There's already a line, so the splice becomes invisible.
Knowledge · Tooling guide
Where the split goes on a precast panel, and why it matters.
Every large tool has joints. The difference between a good elevation and a disappointing one is almost always where those joints were put — and whether anyone decided on purpose.
Start here
A splice is a line. The question is where you hide it.
Formliners over a certain size have to be made in pieces and joined. Unit moulds with undercuts have to split. Either way, the join leaves a trace on the concrete. On a well-planned tool, that trace sits in a panel joint, a reveal, a shadow gap or an arris — somewhere the eye already expects a line.
Good places
Four places a splice or split disappears.
A designed reveal or shadow gap
If the architect has drawn a reveal, it's a gift. We put the splice in it.
A texture's natural break
Board-mark between boards, brick in the perpend, ashlar in the bed joint.
An arris or hidden face
On unit moulds the split goes along an edge or on the face that goes against the wall.
Bad places
Three places we try hard to avoid.
Mid-face on a smooth area
Nothing to hide it. It reads forever.
Across a fine relief
The relief won't register perfectly across the join.
Where demould load concentrates
The split opens under load and concrete creeps in.
Who decides
Agree the splice plan on the elevation drawing.
We mark proposed splice and split positions on the elevation or panel drawing and send it back for agreement before any silicone or polyurethane is poured.
That one step avoids the most common disappointment we hear about from yards who've bought liners elsewhere.
At a glance
The idea in a picture.
Planning liners across a wall
Swipe to see the whole diagram
FAQs
Common questions on splits.
Can a splice be completely invisible?
In a panel joint or reveal, effectively yes. On an open face, it can be minimised but not eliminated.
How big can a liner be before it needs splicing?
It depends on the material and how it'll be handled. We'd rather splice sensibly than send a liner too heavy to lift safely.
Do splices shorten liner life?
Well-made splices don't. Poorly bonded ones can lift at the edge; that's why we bond and back them properly.
Get in touch
Send us a photograph of the panel or the elevation.
One photograph tells us what surface you're chasing, and one line about the mix tells us what silicone or polyurethane will survive it.
Real people, a real workshop
You deal with the people who make it.
No call centre and no middlemen. When you contact TCI Construction, you speak to the team who design, build and check your mould.
- A real Warwickshire workshopUnit 15, Waterloo Park, Bidford-on-Avon, Alcester B50 4JG.
- Real people on the phoneCall the team on 01789 224228, Monday to Friday.
- The same team on every jobDesign, production and aftercare come from the people you see here.
- Part of TCI GroupFive specialist brands, one engineering team. Visit TCI Group.
Thomas LaneManaging Director
George PrestonDesign & Project Manager
Kelly BallingerHead of Partnerships
Jim AndertonProduction Manager
TheodoreEmployee Welfare