Article: These wood barriers hold the concrete in place as it dries, so you will need to create 2 of them. The cheapest and easiest material to use is 2 in × 4 in (5.1 cm × 10.2 cm) boards cut from a softwood like pine. Keep the boards less than 8 ft (2.4 m) long so they aren’t too difficult to handle. Lay the boards on edge horizontally, stacking them to match the height of your planned wall.  Rest the frame pieces against a solid surface to prevent them from falling. If your frame is tall, you may need to begin installing the connecting studs before adding more boards. Try to make the frame pieces as long as you need them to be. If you’re building a long wall, build the frame in sections. Smaller pieces are much easier to handle and can be joined together later. If you’re building your own forms, you will probably need to do plenty of cutting. Have a circular saw ready along with a dust mask and ear protection. Use more 2 in × 4 in (5.1 cm × 10.2 cm) boards to assemble the frame. Space the studs out every 16 in (41 cm) along your frames. Instead of laying the studs flat, turn them on their sides. Then, use about 4 3 1⁄2 in (8.9 cm) nails per stud to secure them all to the frames. Place the nails about 2 in (5.1 cm) from the top and bottom edges of each stud. Use a few more 2 in × 4 in (5.1 cm × 10.2 cm) boards, placing them about every 12 in (30 cm) from top to bottom. Tip each board onto its edge, laying it horizontally across the studs. Secure the boards to each stud with 2 to 4 more 3 1⁄2 in (8.9 cm) nails. The wales also provide a place for you to tie connecting wires and attach braces for additional support. Select 2 in × 4 in (5.1 cm × 10.2 cm) boards as tall as the forms you’re constructing. Position the braces about every 12 in (30 cm) along the length of the wall. Stand the braces up so only the side edge connects with the rest of the form. Then, use a pair of 3 1⁄2 in (8.9 cm) nails on each wale to connect the braces to them. The braces aren’t exactly part of the forms, but they provide much-needed stability to the forms. Start with a wood board sharpened into a stake you can plant in the soil outside. Set another wood board on its side, running it from the brace board to the stake. Then, add a third board, running it diagonally from the center of the brace to the stake. Use more nails to attach the boards to the brace and stake. The additional brace boards need to be about 12 in (30 cm) long. The exact length depends on the size of your wall. Taller walls need longer braces for extra support. Flip the frames over to the sides without the studs. Fit the plywood so it’s the same length and height as the frame you’re putting it on. Then, use more 3 1⁄2 in (8.9 cm) nails to connect the plywood to the studs. Place a nail about every 12 in (30 cm) along the length of each stud. Nail through the plywood and into the studs. If you work the other way, the screw ends will stick out into the concrete you pour, affecting your wall.

What is a summary?
Stack wood planks to create a frame for the wall. Nail studs into the back of each frame to bind the boards together. Lay wales across the studs to strengthen the forms. Attach a brace board over the back of the wales. Create the rest of the braces with additional boards and stakes. Nail 3⁄4 in (1.9 cm) plywood sheets to the frames.