Optimal size for blocks - 20x20x20 cm or 20x20x40 cm. Thanks to the small dimensions, the process of laying the material, as well as the manufacturing itself, becomes convenient and simple. It should also be taken into account that for special types of work it may be necessary to make half blocks.
To make concrete blocks with voids, a special mold is needed.
Concrete blocks should be made on compacted soil or on a level area (for example, built from boards). The surface must be covered with oilcloth or thick film. The molds in which the blocks are formed are made without a bottom. They are made from boards, chipboard or plywood sheets, and covered with sheet metal on top. Several liners are made from wooden logs, with the help of which voids will form in the blocks, which is why construction material will become lighter and warmer. The edges of the logs are sheathed with metal and handles are mounted to them, which will help in the further process without extra effort pull out the liners from the setting cinder block.
Experts say that it is most convenient to make several forms at the same time. To build them, you need to knock down or fasten with screws a frame with the height of the sides equal to the height of the block, in the middle of which plywood partitions are inserted. By the way, you should first install the longitudinal partitions, and then put the transverse partitions on them.
All elements and parts of the formwork must be coated with drying oil or machine oil, as a result of which the hardened blocks will be much easier to remove from the mold.
Laying the concrete mixture
Necessary materials:
- cement;
- fine gravel;
- sand;
- lime;
- water;
- rigid reinforcing wire.
The size of gravel grains can reach 1 cm.
The amount of materials depends on the required number of finished blocks. Cement, sand and gravel are taken in a ratio of 1:3:5.
The blocks are made of concrete based on a mixture of gravel and sand. Fine gravel, sand, lime (in small portions), and cement are poured into a metal basin. Mix the constituent elements thoroughly and then add water. There should be just enough water so that no problems arise during the process of laying the formwork (the mass should not be liquid).
The strength grade of such a material will be approximately 135 kgf/sq.cm. The size of the filler grains can reach 1 cm. Insert cores to form voids are placed in the mold when a solution 2 cm thick has already been poured and compacted. To fix the distance of the core, it is recommended to install special slats, about 4 cm wide, between the mold wall and the core. These slats can only be removed once the concrete has been loaded and compacted to one-third the height of the form.
The bottom of the form can be covered with old newspapers, which will prevent the block from setting to the previous base. The mixture should be semi-dry during installation. That is, when taken in a fist, compressed into a ball and then placed on a flat surface (for example, on a board), the mass should not spread.
Each formwork compartment is filled with a maximum of half of the solution, after which rigid reinforcing wire is laid.
To prepare the solution at home, you can use a stationary concrete mixer.
Some craftsmen make blocks using cinder blocks as heat-insulating air chambers glass bottles. To do this, plug the bottles with corks and install them in the middle of the block. After this, the forms are filled to the top, the solution is compacted and then smoothed with a trowel.
Freeze homemade blocks quite quickly - within 3-4 days, after which they can be safely removed from the formwork. However, this does not mean that they are completely dry. They can be used in construction no earlier than two weeks later.
Often used for private and commercial construction concrete blocks. The most popular variety of this artificial stone is aerated concrete, or in other words autoclaved porous concrete. It has unsurpassed energy-saving and heat-insulating properties, is lightweight and easy to process. In addition, you can easily make it yourself.
The technology for manufacturing aerated concrete blocks for individual needs and on an industrial scale will be the topic of today’s article.
Preparatory stage
Materials for production
The use of aerated concrete blocks in construction has many advantages.
Let's list the main ones:
- one 30-kilogram block can replace about 30 bricks at the same time, which affects the construction time of the building;
- the low weight of porous concrete allows the construction of private housing without the use of cranes and other special equipment;
- Autoclave gas blocks can be easily processed using ordinary metalworking tools.
The simplicity of the production process makes it possible to produce required amount of this building stone directly on or near the construction site.
All you need is instructions describing the entire process and raw materials:
- water;
- cement;
- lime;
- quartz sand.
Note!
To obtain the porous structure of aerated concrete, a suspension of aluminum powder is used.
This is an active substance that can cause harm to human health.
Remember to use safety equipment.
Devices and mechanisms
Not so long ago, the complexity of technology did not allow the production of various concrete blocks at home, without the use of specialized production lines. Currently, the situation has changed dramatically. There is equipment for: for the production of aerated concrete blocks, for cinder blocks, for bricks and so on.
In the case when aerated concrete is produced not for one’s own needs, but for the purpose of subsequent sale, it makes sense to pay attention to other equipment:
- semi-automatic production lines producing 2-4 cubic meters finished products per day - good for individual entrepreneurship or medium-sized enterprises;
- automatic production complexes that allow the production of up to 100 cubic meters of aerated concrete blocks in 24 hours - suitable for a large enterprise engaged in the production of building materials.
Manufacturing process
Main part of the technological process
The production of aerated concrete blocks begins with mixing the raw materials. Considering that this building material has a porous structure and low weight, a fairly large number of finished elements are obtained from a small volume of sand, cement and lime.
For ease of presentation, we will divide the further process into several stages:
- Lime, water, cement and quartz sand are poured into a concrete mixer, where they are thoroughly mixed. After 5-10 minutes, a small amount of aluminum powder dissolved in water is added. This substance, having entered into chemical reaction with lime, promotes the release of hydrogen. It is this gas that forms pores in the block ranging in size from 1 to 2 mm, which occupy the entire volume of aerated concrete.
- Immediately after adding the aluminum suspension, the mixture is poured into special molds, where it swells, increasing in volume several times.
- In order for the pores to be evenly distributed and the aerated concrete to harden faster, the forms are placed on a special table or platform, where the future aerated concrete is subjected to prolonged vibration loads.
- On last stage using metal strings from the top edge finished products irregularities are cut off, and the blocks are calibrated to the required size.
Advice!
In order to quickly cut and calibrate aerated concrete, you can use special milling machines.
Autoclave processing
Equipment for the production of aerated concrete blocks also includes autoclave chambers. In them, hardened workpieces are subjected to 12-hour steam treatment at a temperature of 190 degrees Celsius and a pressure of 12 kgf/sq. cm.
After this procedure, aerated concrete acquires greater strength and a uniform structure, and also exhibits minimal shrinkage after completion of construction.
It can be used as:
- heat insulator;
- sound insulator;
- material for load-bearing walls.
By the way, the excellent energy-saving qualities of aerated concrete, which has an excellent thermal conductivity coefficient, allows you to build houses from blocks up to 400 mm thick without using additional materials, retaining heat ( mineral wool, polypropylene foam, polystyrene foam).
Non-autoclave method
When producing aerated concrete, it does not have to be autoclaved. But such material will be less durable and have worse characteristics.
Properties of finished products
The aerated concrete obtained by the method described above has the following properties:
- low density (comparable to the density of solid pine) - it is 5 times less than monolithic concrete and 3 times - for brick;
- compressive strength, which allows the construction of 2 and 3 storey buildings from aerated concrete;
- moisture absorption, which does not exceed 20%, which is comparable to the same brick;
- frost resistance 2 times greater than that of brick;
- high thermal conductivity - 2 times less than that of pine, 15 times less than that of concrete;
- excellent sound insulation properties - with a wall thickness of 300 mm, it completely insulates sound with a power of 60 dB;
- withstands exposure to an open flame at a temperature of 900 degrees Celsius for 4 hours;
- aerated concrete can be easily cut with a regular hacksaw;
- the costs of its purchase or production are lower than those of similar materials.
Conclusion
The video in this article will help you learn more about the production technology of various building materials.
One of the most common materials for the construction of load-bearing walls and partitions of residential buildings, as well as small industrial buildings, are concrete blocks. Their popularity is due to their low cost, excellent performance characteristics and a large number of varieties, which allows you to choose the right block for almost any task.
The instructions given in this article will help you learn how to make concrete blocks yourself, and will also introduce you to their existing types.
Concrete blocks for walls
Types of artificial stones made of concrete
Let's look at the main types + characteristics of concrete building blocks, which are most common in modern construction.
cinder block
These wall stones are made using the method of vibrocompression of concrete mortar on special platforms.
The composition of the mixture from which the cinder block is made may include:
- crushed stone for concrete products;
- brick fight;
- sawdust;
- expanded clay
Specifications Concrete blocks with slag leave much to be desired, but due to the fact that their price is one of the lowest on the market, cinder blocks are widely used in private construction.
But cost is almost the only advantage, since they lag far behind other materials in the following parameters:
- durability;
- heat-saving parameters;
- strength.
The main scope of application of blocks is small buildings, which will not be subject to heavy load:
- sheds;
- garages;
- summer kitchens;
- workshops and so on.
Photo of cinder block
A less common material that is made from the following components:
- organic matter (mainly wood);
- binding element (powder);
- hardener.
Essentially, this artificial stone consists of sawdust encased in a concrete shell.
The advantages of the material are obvious:
- light weight of the concrete block;
- high thermal insulation properties;
- good sound insulation;
- efficient air exchange.
To protect blocks from negative impacts environment, the stones are treated with a special solution. This prevents mold from forming and prevents rotting.
Wood concrete is perfect for construction small houses, which are suitable for year-round use without the use of additional thermal insulation.
Arbolite block
Gas blocks and foam blocks
Cellular concrete blocks, according to GOST, which determines their technical characteristics, must consist of 70-85% artificially created pores (cells) filled with air. The most common are foam and gas blocks.
These materials have the following advantages:
- They are light in weight, as a result of which transportation of concrete blocks and their installation in private construction does not require the use of special equipment;
- easy to process - you can give the cellular block the required shape using an ordinary hacksaw for wood;
- walls made of cellular concrete blocks retain heat well and have excellent sound insulation properties.
Cellular concrete blocks are made from a solution containing sand, cement and aggregate. To form foam, lime, aluminum powder or another foaming agent are added.
Note!
Unlike foam concrete, aerated concrete undergoes additional processing in an autoclave oven, where it is exposed to high temperatures under high pressure(10-12 MPa).
As a result, this material acquires increased strength: it is almost impossible to crumble or break it.
Cellular concrete block
Self-production of blocks
Technology for the production of artificial stone from cement mortar with filler is relatively simple, which allows you to make concrete blocks yourself.
Preparatory work
On initial stage the dimensions of the future block should be determined. When self-made parameters of each individual element taken based on the required wall width.
The thickness of the bottom of the block should not be less than 2 cm, and the walls of the voids should not be less than 4 cm. In this case, a standard stone measuring 20x20x40 cm with voids inside weighs about 40 kg, which makes it convenient for laying walls.
For production you will need any flat area covered with plastic film and special forms without a bottom.
The materials for the forms will be:
- boards;
- plywood.
To protect the tree from damage, inner part the forms are sheathed with sheet metal. Inserts are made in a similar way, thanks to which voids are formed in the finished block. They improve the thermal insulation properties of the material and make it lighter.
Molds for making concrete blocks
You can produce concrete blocks with your own hands faster if you make several forms in one block at once. To do this, you need plywood or a board with a width equal to the height of the future block. The material is sawn into pieces and fastened with self-tapping screws. Next, internal partitions are made.
Advice!
In order for the frozen block to be easily separated from the mold, all its parts must be lubricated with kerosene, machine oil or antifreeze.
Manufacturing process
For casting blocks from concrete mixture you will need the following materials:
- fine gravel;
- cement;
- sand;
- water;
- lime;
- wire for reinforcement.
The quantity of each component is determined based on your needs for artificial stone. The proportions of cement, sand and gravel are taken in the ratio 1:3:5.
It is better to use a concrete mixer to mix the concrete solution.
For ease of presentation, we will divide the entire subsequent process into several stages.
Self-made concrete block
The technology described above allows you to make concrete blocks with your own hands without using much effort. The technical characteristics of the finished products will be almost in no way inferior to analogues sold in construction supermarkets, and the size will ideally match your needs. In addition, this can significantly reduce the cost of purchasing building materials and their delivery.
The video in this article will help you get acquainted with the material in more detail.
People have always cared about the safety of their home and usually one of the measures taken for this was the construction of a fence. These designs come in different forms, for example, from metal, which is very expensive, and from wood, which requires ongoing care. Now there is a wonderful option - a fence made of decorative concrete blocks, from which you can build a truly reliable and impressive fence. A fence made from them is universal, and the construction time is very short, because these materials are very easy to work with. In addition, concrete blocks for a fence can have different textures and colors, so you can get an original fence that is unlike any other.
Advantages of block fences
Concrete blocks for a fence can be hollow, clay, or they can also be made from artificial stone. The shape of the masonry and its pattern depends on the choice of the customer and skillful hands installers. The surface can be smooth, torn, or with a certain pattern.
The decorative block has a very good quality– it is the same on both sides. That is, the fence both outside and inside will be attractive, beautiful view. These structures are not afraid of temperature changes, humidity, and are fire resistant. The area they fence off will be protected from noise and dust.
As for the disadvantages, perhaps this is the need to build a foundation when building a fence from blocks, as well as the rather labor-intensive process of constructing the fence itself.
Peculiarities
Concrete fence blocks are suitable for constructing a fence around a cottage or summer house. These modern materials are small concrete plates, and not monumental blocks. They can have notches, holes, or they can be smooth. Blocks can imitate cobblestones or brickwork. Although the thickness of the products may be quite small, they still have an excellent strength coefficient.
Installation
Before you start building the fence, you need to mark the area. First, mark the lines along which it will be laid strip foundation. It takes about a day to harden, but before this happens, you need to insert reinforcement into it. Concrete blocks for the fence will then be strung onto its vertical rods. They must be pressed firmly into the masonry mortar to ensure maximum structural strength. The cavities of the blocks also need to be filled with solution. There are seams between the blocks, the width of which is 10-12 millimeters; there should be no voids in them. Excess solution must be removed immediately with a trowel.
Fence design
The fence wall may not be straight, but to change the size of the block to the desired size, it is simply placed on soft ground and broken with a hammer. You can create interesting and original architectural forms from debris. 
Concrete fence blocks allow you to create fences different designs. For this you can use decorative plaster. It will allow you to create both a perfectly smooth surface and one reminiscent of natural stone.
How to make blocks yourself
You can make concrete blocks for the fence yourself rather than buy them, then the construction will cost much less. To do this, you need to assemble a shape from planed boards, consisting of walls and a bottom. The thickness of the board must be at least 25 millimeters. The walls should be connected with nails or screws. To secure the walls, you need to take screws with ears. The form is carefully checked for consistency in size, correctness of planes and angles. The blocks can be made with holes or shapes. To do this, you need to insert different inserts into the mold: those that have the shape of corners are placed closer to the corners, and the square one is installed in the middle. In order for them to hold, you need to make holes in the bottom for the spikes.
Then a solution is prepared. For it, grade 250 cement is taken and sand and gravel aggregate is added to it. After pouring this composition into the mold, when it has partially hardened, the nail is removed from the ears, the liners are pulled out, and then the next block begins to be formed.
How
For construction, you can use not only purchased concrete blocks, but also those made independently. The most important thing when making blocks is to make collapsible forms or buy them, to have a concrete mixer and a room with a temperature of 60-70 degrees for drying.
How to make a concrete block
Articles on the topic
How to make a concrete block
How to set up a microphone and headphones on a computer
How to find out what a motherboard costs
How to find the tension of a thread
How to learn to play volleyball
You will need
Iron for molds 
- concrete mixer
Instructions
1To make a mold for blocks you need to take a sheet of iron and cut it to the required size the desired shape. Cut grooves on the sides and assemble. You can make the shape and size of concrete blocks at your discretion, but it is better not to make them large - this will simplify and facilitate the construction procedure. 2To make concrete, you will need high-grade cement, fine crushed stone, and clean river sand. Make the solution ratio at the rate of 1 part cement, 3 parts sand and 3 parts crushed stone. 3The solution must be thoroughly mixed in a concrete mixer. Hand mixing is not suitable for block production. Because their quality depends not only on the solution, but also on the thoroughness of its mixing. 4Pour the water gradually. The block mortar should not be liquid. 5Pour the solution into the molds in the drying room. Grease the molds with machine oil. 6For warmer concrete blocks, you can make blocks with voids, which will additionally help save mortar and make it easier ready block. For voids, glass bottles can be installed in the molds. 7Blocks need to be dried when high temperature. 8After two days, you can remove the blocks from the molds and lay them evenly on the platform to gain strength. 9The molds can be refilled with solution. 10To avoid downtime due to drying the blocks, make a sufficient number of molds.
We make cinder blocks with our own hands
What are the benefits of cinder blocks?
Concrete blocks are an incredibly popular building material for the construction of residential buildings, as well as auxiliary buildings - garages, sheds, bathhouses, etc. Their hollow variety, in which waste from various “hot” industries or simply slag is used as filler, has excellent heat-insulating characteristics. Therefore, cinder blocks have found the widest use in domestic construction, as a reliable, proven insulation material more than once.
What are the benefits of cinder blocks?
We make cinder blocks with our own hands. When using similar heat-insulating masonry elements, the walls of structures and buildings under construction are significantly warmer, with the same thickness parameters. The blocks are much larger than traditional bricks. This circumstance speeds up and facilitates the process construction work and provides an opportunity to save masonry mixture.
The recent adoption of new SNiPs (building codes and regulations) concerning thermal conservation in newly constructed buildings now does not allow the design and construction of buildings without the use of insulating materials. And cinder blocks are “two in one” - both the main structural element and insulation at the same time. At the same time, it is also lightweight and does not unnecessarily weigh down the building.
With all its advantages, this material is also quite cheap. Its cost (1 piece, this includes workers’ salaries) is only 10-15 rubles, depending on the region.
If you wish, it is quite possible to make cinder blocks with your own hands - you do not need to have deep engineering skills to do this. The main components of any blocks are cement, water and various aggregates. If you do not have enough slag, you can mix sand, crushed stone, expanded clay, sawdust, and crushed brick. In short - everything that is at hand and for which you don’t have to pay money or that costs mere pennies. To produce enough material for your needs, you don't need complex equipment and high-tech tools. At the same time, you have the opportunity to fill structural elements exactly the sizes that suit you best. To do this, you just need to make the necessary forms.
How to make cinder blocks to suit your needs manually
To produce materials in not very large quantities, only for the construction of buildings on your site, you will only need a container for mixing concrete and molds for blocks. make a cinder block Think about how many cinder blocks you can make with your own hands. If you manage to make 30 pieces in a day, then you need 30 molds, if 50 pieces, then there should be 50 molds. In this case, you can dry the products directly in them, and you will not need to take out half-dried preparations and risk spoiling them. Forms can be made of wood or metal. It is worth noting that the standard block sizes are 400mm / 200mm / 200mm. But, if for some reason these dimensions do not suit you, it’s your choice, make any size. The shapes must be knocked down, consisting of a bottom and side walls. It is best to make them modular to save materials and time. That is, in one form, in several cells, several blocks will be filled in at once. Before making such modules, decide what shape the cavities in the blocks will be. The economics of production depend on this.
It can be noted that although the most traditional cavities are round in shape - two or three per block, the most advantageous configuration is with two squares. With such a volume of voids, by making molds for cinder blocks with your own hands, you will save up to 60% of concrete.
IMPORTANT!
If you decide to make forms from wood, then keep in mind that you only need planed lumber, preferably sanded, without cracks, knots or other defects. Otherwise, you will have problems when removing the finished product.
When manufactured using this method, the process of tamping by vibration is not provided, so the concrete must be made liquid enough so that the mixture is homogeneous and completely fills the entire form.
Champagne bottles work best for rounded cavities. Therefore, stock up on them in sufficient quantities. They must be inserted into the mold with the neck of the block already poured down, and the squeezed-out concrete must be removed, and the raw block should then be well leveled. After the solution has set - after 4/5 hours, the bottles must be removed. It takes about 24 hours to dry the products in the molds. The blocks are then carefully pulled out and stacked on top of each other.
The storage area must be level, clean and protected from rain and sun, otherwise the blocks may become deformed.
The building material can be used for its intended purpose after 28 days. During this period of time, the full strength of the blocks occurs. A little about consumables. Cement, in principle, can be taken of any brand - from m400 and above. As for the variety, take general construction cement - Portland cement. But do not forget that the higher the brand of binder, the more expensive it is. The highest quality is blast furnace slag. But if you can’t get one, you can use shale or coal. Take the ratio of cement to aggregate 1/5 - the blocks will have the required strength and will not crack from internal stress arising from too much large quantity astringent.
Mechanized method of producing material
The second method of producing cinder blocks is much more productive, but it requires some, although not very sophisticated, equipment. DIY blocks
Well, and of course, some investments. The minimum is small concrete mixer and vibrating table. Then you will only need 1-2 molds; be sure to make them from metal. Handles will need to be welded to the molds, and 2 or 3 pipes to the bottom. Their diameter should be 5/8 cm, as you guessed - they are needed to form voids. With this method of making blocks, the concrete must be made thick or, as builders say, with slight shrinkage. Having poured it into the mold, immediately place it on a vibrating table, where the concrete will be compacted within 30/40 seconds. Bring the block to the storage location, turning it over and tapping the mold, carefully remove the product. If the block begins to float or fall apart, it means that the thickness is either insufficient or excessive. You will quickly understand what degree of thickness is needed - experience is everything.
If you have enough skill, you can make a vibration table yourself. To make a cinder block machine with your own hands, you will need sheet metal, size 80cm/80cm/0.5cm, 2/3 kW electric motor and springs. The latter can be taken from an old car or motorcycle. Weld springs to the steel sheet at the corners and attach the motor to the center of the structure. Place a pulley on the shaft, always with a shifted center of gravity. Turn the machine over, place it on a secure base and secure it. Attention: pay attention Special attention cable - it must be connected securely and be well insulated. Be sure to ground the metal of the machine.
Industrial equipment for the production of cinder blocks
If you are waiting big construction on the site, but you are not able to make a machine yourself, that is, it makes sense to purchase a ready-made one - an industrial one. There are two types of such equipment: stationary and mobile, popularly nicknamed “laying hen”.
It should be noted that stationary machines are very expensive and it makes no sense to buy them only for your own needs; in addition, you will have to transport the blocks to the drying site manually. Therefore, the option remains with a compact vibrating machine “laying hen”. It has one mold per one or two blocks and produces them in one cycle.
The advantages of a mini-vibration machine include the following:
Relatively low cost
Very small mass
But, before placing the block on the machine, it must be prepared. Following the logic of saving time and reducing labor costs, you should not do this manually. To do this, you can purchase a concrete mixer. With its help, you will quickly, and most importantly – efficiently, prepare concrete mortar desired consistency in just five minutes. Naturally, you should buy a very small mortar mixer. Such equipment operates from a network with a voltage of 220 volts and there is no need to supply it with an industrial voltage of 380 volts.
The construction of a house from blocks is progressing faster than from bricks. You can buy them freely, but many people make building blocks with their own hands.
Blocks in construction are used not only for building walls. The use of building blocks for the foundation also speeds it up. Of course, these blocks must be very dense: 1.5 tons per 1 cubic m. Making blocks with your own hands, if you look at it, is not such an extremely difficult matter.
Where to begin?
And the beginning of everything is making molds.
Forms
On sale there are molds for building blocks with standard sizes. And at home you can make building blocks in sizes that suit you. We take sheet metal, cut out the required shape from it and weld the shape. Molds are also made from wood; they are good for adobe blocks. There is no need for a bottom here. But the handles on the sides will come in handy, it’s more convenient to work with them.
Material for homemade building blocks
What's great about DIY building blocks is that they use material that you already have or can easily purchase.
Basically, blocks are made from cement with various fillers, but craftsmen, like manufacturers, sometimes do without it. Depending on the selected material, it is possible to produce homemade building blocks of the following types:
- slag concrete;
- blocks based on liquid glass;
- adobe;
- chip concrete or wood concrete.
How the filler is used:
- ash;
- slag;
- dropout;
- crushed stone;
- gypsum;
- perlite;
- expanded clay;
- sawdust;
- straw;
- broken bricks and more.
Blocks without cement
The production of building blocks using this technology is not available to everyone, because the mixture contains liquid glass. Unless you negotiate with the nearest concrete products plant and buy the main component there. The mixture will consist of:
- two dozen parts of river sand;
- one and a half dozen parts of liquid glass;
- 4 parts chalk;
- 3 parts slaked lime;
- 2 parts kaolin.
Manufacturing process
- First the sand is sifted;
- chalk is added;
- everything mixes well;
- slaked lime is introduced;
- kaolin or brick crushed to a powder state;
- liquid glass.
The starting raw material should be homogeneous and dough-like. Before pouring this dough-like mass, wet the inside of the molds. If you wish, you can building blocks give color. To do this add:
- chalk of any color;
- red brick ground into powder.
Fillers are added to such blocks: slag, expanded clay, shavings. Their strength is high - they are much stronger than cement ones.
Expanded clay concrete blocks
Expanded clay concrete blocks are one of the types of cinder blocks, where expanded clay serves as a filler.
Compound
- cement - 1 part;
- expanded clay - 5 parts;
- sand - 3 parts;
- water - about one part.
Technology
The technology for manufacturing expanded clay concrete building blocks is generally the same as any other:
- the starting material is placed in pre-lubricated molds;
- compacted;
- the form is removed after 10 minutes;
- the product remains in place;
- after 12 hours it is transferred to a place protected from precipitation and direct sunlight.
- in warm weather the blocks will become hard in a little less than a month.
If you plan to make thick walls (about 0.5 m), then blocks with voids are better. To do this, wooden inserts are inserted into the mold: round or square. And so that they can be easily removed, before inserting, wrap them in roofing iron.
Advantages
- light weight;
- frost resistance;
- breathability;
- moisture resistance;
- strength;
- low cost.
A house made from expanded clay concrete blocks is built faster than from brick; less mortar is needed for masonry.
Adobe blocks
Components
For this type of blocks the material, in literally, is under your feet. All you need is:
- clay;
- straw;
- river sand;
- water.
Features of selection
In order for the building blocks to have characteristics that meet all the requirements, you need to know something about the features of selecting components:
- It is better to prepare the clay in the fall, cover it with film and let it overwinter - this will improve its quality.
- First sift the sand, freeing it from impurities.
- Straw can be taken from the field where wheat, rye or barley has just been harvested. If the straw remains from the harvest of the previous year, then the quality will not be the same - after all, after lying there, it begins to rot.
How to determine the percentage of components
- clay - 1 cubic meter m;
- straw - 20 kg;
- sand - 25%.
In order not to spoil the entire batch of blocks, you need to make a small experimental batch. So we do this:
- we combine all the components in small quantities and write down the proportions;
- make a batch;
- form a ball;
- leave in the sun to dry for about 1 hour;
- we throw it on the ground at a height of one and a half meters.
If all components are selected in the required proportions, then the ball will remain intact. Did you add more sand than you should? It will collapse or crack. Is there enough sand? The ball will blur. This is how we practically select the most best option.
Preparation
To prepare the mixture for several dozen blocks at once, you need to make a hole in the ground: round with a diameter of about 2.5 m or rectangular 1.5x2.5 with a depth of half a meter. Line its bottom with polyethylene. Although some ready-made container will do: a trough or old bath. Then everything is done as it was done in the old days: we put on high rubber boots and walk, mixing everything until smooth.
Manufacturing
- While the batch is in the manufacturing stage, we are preparing a platform for the products: we select a flat, sunny place;
- We bring the mixture in buckets;
- fill out forms;
- compact;
- remove excess by running a board along the upper edges of the mold;
- remove the form.
The finished blocks should dry. This usually takes several days. It is important that they are not exposed to rain. Then they are transferred to a shelter and dried further. They will be completely ready in 10 days.
A house made of adobe blocks turns out to be very warm and comfortable. In addition, this building material is environmentally friendly, durable, and fireproof. It is used for buildings no higher than 2 floors.
Sawdust concrete blocks (arobolite)
The technology for making sawdust concrete blocks is similar to making adobe blocks, but the components do not need to be mined, but purchased.
Components
Before you start making, you need to purchase:
- cement - M300 or higher;
- sand - fraction no larger than 1.8 microns;
- not slaked lime;
- sawdust (coniferous wood).
Preparing the Components
- sift through sawdust;
- mix dry cement and sand;
- add lime here and mix again;
- add sawdust and repeat the mixing procedure;
- pour in water;
- In order for the components to adhere well to each other, add calcium chloride or alumina sulfate;
- we control the quality of the mixture.
To control quality, we roll the ball and squeeze it in our palms. If water flows, there is too much of it in the mixture; if the ball crumbles, there is too much sawdust or sand.
Let's start production
- Line the form with plastic wrap;
- add the mixture;
- we ram;
- Without removing from the mold, leave to harden for 5 days;
- remove from the mold and dry further.
The drying process will take a long time - from 1.5 to 3 months: it all depends on the mass of the block.
Equipment
If the construction is large-scale, then it may make sense to spend money on equipment for building blocks. For example: there is a mini-machine for sale for the production of wood concrete RPB-1500 BL. Its productivity is 1 sawdust block with dimensions 19 x 19 x 39 cm per minute. Issues Russian manufacturer— INTEK company.
Vibrating tables are widely used in the manufacture of building blocks. They solve the problem of compacting mixtures. The vibrating table consists of:
- movable table;
- engine;
- control panels;
- sometimes a transformer is included in the kit.
The compaction of the working mixture occurs under the influence of vibration created by a vibration motor.
Duty cycle
- place the mold on the movable table;
- place half or completely dry mixture into the mold;
- start the engine;
- drying.
How to choose?
There are 3 types of vibrating plates capable of compacting material by weight:
- up to 75 kg;
- from 75 to 160 kg;
- from 160 kg.
Based on these indicators, you should select the optimal vibrating table option for yourself.
Manufacturers
They are produced by:
- Russian company VPK;
- LLC "Stroymash";
- "Red Poppy" plant in Yaroslavl and others.
Vibrating tables are also supplied by foreign manufacturers:
- Spain - Enar and Hervisa;
- Germany - Wacker;
- Italy - Batmatic;
- France - Paclite.
