Production of paving slabs at home. Manufacturing technology of paving slabs at home Production of paving slabs at home

The main factors that have made tile paving so popular are the transparency of the laying technology and the ease of repairing the coating if necessary. To arrange a garden or footpath in this case, heavy construction equipment, trucks and a large number of workers will not be required. Landscaping of the backyard territory can be done independently, and with a large amount of work it will be enough to invite 1-2 friends.

The only reason that makes you think about this method of paving with negative point of view, - the high cost of the material in retail chains. However, there affordable option significant cost reduction. Tiles can be made at home and then its cost will be significantly lower. Therefore, this article will address the question of how to make paving slabs at home.

factory technology

On an industrial scale, the production of vibrocast, vibropressed and clinker tiles for paving sidewalks is carried out. At the same time, depending on the manufacturing technology, the quality of products varies greatly.

The technology is quite simple to use. It is based on the fact that a cement-based mortar is poured into curly molds and compacted on a special surface by vibration.

vibropress.

Such products are rich color shades and sold at a low price. However, the strength and frost resistance of such paving slabs is an order of magnitude lower than that of other types.

vibropressed tiles made on special equipment that compacts the concrete mixture high pressure. Such paving stones are stronger, but also more expensive due to the use of a press and increased power consumption.

The most best tile- clinker. Clinker production of paving slabs occurs by firing specially prepared clay in a kiln at very high temperature. The final product turns out to be very durable, frost-resistant and beautiful, while not yielding in terms of durability even to hard natural stone.

But the high energy consumption for the manufacture of paving slabs and the need to use expensive industrial equipment raises the cost of this material several times.

Equipment and inventory for work

In the conditions of homestead farming, special industrial equipment, of course, is absent, and therefore the technology for manufacturing paving slabs at home is based on the vibrational compaction of concrete. To complete the work, you will need the following equipment and inventory:

small;
wide capacity for acceptance of finished concrete;
sieve for sifting sand;
or other flat vibrating surface;
molds for pouring concrete mix;
rubber mallet;
shovels, buckets, spatulas.

In addition, a strong stable rack is needed for drying tile blanks in molds.

Necessary materials

From building materials you will need:

cement brand PC500 or PC400;
washed or river sand, preferably medium fraction;
gravel fraction no more than 10 mm;
natural or mineral pigment;
mold lubricant.

In the event that the gravel is dirty or contains a lot of dust, then it must be washed, as impurities can adversely affect the quality of products and their color shade.

Work site organization

First of all, it is necessary to correctly install the concrete mixer, vibrating table and rack for placing forms with concrete. These are the largest objects and all actions will take place near them.

The concrete mixer, as the main equipment for the production of paving slabs, should stand in such a way that there is enough space for placing a sand pile and gravel near it.

You should also leave room for buckets of water or a watering hose. The best place for the vibrating table is located in a straight line between the concrete mixer and the rack for storing molds with concrete.

The rack can stand indoors or outdoors, but in a place where it will be reliably protected from direct sunlight. Cement can be stored near the rack.

Forms for making

Manufacturers offer molds of various configurations and sizes, made from different materials. You can buy standard square or rectangular, multi-element or monoblock shapes. These can be cups for the manufacture of each product separately and for the simultaneous pouring of several plates.

If desired, molding equipment will be easy. In this case, you can get exclusive products that no one else has. For this, various materials are used - from wood and polystyrene to metal and gypsum.

It is important to remember that tiles made by vibrocasting have a reduced strength and frost resistance. That's why an important factor when choosing forms, their depth determines the thickness of the future product.

When homemade its thickness must be at least 40 mm for footpaths and sidewalks and at least 60 mm for driveways or parking lots passenger car. The movement of freight transport on such a tile is highly undesirable.

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Manufacturing instructions

The production of paving slabs by vibrocasting is carried out in several stages, which include:

preparation of concrete mix;
preparation of forms before laying concrete;
pouring concrete mixture into molds and vibrating table operation;
hardening period of concrete;
dismantling and storage of finished paving stones.

Each of the stages has its own technological features, some of which may have several versions.

concrete mix requirements

Certain requirements are imposed on materials for the manufacture of concrete. Sand must be sieved through a sieve to remove particles of clay, earth and other undesirable impurities that reduce the quality of concrete. The gravel must be clean. Otherwise, it must be rinsed with water. The use of PC300 cement is unacceptable even when it is added in an increased proportion.

In order to increase the strength of the tile, synthetic fibers (fiberglass) can be added to the concrete composition. Expensive industrial plasticizers can be replaced with liquid detergent. The applied pigment dyes must be resistant to ultraviolet radiation and are intended for outdoor use.

Fiberglass.

The ideal ratio of the components of the mixture for the manufacture of tiles according to the calculations of specialists is:

cement PC500 - 21% or 30 kg;
gravel or granite screenings - 23% or 32 kg;
sifted sand - 56% or 75 kg;
pigment dye - no more than 7% by weight of concrete or 700 g;
industrial plasticizer C-3 - 0.7% by weight of the mixture or 50 g;
water - 5.5% by weight of concrete or 8 liters;
fiberglass up to 0.05% by weight of concrete or 60 g.

Since it is almost impossible to maintain such exact proportions at home, the solution is usually prepared based on the following calculation:

1 part PC500 cement, 1.5 parts gravel, 3 parts sand;
1 part PC400 cement, 1 part gravel, 2.5 parts sand.

Liquid is added as a plasticizer. detergent at the rate of 1 glass per batch. Water is added gradually until the mixture becomes homogeneous, and the density will resemble thick sour cream.

If a dry pigment dye is used in the work, then it must first be dissolved in water, and then added to concrete in an amount of not more than 1.2 liters per batch.

Initially, dry components are poured into the mixing equipment for the production of paving stones, and after they have been mixed, water is gradually added. In this case, it is recommended that you first fill in half the required sand and gravel, and then pour out the cement, mix and add everything else. In this case, the cement will not stick to the walls of the mixer.

Solution mixing mode.

Mixing of concrete mixture with added water should not be less than 15 minutes. The finished mixture is poured into a trough or other similar container, and from there it is transported or loaded directly into the molds.

Form lubrication.

Placement of ready-mixed concrete in molds

The types of forms and their possible choice or DIY were discussed above. Therefore, the process of their filling and compaction on the vibrating table will be described directly here.

In order for the finished tiles to be removed more easily after the mold has hardened, it is necessary to carry out pre-treatment. To do this, they are lubricated from the inside with light machine or vegetable oil. IN last resort a thick soapy solution may be used.

If financial resources allow, then in stores you can purchase a special composition for lubrication. It will provide easier demolding, but will require additional costs.

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For fast filling forms, it is recommended to install a low table near the vibrating table. It will be possible to put forms on it and fill it there. This will reduce the amount cement mortar spilled on a working vibrating surface.

The filling process can be done in three ways:

Pre-painted throughout the volume, the concrete mixture is poured into molds in one go, the surface is leveled with a spatula and placed on a vibrating table.
Initially, a quarter of the volume is filled with a colored solution, and the rest of the volume is filled with ordinary gray concrete.
The colored layer occupies approximately 15-20% of the volume, and a reinforcing mesh or pieces of wire are placed between the colored and gray layers to increase the strength of the products and better connect the layers.

The first option will be technologically the simplest, but concrete mix with a large amount of dye may have reduced strength.

In the second case, clean concrete will play the role solid foundation, resulting in a stronger tile. In addition, the cost of purchasing the dye is reduced. However, it will be necessary to simultaneously prepare two different solutions - colored and gray, which complicates the production technology.

The third option allows you to get the strongest and beautiful tiles, but it is even more difficult to implement. Ultimately, the choice of technology in this case depends only on you.

Tile coloring methods

To obtain color shades on the surface of paving slabs, four different methods are used:

The tiles are made of colored concrete throughout;
Products are made two-layer, where the top layer of the tile is made from a colored colored solution, and the rest of the mass is made from an ordinary gray concrete mix;
Before concrete is poured into molds, their inner surface is coated with a water-based coloring agent;
Surface.

The most stable color in the manufacture of paving slabs can be obtained by using the first two methods, but they are quite costly from a financial point of view. The fourth option allows you to save money, but the paint from the surface will be easily erased, as a result of which it will have to be tinted periodically.

Forms filled with concrete mix on a vibrating table.

Placement of completed molds on a vibrating platform

After required amount forms will be filled, they are laid on the surface of the vibrating table. In this case, it is allowed to put the forms one on top of the other, but not more than in 2 rows.

Vibration processing of paving slabs allows you to displace all the air and compact the concrete mixture with high quality. If during the vibration process a strong subsidence of the solution occurs, then you need to add it to the bowls that are not completely filled and level the surface with a spatula.

The strength and frost resistance of products, and, hence, their durability, directly depend on the quality of compaction of the concrete mix. Therefore, the process of vibration processing must continue for the required time. The exact duration depends on the oscillation frequency and engine power and is determined experimentally (on average it is 40-120 seconds).

Homemade vibrating table.

The process of curing concrete

After processing on a vibrating table, the completed forms must be transferred to a storage rack. Shelves of the rack must withstand a large weight load, and the rack itself must also stand in the shade, excluding direct sunlight on the surface.

The process of initial setting of concrete during the manufacture of paving slabs takes 12-18 hours, but full hardening will end only after 72-96 hours, depending on temperature and humidity. Only after that you can proceed to the removal of products from the molds and their storage.

Forming and further storage of finished products

Disbandment.

The process of removing finished products from the molds after the concrete has set is called demoulding. It must be done carefully, trying not to damage the plates and to preserve the possibility of reusing the molds.

If the inner surfaces of the molds were machined before pouring the concrete, then demoulding will not be so difficult, especially in the case of soft models.

If complications arise, treatment of the outer side of the molds with hot water can be recommended. Plastic or silicone materials will expand from the hot water and loosen the tile. During demoulding, it is allowed to tap the molds and tiles with a rubber mallet.

The removed tiles are stored on pallets, observing the dressing between the individual products when laying. The height of the stack on the pallet should not exceed 1.2 meters. This condition allows you to protect the tiles of the lower rows from destruction due to the weight load.

Conclusion

As you can see, it is quite possible to make paving slabs with your own hands, since this technological process is not very complicated and does not require special knowledge from the performer.

The cost of self-production of tiles.

True, for successful work, you need to have such equipment for the production of paving slabs as a concrete mixer and a vibrating table, but they can be bought, rented or made independently. The most important thing for obtaining a quality result is the exact observance of technology and the use of high-quality raw materials.

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We make paving slabs with our own hands
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Paving slabs are an aesthetic material that is resistant to various external factors. However, its cost is also significant, so many owners country houses are thinking about how to make paving slabs with their own hands.

Will help in the manufacture of paving slabs by hand step-by-step instruction.

. We purchase the necessary materials

To make paving slabs with your own hands, you need cement And sand. Additional components are dyes and superplasticizer. The latter is needed to increase the strength characteristics of products and their resistance to frost.

paving slabs with hands step by step instructions. Photo

. We select equipment

Of the equipment for the production of paving slabs with their own hands, a vibrating table and molds are required. vibrating table - special device creating small vibrations. Due to this, the mixture is compacted and the tile acquires the necessary strength. Buying such a device for home use is not profitable. If there are no rental options, then you can use improvised options. For example, the old washing machine, which remains in working condition if it vibrates strongly enough in any mode.

The next required equipment is forms. Further there will be information on how to make molds for paving slabs with your own hands, but in some cases it is more convenient to use ready-made ones.

how to make paving slabs with your own hands. Photo

Ready-made molds are rubber, plastic and polyurethane. Most durable rubber. They withstand five hundred castings. Least durable polyurethane. They are able to survive only a hundred castings. in the middle plastic- two hundred and fifty castings. Rubber and plastic molds are more expensive than polyurethane molds.

. Production technology

Preparing to fill out the forms mixture. The number of components will be as follows. For five kilograms of cement, twice as much pure fine sand and thirty grams are taken superplasticizer. Dye is added as desired.

paving slabs with their own hands at home. Photo

All components are thoroughly mixed first in a dry form. Then water is added, which is poured in small portions. The result should be a homogeneous and fairly viscous mixture. Water should not be too much. From a liquid solution, insufficiently strong products are obtained.

In addition to the main components, fine gravel or screenings can be added to the solution. It will make paving stones more durable and give it a natural appearance. In this case, the ratio of components changes slightly. Thirty grams of superplasticizer and two parts of cement, sand and gravel are taken.

Before pouring the solution, the mold is lubricated with a special emulsion. There are many kinds of them. However, you can use a simpler option - dishwashing detergent. This liquid is applied with a brush to the entire inner surface forms.

production of paving slabs with their own hands. Photo

After processing all forms, it is poured into them solution. To do this, the containers are filled halfway and placed on vibrating table or a device that replaces it. Vibration is turned on and then the forms are filled to the brim.

After some time, the forms are transferred to the room and covered film so that the concrete does not dry out too quickly. After about two days, do-it-yourself paving slabs are removed from the mold.

For quick extraction, the mold with the tile is lowered into hot water (80 degrees). The shape expands and the tile is easy to reach.

The finished tile is placed on a pallet or a pallet of boards and covered with a film. Better first ten days of her withstand V utility room, i.e. under the roof. After that, she is taken out into the street and left for another month so that she gains strength.

Paving slabs with river pebbles

There are many options for paving slabs. Additional components are often added to the main solution, for example, river pebbles or other stones. Consider how to make paving slabs with your hands in step-by-step instructions.

The manufacture of paving slabs with their own hands begins with preparation solution. To do this, we take a plastic basin or other container, as well as a measuring container. Pour one part of cement and three parts of sand into the basin.

Pour water into the mixture, stirring constantly. The consistency of the finished solution should be pasty.

To make interesting paving slabs with your own hands, you should prepare not only the mortar, but also the stones. Pebbles of an interesting shape and color are selected.

Required to make tiles form. It can be made in the form of a wooden formwork. If tiles are required different sizes, then you can additionally take polyethylene flat containers.

do-it-yourself molds for paving slabs. Photo

The molding process is more convenient to perform on a plank platform covered with polyethylene. The formwork is placed on the platform. The bottom is smeared with used machine oil so that the concrete does not stick to the film.

concrete mortar spread trowel and distributed over the entire area. It should be laid out gradually, smoothing the composition and tamping it down.

After creating an even cement layer, lay out on its surface pebbles. The layout is carried out taking into account the color and size of the stones so that the entire area is filled.

After laying, the stones are pressed into the solution with a trowel. This process will require the use of force. At the same time, similar procedures are performed in small molds. Forms with tiles are covered with polyethylene and kept for three or four days. If the weather is hot, then they are additionally watered with water in the morning and evening. Formwork should be removed when the tiles begin to move away from the walls.

The resulting paving slabs are laid in various combinations. The result is consistently impressive.

Do-it-yourself molds for paving slabs

Many people would like to make their own paving slabs with their own hands for suburban area. However, many things scare them, and in particular, the high cost of forms. Consider how to make molds for paving slabs with your own hands.

. Plastic construction

Plastic is one of the most comfortable materials for mold making. It lags well behind the edges of the tile and is quite durable. If you make such forms for paving slabs with your own hands, then they will be a relatively inexpensive option. Naturally, a homemade form will not create an ornament on the surface of the tile.

Production will require wooden form with carefully crafted details and plastic(can be secondary). The form is set as evenly as possible using a level.

When everything is prepared, pour the plastic. It settles down in about an hour. After that, the product is removed, the roughness is cleaned. Ready plastic mold dry for another two or three days.

Plastic home-made molds for paving slabs are made from any plastic containers. Most importantly, they should not crack when compressed.

Another way is to cut unnecessary pvc pipes rings of the desired height. They will make great shapes for round tiles.

. wooden form(formwork)

The wooden mold is one of the simplest and most inexpensive and can be easily made. To create this form for paving slabs, several pieces are taken with your own hands. wooden bars. The desired figure is formed from them, its corners are verified with a special tool. Temporarily the connection is made with adhesive tape.

When everything is ready, the bars are connected screws. For quadrangular formwork, eight screws are sufficient for secure fastening.

finished frame sanding. To prolong its service life and make it easier to remove tiles, the surface can be coated with varnish.

It is convenient to disassemble the wooden frame to remove the tile. This will avoid damage and cracks.

. iron mold

The iron version of the form is one of the most durable and relatively easy to manufacture. You can create such home-made forms for paving slabs from remnants of reinforcement or other similar materials. The slats are selected, which are cut into the required number of pieces of a certain size. Next, the corners are verified and all parts are welded together. Handles are welded for ease of use.

. Polyurethane mold

Polyurethane is one of the varieties of polymer masses. Forms from it are best suited for the production of paving slabs, as they are distinguished by a combination of strength and flexibility.

When creating such a form for paving slabs with your own hands, be sure to take into account security measures. You have to work with gloves. If the processes take place indoors, then good ventilation is required. The container with polyurethane must be tightly closed. Immediately before pouring the polymer, a rubberized apron is required in addition to gloves.

To create a polyurethane mold, first prepare matrix. This is a product that should look like a future tile. First, a master model is prepared, i.e. sample made from any material. Starting with clay and ending with plasticine. You can take as a basis a ready-made tile.

The sample is washed and dried, and then applied to it adhesive compounds. It is better to take wax-based options. With this composition, it is necessary to treat all surfaces with which the polyurethane will come into contact during pouring. The adhesive composition dries for about twenty minutes.

make formwork in which the sample will be placed. She should be three centimeters taller than him.

The polymer mixture is made in compliance with clear proportions. The prepolymer and hardener are heated to room temperature and then mixed in equal proportions. The finished composition should be homogeneous, without air bubbles.

The composition is applied to the surface of the stone with a brush, and only then it is completely poured. The matrix is ready. The next step is to create the mold itself.

Further, the manufacture of a mold for paving slabs with their own hands is carried out in a day. The matrix is placed on flat surface and gradually pour it two-component polyurethane, lifting one of the edges of the matrix. The mixture will spread on its own. Ready-made forms are taken out after a day and left to dry for another two days.

. Silicone molds

The silicone version is highly flexible. This is convenient for removing tiles, but if the mold is not positioned correctly, the product may be skewed.

They make such a form for paving slabs with their own hands from three-component silicone mixture. You will need a base, catalyst and hardener. They are mixed in specific proportions.

A container is prepared in which the form will be created, it is degreased. At the bottom, you can lay out a pattern with sculptural plasticine. The entire surface of the mold is smeared with a thin layer vegetable oil. After that, the silicone mass is poured in a thin stream, trying to avoid air bubbles. The form is completely ready for use in a day.

Having decided to equip the paths on the territory of the dacha, there is a desire to make convenient elements of the landscape, attractive and useful. Can be used various material- wood, natural stone, rubble. Sidewalk tiles are in demand. homemade tiles harmoniously complement the appearance, successfully combined with common style yard. It remains to figure out how to make it.

Advantages of homemade tiles

Process self-manufacturing tiles is quite difficult and long, but very interesting. The result of the working cycle will be beautiful products that look great when laid. It should be added that the production of tiles for finishing the tracks with your own hands will save a lot of money. cash without paying for finished material. Possibly tile material own production does not meet the requirements for bearing capacity too much, it is not recommended for sites for cargo or equipment, but it is quite suitable for simple tracks. And if the concrete mixture is prepared in compliance with all technological features and proportions of raw materials, the finished product will serve for a long time.

Using successful colors and coloring compositions, it is possible to produce tiles of various colors.

What is needed for production, video

The tile is made from cement raw materials, to which sand and water are added in the required ratios, depending on the quality of the cement. It is recommended to use cement M 500. The sand mass and water must be filtered and sifted, the presence of small stones that do not affect the parameters of the concrete mixture is allowed.

The plastic molds required for production can be purchased from specialty stores. They are various forms and sizes, each can withstand two hundred fills. So that the production process does not drag out, it is recommended to have a dozen molds of each type. Some use plastic food containers instead of molds, which have suitable parameters for flexibility and strength. With their help, you can cast simple equilateral shapes in the form of bricks.

From the tools you will need a container for mixing concrete, a shovel, buckets, a trowel.

We prepare the solution

Having prepared everything necessary, we proceed to production activities. Mixing sand and cement can be done manually or with a perforator with a mixing nozzle. If you plan to produce a large number of tiles, then you should think about a concrete mixer.

A share of cement and three of sand are poured into the mixing container. Water should be added gradually, constantly mixing the raw materials. Remember that excessive moisture can degrade the quality of concrete. To prevent this negative phenomenon, water-repellent additives and fiber should be added to the solution for better reinforcement. The mass with its consistency should resemble a liquid-like dough that does not roll off the trowel. If you want the tiles to be of different colors, add coloring pigments. After their introduction and active stirring, the solution acquires a uniform shade in about seven minutes.

Pour the solution

Forms should be lubricated with an emulsion compound or used machine oil to make it easier to remove finished goods. The solution is laid in molds, rammed with a trowel. To increase the strength of the tile, a metal mesh, wire or rods can be laid in the molds. To compact concrete and squeeze air out of it, a vibration effect should be created using a vibrating table.

If there is no such design, use a rack or shelf, tapping on them with a mallet.

Drying and excavation of tiles

Forms filled with concrete mass are covered with polyethylene and kept in this state for several days. At the same time, it is important to maintain the necessary humidity, periodically wetting the products with water. Drying is carried out in a place inaccessible to the open sun. Forming is performed by lightly pushing the sides of the forms and shaking. You will have to dry the tile in the shade, after keeping it for about a month. During this period, the material will gain the necessary strength and become suitable for use.

In any case, having made such beauty with your own hands, you can be sure that life has not been lived in vain!

Homemade tiles from Kostya9
Homemade vibrating table and homemade tiles from Commander

Homemade tiles from Kostya9

Kostya9 Member of FORUMHOUSE

To implement the idea, specialized network resources were studied on the topic of forms and the portal forum, on the topic of the process itself - necessary equipment, raw material base, production technology. As it turned out, plastic and other forms are available, whatever you want, the main materials are left over from the construction site, and the existing units require a relatively simple, feasible refinement. Unforeseen complications arose only with the purchase of the five hundredth cement - due to the low demand from local merchants, it simply was not there, so I had to go to a neighboring town.

Manufacturing

To make the tile as strong as possible, it was redone under the vibrating table a circular saw – working surface replaced by a heavy plate (with springs from nine racks), under the plate - a vibration motor. Typical concrete mixer for mixing mortar, ready-made polymer molds, with imitation of sandstone surface, for drying - old refrigerator placed sideways.

The ratio of the proportions of concrete was also selected on the forum.

In addition to the existing screenings, washed river sand and purchased cement of the desired brand, a plasticizer was required for the tiles, the choice fell on SP-1. This is a universal additive that improves the characteristics of the mortar, its use increases the mechanical strength of concrete, reduces the number of pores on the surface, gives smoothness and increases the vibrating efficiency. Although I dreamed of colored tiles, the cost of the dye and white cement, in order to obtain a rich color, they were forced to do with a natural, gray tint.

The batch proportions are as follows:

Screenings (crushed stone fraction 0-5) - 38 kg (three ten-liter buckets);
Sand (river, washed) - 18 kg (one ten-liter bucket);
Cement (M-500) - 17 kg (fourteen liter bucket);
Plasticizer - 80 grams per batch (diluted with a liter warm water);
Water - 8.5 liters (if the weather is hot, another 0.7 liters).

Mixing technology:

Screenings (all) are put into the concrete mixer first;
Water pours in;
Added plasticizer;
The mixture is thoroughly mixed;
Added cement;
Thorough mixing again;
Added sand;
Last mixing (if necessary, water is added).

The consistency of the solution is quite thick, reminiscent of wet earth - this is a conscious choice, although many prefer to work with more fluid solutions.

Kostya9

Liquid concrete that liquid mud– no strength.

Forms previously lubricated with engine oil (in the corners, with a brush) are placed on a vibrating table. Filling with a solution should be uniform.

Processing time - from three to seven minutes. Vibration should not only compact the mixture, but also expel air bubbles from it. In the process of processing, the forms are interchanged and rotated around their axis - so that the impact is uniform. As it shrinks, the mortar is added until the mold is completely filled, you can slap it with your hand to ensure that there are no voids left. From the vibrating table, the forms are sent for more than a day (25-30 hours) to the dryer. On the advice of the participants in the branch, the old refrigerator, aka drying chamber, was turned from the side, to the “back”, this greatly simplified the process of laying and removing the product.

After this period, the finished tile easily comes out of the mold due to lubrication, and thanks to ongoing hydration processes that keep the raw material hot. If you overexpose the tile and it cools down, it will be more difficult to get it out of the plastic - you will have to pour boiling water over it so that the plastic expands. However, if you overdo it not for a couple of hours, but for a couple of days, and it has time to completely cool down, it will be difficult to take it out, even using boiling water.

Having stuffed his hand on a square tile, the craftsman moved on to figured tiles and decided to use chromium oxide as a dye.

The first test of adding the dye according to the norm, at the rate of 1% of the binder (170 grams per batch), practically did not give a result. It was not a color that appeared, but a light, almost imperceptible shade, so the dosage was doubled, which gave the desired green. Like a plasticizer, the dye was previously diluted in water.

Homemade tiles from Commander

Commander Member of FORUMHOUSE

He covered both the barn and the yard with tiles of his own manufacture, paths to the greenhouses too. Very good and beneficial!

And in this case, a homemade vibrating table was used. Here's the "recipe" for anyone interested:

Motor - from washing machine(on rubber shock absorbers);
From her - a pulley for a belt drive from the engine to the eccentric;
Eccentric - the former rotor of the electric motor: cut off by a grinder 1/3, a cage for bearings is machined, holders are welded, the whole structure is screwed to an iron sheet;
On top of the sheet / table - wooden flooring 60x60 cm (for tiles 50x50 cm);
High sides - so that you can make tiles 6 cm thick.

For household purposes - paths to the barn, in the garage, along the edges, the Commander makes large, square tiles measuring 50x50 cm, and for decorative paths resembling sidewalks - figured. The forms, as in the first version, are polymeric, soft - unlike hard plastic ones, they do not break for several years.

The composition of the solution and the proportions for batching:

Gravel - a bucket;
Cement - a bucket;
Screening - 3 buckets;
Plasticizer - 2/3 cup;
Water.

Water is poured into a working mixer, a plasticizer is added, gravel is next, after gravel is wetted, cement is added. When the mixture becomes homogeneous, screenings are added. The commander does not add sand, as there is a large amount of dust in the screening, which replaces it and prevents the formation of voids. Forms before use are lubricated with palm oil, as they become dirty, they are easily washed with Karcher. But they become contaminated if the technology is violated and the tiles do not withstand the prescribed day, so it is better not to rush.

Paving stones are a highly demanded building material. However, a natural stone rather expensive as it is difficult to process. Therefore, natural minerals are often replaced with artificial stone based on cement binders. Such material is often referred to simply as paving slabs. You can buy it in many places, for example, paving slabs manufacturer / mos-bruschatka.ru is distinguished by an attractive price and good quality.

And you can make paving slabs with your own hands. It is so easy to make that almost everyone can do it, which some do by making tiles from artificial stone, including for sale.

To do this, you only need a room, such as a barn or garage, and a simple vibrating table. It's nice to have the luxury of a concrete mixer, but a shovel with a trough will work too. The initial raw materials are cement, sand, plasticizer, and, if necessary, dye.

The most important additive in the formulation of paving slabs is a plasticizer. It has the following impact on the technological process and the quality of the final product:

Eliminates cracking tiles when dry;

Increases plasticity and prevents delamination cement mixture;

Increases frost resistance and strength of finished tiles;

Gives the product some water-repellent properties.

In addition, it is sometimes possible to work with a plasticized mixture without a vibrating table.

These additives are usually available from companies specializing in the supply of raw materials for the production reinforced concrete structures. Most famous brands plasticizers for concrete - "Superpalast C-3" or Chinese grades A, B or C. But instead of industrial preparations, some detergents are quite suitable. For example, cheap liquid soap, sold in hardware stores in 5 liter cans, chopped laundry soap, shampoo or dishwashing liquid.

Often one of the following substances is used, the amount is given per 12 kg of cement (bucket):

2 tbsp. l. (with a slide) washing powder,

2 tbsp. l. liquid soap;

2 tsp dishwashing liquid.

Works well as a plasticizer slaked lime. Its proportions are selected approximately at the rate of 1 part per 6 parts of cement, but it is preferable to select the optimal ratio experimentally. This additive protects products from cracking, makes them smooth, even, resistant to sudden temperature changes. However, it should be noted that lime is incompatible with other types of plasticizers.

There are also semi-mystical additives, such as egg white, used allegedly by ancient builders in the construction of structures with special strength. Now this is not applied, but no one forbids experimenting if there is such a desire.

Forms for pouring paving slabs.

They can be purchased at the store. Here is the approximate durability of the molds by the number of castings, depending on the material from which they are made:

Polyurethane - up to 100;

Plastic - up to 250;

Rubber - up to 500.

Note: despite the rapid wear, polyurethane is good because it is easy to form, so designers who create their own products are most interested in it. And two-component polyurethane compounds are now not a problem to purchase. But do not forget that in order to cast a sufficient number of tiles, you will need more than a dozen identical molds, otherwise this process will drag on for a very long time.

Before pouring the cement mixture, it is advisable to lubricate the molds so that the frozen casting can be pulled out of them more easily. A special emulsion for these purposes is commercially available, but it is easier to prepare it yourself in accordance with the following recipe:

3 liters of heated water;

A glass of engine oil or waste;

50-60 ml of liquid soap.

A well-mixed product is applied with a brush in a thin layer on the inner surface of the mold, trying to avoid puddles on its bottom.

Approximate recipes for paving slabs.

Components of the simplest solution:

Sand - 30 kg;

Plasticizer - 100 g;

Portland cement not lower than M-500 - 15 kg;

Water is about half the volume of cement.

Solution using granite chips:

Portland cement not lower than M-500 - 10 kg;

Sand - 15 kg;

Small crushed granite - 15 kg;

Plasticizer - 100 g;

Water up to half of the volume of cement.

Instead of granite, fine gravel is quite suitable. In addition to these components, it is possible to add up to 1 kg / m3 of a solution of special reinforcing polyamide, basalt or glass fibers used in the manufacture of foam fiber concrete. Painted tiles are obtained by adding pigments, according to the instructions for a specific type of dye. To obtain a uniform color, the solution must be thoroughly mixed.

Do-it-yourself casting of paving slabs. Step-by-step instruction.

First, the molds are half-filled, then compacted on a vibrating table for 3-5 minutes. This is necessary so that the lower - front side the tiles spilled well, and there were no shells left on it from possible air bubbles. During the operation of the vibrating table, the solution is topped up to the top.

The filled forms are moved to a previously prepared flat surface, covered with a film and left for at least a couple of days. After hardening, the tile is removed from the mold and stored under the film for the next 10 days. Further, in order for it to gain strength, it is kept for outdoors at least a month.

If you want to further increase the strength, the tile is reinforced with an iron grate that is placed in the mold before pouring. In addition, there is an ironing process that increases surface hardness, for which the not yet dried, but already hardened tile is sprinkled with dry Portland cement and rubbed evenly.