Do-it-yourself paving slabs - home-made technology. Technology for the production of paving stones and paving slabs

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Production technology paving slabs quite simple. You can do it at home. To make paving slabs you will need fairly affordable equipment. Judge for yourself, the most expensive thing you will have to buy is a concrete mixer. You can make a vibration table yourself. You will have to buy molds for tiles, but today they are not as expensive as before. Good shape made of high-quality material can be purchased at a price of $1 per piece. The price of the form is determined by the quality of the material, the size and design style of the form itself. To fully equip the line, you need to purchase a collecting shovel, a good metal bucket of 10 liters, a bucket that will be filled with ready-made tiles, and rubber gloves for safe work. When you have a fully complete line for the production of paving slabs, you can purchase and deliver raw materials for production:

cement grade not lower than A-Sh-400;
plasticizer C-3;
pigment dye;
granite screening;
lubricant for molds.

The production cycle itself can be divided into several stages:

preparation of plastic forms;
preparation of colored concrete;
daily vibration casting process;
excerpt;
stripping and new preparation forms

Paving slabs are manufactured using a simple technological process

Preparing molds before manufacturing vibrocast products. Paving slabs are made using simple equipment:

vibrating table;
concrete mixer;
forms.

Here detailed instructions for the production of concrete products by vibration casting. At first production cycle It is necessary to prepare forms for filling. It is better to use plastic forms. The technology provides for nuances in the forming and demoulding of vibration-cast products. Before manufacturing, we lubricate the molds with a special lubricant for high-quality formwork removal. The lubricant also increases the service life of the molds up to 500 cycles or more. It is better to wash greased forms after stripping before the next pour. This is also very important. For beginners, it is better to purchase special lubricant. If desired, you can make the lubricant yourself. But here it is important to clearly guess the proportions. This is how you make lubricant for plastic molds. 50 grams of motor oil should be diluted in 1.5 liters of water. You need to shake this mixture very well and for a long time. Experiment very carefully with the proportions of the lubricant. It is important for you to choose the ideal balance of fat content. Too much grease will ruin your entire batch. After very greasy grease, you get shells in the tiles. These paving slabs look more like shell rock. Low fat content in the lubricant will not give the desired effect when stripping. After greasing the molds, you can prepare the concrete.

Preparation of components for the preparation of concrete. Before preparing the concrete mixture, you need to prepare the concrete mixer itself. Use a bucket of water to rinse the nutria concrete mixer. Be sure to pour out the water. The walls where the concrete will be mixed must be damp. To make paving slabs, you need to make half-wet concrete. Its strength and the duration of aging of products in molds depend on this. Wet walls will mix the concrete composition better and will prevent the concrete mixer from becoming heavily clogged with mortar deposits. Next, you should prepare a plasticizer and concrete dye. The plasticizer should be 0.5% of the amount of all components of the solution in dry form. For 40 liters of concrete you will need 200g. plasticizer. Under no circumstances should plasticizer be added in dry form. It must be cooked first. Dilute 200g. plasticizer in 1 liter of hot water 70-80 degrees Celsius. The water must be hot so that the plasticizer dissolves well. Beating the hot water well in a measuring cup, add plasticizer powder in small portions. Precipitation should not be allowed; it must dissolve well. Next we prepare the concrete pigment dye. The percentage of dye should be at least 2% of all components in dry form. If you make high-quality paving slabs, you cannot skimp on dye. You should succeed saturated color concrete that will keep its color for years. Pigment dye is quite expensive and many are trying to maintain production costs by saving on plasticizer costs. But this approach is unjustified. After a year or two, the tiles will lose their color. Two years after rain, wet tiles will look like new, but when dry, the color is almost invisible. To justify saving dye, it is better to use the technology of filling in two layers. Fill the molds halfway with colored concrete and immediately with colorless concrete. Such tiles will be even stronger. Only the intervals between filling layers should not exceed 20 minutes. This way you can save expensive dye by 2 times. Pre-dilute 800g of dye in a 3-liter jar of water at a temperature of 40-50 degrees. Mix thoroughly and add in small portions. Under no circumstances should precipitation be allowed in the dye. This sediment can damage your tiles. A small clump of dye residue in the face of the tile makes the sink. Thus, paving slabs may lose their presentation and strength due to poorly diluted dye. If the pigment dye is not diluted well, it will not impart the proper color to the tile.

Technological process for manufacturing vibrocast tiles. When our forms are greased, the plasticizer and pigment dye are diluted, the concrete mixer is moistened, we can hammer the concrete. The technology for manufacturing paving slabs has its own characteristics for preparing concrete. This is a low water composition. The strength of concrete products depends on the ratio of cement and water. One has only to add 30% more liquid and the concrete will lose its strength by 2 times. The tile mortar, as mentioned above, should be half wet (like wet soil). It may seem too dry to you, but once it hits the shaking table, it will seem too wet. This is the trick that awaits you in the process of making paving slabs. Therefore, we add less water than cement by 30% of the volume. 3 buckets of cement require 2 buckets of water, including plasticizer and dye. This kind of concrete is quite difficult to mix. To do this, you need to pre-moisten the concrete mixer. Well, now we turn on the concrete mixer and first of all pour in a measured portion of water without dye and plasticizer. Next, add a portion of cement and mix to form a homogeneous emulsion (popularly called milk). Then we add screenings and we already have a solution. Mix well and add the pre-diluted components: plasticizer and dye. And mix it all well until we get a beautifully colored homogeneous mass.

This recipe for semi-dry concrete is intended for vibration casting of thin-walled concrete products or for the production of cinder blocks on a homemade machine.

When we have the concrete ready, we fill out the forms and place them on the vibrating table. The number of molds on the table plays an important role in the intensity of vibration. The table springs should not be too overloaded or too loose. The vibration must be at a certain intensity. Once you have placed the forms with concrete on the table and turned on the vibrating table, the magic begins. Dry concrete begins to turn into liquid. More and more space appears in the forms and you need to fill them out more. It seems that the forms on the vibrating table already contain liquid concrete, but if you turn the form over, its contents do not fall out, but stick tightly to the edges of the form - which means you are doing everything correctly. The vibration duration should last approximately 4-5 minutes. With proper vibration, do not turn off the vibrating table until white foam appears on the concrete in the forms. This indicates that all the air has escaped from the concrete. Then remove the forms and take them to a room protected from sunlight. The tile dries literally within a day. It is helped in this by the low water content and the plasticizer that is included in the tiles. The plasticizer not only imparts elasticity during formation, but also effectively dries and enhances the strength of the concrete product. The next day you can remove the formwork and you have finished tiles. It needs to rest for 5 days before being sold. This will give it maximum strength. The forms must be washed after stripping, even though they have been greased. Concrete is so tenacious that it still leaves marks on plastic forms. You can't wash them off with plain water. It's better to use a lot of salt. Prepare a high concentration saline solution in advance. This makes it much easier and faster to wash plastic molds for paving slabs.

Calculation of profitability in paving slab manufacturing technology

In order to produce 1 square meter of paving slabs we need:
One bucket of cement brand A-Sh-400 - price per bucket $1.5
Three buckets of screenings - price for three buckets is $0.4 (cost of screening for 4 tons with delivery = $32)
Plasticizer 200g. - price for 200g. $0.4 (price per bag of plasticizer 25 kg = $47).
Pigment dye 400g. (subject to two-layer filling of forms, color / colorless) - price 0.9 $ (30 kg bag = 62 $)
TOTAL: 1.5$+0.4$+0.4$+0.9$= 3.2$, and the cost of one square meter of colored paving slabs = 7.5$.
Business profitability is 135%. The technology for producing paving slabs brings quite a significant income. Of course, a certain percentage of rejection is possible. But the defect of such material will always find its use on a construction site. With such profitability, it can be priced competitively under different conditions. For example, when ordering 1000 squares there is a 30% discount. Colorless paving slabs have the same level of profitability. But it's harder to sell. Colorless tiles can be offered to create budget patterns when laying. This way you can save money and decorate your tile flooring.

Equipment for the production of paving slabs and prices

To make paving slabs you need to buy equipment.

Name	Photo	Price
Concrete mixer.		The price depends on the volume in liters, on average $1.5 per liter. Concrete mixer 300 l. will cost $450. The larger the volume, the cheaper the price per 1 liter.
Vibrating table		You can do it yourself; it will cost you $180 maximum. A new one will cost from $500. I highly recommend making a vibration table with your own hands, there is nothing complicated there.
Molds for making paving slabs.		It is better to take forms from good thick-walled plastic. The cost of such forms starts from $1 per piece. For one square meter of rocky-shaped covering you will need 25 pieces. And for a “brick” shaped square you need to buy 50 molds. It all depends on the size of the tile.
Bucket. Shovel. Latex gloves.		Available to everyone.

To calculate payback periods, we need the following indicators: cost of equipment in dollars productivity square meters per day cost of production in dollars per 1 sq.m. profitability in percent (%).

It is better to start calculating the payback period of a business with performance indicators

Let's say we want to produce 40 sq.m. Rocky-shaped tiles per day. We will need a 300 liter concrete mixer (this will be approximately 6 pumps of mortar) costing $450. Homemade vibration table $180. Molds $1 * 25 pieces per square meter “Rocky” * 40 sq.m. = $1000. Bucket, shovel, rubber seals = $20. The total cost of purchasing equipment is $1000+$450+$180+$20=$1650. The selling price of forty square meters of the finished product will be 40 square meters. * $7.5 (price per 1 sq.m.) = $300. And the cost of tiles is 40 square meters. * $3.2 = $128. With an established sales market, the turnover balance (net profit) is $300 - $128 = $172 per day. It is important to note that the cost of production does not include the cost of wages to workers. The plan is designed for one person. This means you will need to prepare 1000 forms. Preparation may take up to 5 days. For this reason, your true balance per day will be $172 / 5 days = $34. Therefore, a fair payback period for equipment will be: $1650 (equipment purchase) / $34 (net profit) = 50 days. If you plan to work on weekends, then 50 days / 22 working days = 2.5 months.

Pros and cons of the paving slab manufacturing business

Overall the business looks very attractive. Advantages of a business idea: The idea does not require specialized investments to start High percentage of profitability Simple technological production process Short payback period. Of the minuses it is worth noting. Business depends significantly on seasonality. The process of preparing forms is quite long and boring (all forms need to be washed off the concrete with salt water and treated with lubricant). Anyone can start this business. It can be made both the main and additional source of income. The production of vibrocast products can also be used for cost savings. For example, consider purchasing tiles for installation near your home as an alternative.

If you have a construction project underway, then you probably already have a concrete mixer. You will make the table yourself, but you need to buy the molds. In cases of defective products, they can be used for other purposes at a construction site. If you are a very cautious person and are not ready to take risks, then purchase a couple of forms and try your hand at a meager cost. I assure you, everything works out for you. Paving slabs are a popular product on the market building materials. This is a consumable item. This is the most practical covering for the yard. For example, asphalt releases toxic fumes when heated. Concrete cracks at sub-zero temperatures. Mobility tile covering allows you to freely replace worn areas. Believe in the product you are selling and people will buy it from you.

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Paths in a personal or garden plot, paved with paving slabs, are functional and aesthetic. Pavers are strong, durable, easy to maintain and attractive. But the costs of such a coating, if we are talking about purchasing several tens of square meters of tiles, are significant. Therefore, craftsmen, in order to save money, using technologies available for home conditions, have been successfully making paving slabs with their own hands for several years.

The quality of paving slabs depends on adherence to technology and the correct recipe

Technology selection

There are two ways to produce paving slabs:

vibration pressing;
vibration casting.

The first method for producing tiles at home is not suitable by definition - there is nothing with which to press. And making high-quality paving stones with your own hands using the vibration casting method is quite possible.

Manufacturers offer the following types of molds for the production of paving stones:

polyurethane – allow you to make up to 100 molding revolutions;
made of plastic – up to 250 rpm;
made of plastic rubber - more than 500 cycles.

The price of products depends on the number of molding cycles, so the high cost of rubber and plastic molds involves their use in the production of large volumes of tiles, and polyurethane products are quite accessible to the average buyer. By purchasing 5 molds, you can make 500 pieces of paving slabs with your own hands, and with careful handling you can make even more.

Molds for casting tiles

Molding templates for making paving stones

To cast paving slabs “on site”, template molds are used in the form of a frame of partitions, reminiscent of irregularly shaped honeycombs, which you can buy or make yourself. Having laid such a frame on a properly prepared base, the honeycombs are filled with concrete. After a few hours, the template is removed, and instead of honeycombs, ready-made flat concrete fragments remain on the base, between which only the seams need to be arranged.

In addition, if paving stones are planned to be laid, for example, on auxiliary paths garden plot, and the requirements for it are low, then the molds for casting such tiles can be made with your own hands.

To make paving stones, first of all you need to stock up on special molds for casting

Self-production of casting molds

DIY paving slabs.
The universal format of paving slabs is a square with a side of 30 cm. This size provides the necessary strength when working in bending and is convenient for cutting the product in half or into 4 parts when you need to adjust the material. Therefore, from smoothly planed wooden blocks with a cross-section of 60 x 30 mm, you need to make a frame with your own hands internal dimensions 30 x 30 cm and 60 mm deep. It is better to assemble the frame using self-tapping screws, which later, when removing the frozen product, will be easy to unscrew and then return to its place.

To form a pattern on the front side of future paving slabs, choose an elastic base with a corrugated surface, for example, a rubber mat with a large pattern, and place the mold frame on it.

Before molding the sides, the frames and the shaped base are coated with a thin layer of kitchen dishwashing gel using a brush.

To ensure that the process of making tiles with your own hands does not drag on for months or years, you need to make at least 10 molds.

Making paving slabs with your own hands is a rather labor-intensive process.

Disposable ones can be used as molds for small format paving slabs. plastic containers for packaging various products, filling them with a solution to a fixed depth. The turnover of such “forms” is 5-10 cycles, but this is compensated by the insignificant cost of used boxes.

Technology for manufacturing paving slabs using vibration casting method

This method involves pouring cement-based mortar special forms with simultaneous or subsequent compaction of the contents by vibration.

Vibration casting can be produced using single-layer and two-layer technology.

Single layer method

Single-layer technology consists of filling the molds with a solution, compacting them on a vibrating table, followed by keeping the products in the molds for two days and removing the formwork. The strength and aesthetics of such tiles are lower than those of two-layer paving stones made by vibration casting, so they are used for paving utility areas that do not require high aesthetics.

Making vibropressed paving slabs is easier than making vibrocast ones

Double-layer vibration casting

When pouring in two layers, a solution with a coloring pigment is poured into the molds in a layer of 1-2 cm while simultaneously vibrating. On top of the colored solution, without waiting for the front layer to set, the composition of the base layer without dye is poured flush with the edges of the molds and subjected to vibration for 15-30 seconds. After 2 days, the products are removed from the molds and stored for drying in a cool place.

Regardless of the number of layers, the forms filled with mortar are covered plastic film to prevent premature evaporation of moisture and partial loss of paving stone strength.

The purpose of the facing layer is to increase the strength characteristics and aesthetics of paving slabs. This layer is a durable shell with a glossy surface, painted in the selected color by adding a dye to the solution. If instead of gray cement M500 you use white cement of the same brand, then colored front layer can be made saturated, without a gray tint.

Making your own mortar for paving stones is economical option

Components of face concrete

To make the front layer durable, uniform and glossy, the solution must include the following materials:

cement M500 (preferably white);
crushed stone (granite, marble, gravel) fraction 5-10 mm;
sifted sand in the ratio;
water;
color;
dispersant.

Concrete recipe for forming the face layer

When mixing the front layer, the weight ratio of the amount of cement and AHP is 1:2.

Using the example of a specific operation, we will consider the procedure for mixing the face layer solution in a concrete mixer. 10 liters of water are poured into the mixer, to which dye is first added in the case of the production of colored paving stones. Then pour in 750 grams of an aqueous dispersant solution, turn on the concrete mixer and sequentially fill in 3 buckets of ACHPS and Portland cement M500. After mixing for a minute, 3 more buckets of screenings are added to the concrete mixer.

Concrete is mixed in a concrete mixer in a certain sequence

Mixing is carried out for 15-20 minutes until the solution acquires a homogeneous consistency of thick sour cream, after which the mass is transferred from the concrete mixer to the tub, and molding can be done.

The amount of color in the solution should be no more than 5% of the batch volume. The proportion used must be remembered in case you need to make additional batches.

Forming the face layer of tiles in a mold

After lubricating the inner surface of the molds, the prepared solution is spread into them in a layer of 1-2 cm and compacted by vibration. In the absence of a vibrating table, you can get by by installing the molded products on a sheet of iron and tapping them from below with a rubber mallet. Particularly savvy craftsmen use for vibration washing machine, on which forms are placed when the centrifuge is running in spin mode.

The main difference between paving stones and paving slabs is their shape

Base layer solution components

In the formulation of the solution forming the main layer, the dispersant is replaced by a plasticizer. In the process of preparing the solution, one part of M500 cement is mixed with three parts of crushed stone-sand mixture. The plasticizer is added in the same amount as the dispersant to the front layer.

How to mix concrete to pour the base layer

Let's consider the technology for producing a specific portion of the solution using a concrete mixer.

750 grams of an aqueous solution of plasticizer are stirred in 12 liters of water, after which 5 buckets of AHP and 3 buckets of Portland cement M500 are sequentially poured into a running mixer with liquid, after which another 3-4 buckets of screenings are added. There is no need to color the base material of paving slabs. The concrete is mixed for about a quarter of an hour and, upon reaching the consistency of sour cream, is discharged into the tub.

To mix concrete per 1 square meter at home. paving stones 6 cm thick, you will need:

Crushed stone-sand mixture – 90 kg;
Cement M500 – 25 kg;
Dispersant – 120 grams;
Plasticizer – 100 grams;
Dye – 600-800 grams.

Reinforcement of paving stones and pouring the base layer

To increase the strength of the tiles, you can reinforce the product yourself. An ideal fit for reinforcement is a “cut-out” (expanded steel sheet) cut to size, made from a steel sheet 1 or 2 mm thick. The grooved pieces are laid on top of the mortar of the face layer of the tile and covered with concrete flush with the edges of the forms. Reinforcement of products at home can also be done using pieces of thick wire or smooth rolled reinforcement placed crosswise, or steel mesh.

To ensure the solidity of the tile, the filling of the second layer is carried out no later than 20 minutes after the formation of the first.

After compacting the solution by vibrating, the molds are laid on a horizontal surface in a cool place for two days until the concrete hardens.

Modern paving slabs are suitable for arranging urban or suburban courtyards

Stripping molds and removing tiles

If the mold is made with your own hands from wooden blocks, then the fastening screws are unscrewed at one of the joints, after which the frame is moved apart and the product is released. The paving stones are given another 10 days to gain strength and dry, laying the tiles in one layer in a cool room.

If polyurethane molds were used to produce the tiles, then the mold with the product is placed in a bath of warm (60 degrees) water for a couple of minutes to soften the polymer, after which the tile is removed and also placed in a cool place for 10 days until it is finally ready for use.

Considering that the tile must be in the mold for two days, you can, having 10 molds at your disposal, daily remove 5 finished products and make 5 further molds.

Initially in the work of creating road surface The craftsmen used exclusively wild and untreated stone - with chips, sharp edges, and asymmetrical shape. The paths lined with such stone were not comfortable and therefore gradually humanity began to invent various ways processing of raw materials, and also came up with technologies for the production of tiles for sidewalks. WITH modern technologies, as well as the nuances that the production of paving slabs from wild stone sandstone has, we will get acquainted in the following sections of the article.

General information about making sidewalk tiles

IN modern world tile production is one of the largest industrial sectors, in which huge factories and factories operate, private manufacturing enterprises. Such development of the industry is quite justified, because paving slabs are products that are in demand among consumers.

Due to such demand for the material, many articles have appeared on the Internet on the topic of opening your own tile enterprise, which should provide the owner with fabulous profits from the moment of its launch. But this is not so - the enterprise will be profitable only if you not only correctly calculate the costs of producing paving slabs , but also thoroughly study the manufacturing technologies of the material, which in fact are not so simple.

Moreover, to open an enterprise producing tile material, you will need to rent enough large room, because you will have to place quite large equipment for producing tiles. What equipment is used in the process of producing tiles will be discussed in detail in the next section of the article.

Production equipment and types of technologies

The main unit that is used in production process for the production of tiles - this is a brick press, which is shown in the photo above. For a profitable enterprise, you will need more than one such machine, because the vibrocompression machine is designed for a specific area of the material being produced. The technology for manufacturing paving slabs involves the use of a vibratory compaction unit to compact the mortar poured into the device. In principle, devices of this type are used in the production of any concrete products.

Vibropressing units are different: they can differ in the size of the platform for forming tiles, in dimensions, and in the level of automation of the work process. The price for it will depend on the specific type of device. On average, the cost of a brick making press starts from three and a half thousand euros.

Note: The cost of a vibrocompression unit will also depend on the brand that produced the equipment. This price is not entirely “fair”, since you will have to pay most of the price simply for the name. Therefore, when purchasing equipment, do not rush, look reliable machine in an assortment of domestic brands.

You cannot do without a vibropress if you have chosen vibrocompression as your production technology. But there is another method for producing the material - vibration casting.

What is needed to make paving slabs this way? Of course, special equipment, namely vibrating tables. When producing material using the cast method, the vibrating table will compact the concrete mixture due to high vibration. Vibration will remove excess water and air from the solution and will produce high-quality and durable tiles.

By their design, vibrating tables are the simplest devices. They look like regular tables, but only made of metal and equipped with a motor, as shown in the photo above. Vibrating tables and a brick press are the main equipment, but for the production of tiles you will also need to purchase secondary technical equipment. Let's find out what additional devices and units are needed in any case, regardless of the type of tile production.

Additional production equipment

It was already mentioned above that the types of production of tile material can be different, but no matter what production technology you choose, in addition to the main equipment, the enterprise must have additional equipment:

Molds for tiles. These forms are made from the most different materials: There are molds made of plastic, polyurethane, silicone, rubber, molded plastic. You need to know that some types of forms are categorically inapplicable in large-scale production of the product; it is better to purchase them for use in a small private enterprise. As for this method of manufacturing tiles, such as vibration pressing, it uses special steel molds;
Mixer. Tile production is impossible without concrete mixers. These units help prepare high-quality concrete mortar for the manufacture of paving slabs. Concrete mixers come in various types, but in the process of producing tiles, gravitational and forced devices are more often used. The more tiles the enterprise must produce, the larger the unit required for the production process;
Sieve. Another type of equipment that cannot be dispensed with during tile production is vibrating screens. Using this tool, bulk components are sifted to make a mixture.

Also on large enterprise To produce tiles, you will need a device such as a stacker. With the help of this device, manufactured products can be easily stored. We have already said that tile production can be carried out in two ways - vibration casting and vibration pressing. What is the difference between the technologies? Let’s figure it out together by studying in detail the indicated manufacturing methods.

Production of tiles using vibration pressing method

This technology can be briefly described as follows: the solution is placed in a mold and then vibrates in a vibrating press under a certain pressure. Vibrocompression is a method ideal for producing large batches of material, because this process can be maximally automated. Moreover, by vibropressing it is possible to obtain a two-layer product, as well as colored tiles. The process of producing finished material using equipment of this type takes place in several stages:

Preparation of the solution. If the tile products are of a single-layer type, the solution is mixed in one concrete mixer; if the finished product has two layers, two units mixing the mixture are used. The proportions of the components are selected individually . The composition of the mixture for the production of paving slabs depends on various factors: the quality of raw materials, the purpose of the finished product, and so on. As soon as the mixture is ready, it is immediately poured into molds and placed in a press;
Forming stage. At the molding stage, the matrix of the device will be pressed tightly against the unit platform and after the punch has lowered to the desired position, the vibrators will turn on. Vibrating pulses will act on the loaded mixture and cause it to become compacted. The molding process does not last too long - usually after five minutes the molded products are completely ready, you can turn off the press and move the products onto pallets.
Drying stage. To dry, the tiles are moved to special rooms, where they are additionally treated with hot steam. If it is not possible to dry the products with steam, it is advisable to use special additives for the production of tiles during the mixing process, for example, Portland cement.

You can see in detail the process of producing tile products using the vibration pressing method in the video:

Vibration pressing is also divided into two separate subtypes: semi-dry hyper-pressing and semi-dry vibro-pressing.

The recipe for preparing the mixture for semi-dry vibrocompression differs in that the components are poured into the concrete mixer in a semi-dry state and crushed stone is necessarily added to them. The tiles produced using this method are very, very similar to wild stone.

When hyperpressing, the mixture is compacted not with the help of vibration impulses, but due to the influence of pressure. To produce products using this technology, a double-sided press is most often used. According to reviews from professionals, tiles produced by hyperpressing are characterized by increased strength. Vibration pressing is a technology that allows you to obtain a product that is as resistant to temperature changes (both cold and heat), moisture, mechanical stress. GOST for this product allows the use of concrete with a reduced water content as a component of the mixture, and therefore its production is economical.

Description of vibration casting technology

If the tiles are produced using the vibration casting method, then the induced solution is poured into the molds of the vibrating table. This method will not be able to produce a significant number of products at a time, but it is considered cheaper, and therefore this is how tile products are made in private enterprises.

Vibratory casting also has its advantages: this method allows you to produce tiles different forms, color palette, it is possible to produce material with a beautiful glossy surface. The product development process consists of the following sequential stages:

Mixing the mixture. If the tiles are colored, then two concrete mixers are used in the process of mixing the mixture. In the first unit, the usual mixture is mixed, the components of which are cement and sand for the manufacture of paving slabs; in the second machine, dyes are added to the solution;
Preparation of forms. Forms for vibration casting can be selected from any material. It is much more important to position them correctly on the table - the forms are installed so that there are practically no gaps between them. First, the mixture with the dye is poured into the molds, then the vibrating table is turned on in operating mode for 10-12 seconds, and then the mixture without pigment is added to them and the solution is poured into the mold to the brim;
Vibration treatments. There is no need to expose products to vibration for a long time - 6-10 seconds is enough;
Drying. Drying should occur within 48 hours. In this case, pallets with forms should under no circumstances be moved or dragged around the room;
Stripping of products. Stripping is carried out by heating the forms in a water bath. But even at this stage, the tiles are not yet considered ready - they need to be packaged and allowed to stand for final hardening. On average, the hardening process lasts from one week, but if paving slabs were made in winter, the products should reach condition within 3 weeks.

Tiles produced by vibration casting are smooth, and therefore cannot be used where the temperature external environment often drops below zero, but such tiles allow you to design paths and sidewalks in a truly original way.

The main factors due to which tile paving has become so popular are the transparency of the laying technology and the ease of repairing the coating if necessary. In this case, heavy construction equipment, trucks and a large number of workers will not be required to arrange a garden or pedestrian path. You can do the landscaping of your backyard yourself, but if the amount of work is large, it will be enough to invite 1-2 friends.

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

Factory technology

IN industrial scale production of vibro-cast, vibro-pressed 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 easy to use. It is built on the fact that a cement-based solution is poured into curly forms and compact it on a special surface by vibration.

Vibropress.

Such products are distinguished by rich colors and are 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 do on special equipment which compacts the concrete mixture high pressure. Such paving stones are stronger, but also more expensive due to the use of a press and increased energy consumption.

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

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

Equipment and supplies for work

In homestead conditions, of course, there is no special industrial equipment, and therefore the technology for making paving slabs at home is based on vibration compaction of concrete. To complete the work you will need the following equipment and supplies:

small;
wide container for receiving ready-made concrete;
sieve for sifting sand;
or other flat vibrating surface;
forms for pouring concrete mixture;
rubber hammer;
shovels, buckets, spatulas.

In addition, you need a strong, stable rack for drying tile blanks in molds.

Necessary materials

From building materials you will need:

cement grade PC500 or PC400;
washed or river sand, preferably middle fraction;
gravel fraction no more than 10 mm;
natural or mineral pigment;
lubricant for molds.

If the gravel is dirty or contains a lot of dust, it must be washed, since impurities can adversely affect the quality of the products and their color shade.

Organization of the work site

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.

A concrete mixer, as the main equipment for the production of paving slabs, should be positioned so that there is enough space to place a pile of sand and gravel near it.

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

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

Molds for production

Manufacturers offer forms of various configurations and sizes, made from different materials. You can buy standard square or rectangular, composed of several elements or monoblock shapes. These can be cups for making each product separately and for simultaneous pouring of several slabs.

If desired, molding equipment will not be difficult. In this case, you can get exclusive products that no one else has. For this they use various materials- from wood and polystyrene to metal and plaster.

It is important to remember that tiles made by vibration casting have a reduced strength and frost resistance. Therefore, an important factor when choosing molds is their depth, which determines the thickness of the future product.

When homemade its thickness must be at least 40 mm for pedestrian paths and sidewalks and at least 60 mm for travel or parking areas passenger car. The movement of freight transport on such tiles is extremely undesirable.

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Manufacturing instructions

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

preparation of concrete mixture;
preparing forms before laying concrete;
pouring concrete mixture into molds and operating the vibrating table;
concrete hardening period;
unmolding and storing finished paving stones.

Each stage has its own technological features, some of which may have several options.

Requirements for concrete mixture

There are certain requirements for materials for making concrete. The sand must be sifted through a sieve to remove particles of clay, earth and other unwanted impurities that reduce the quality of concrete. The gravel must be clean. Otherwise, it must be washed with water. The use of PC300 cement is unacceptable even when added in increased proportions.

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

Fiber fiber.

According to experts, the ideal ratio of mixture components for making tiles 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% of the mass 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;
fiber fiber 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 resembles thick sour cream.

If dry pigment dye is used in the work, it must first be dissolved in water and then added to the concrete in an amount of no more than 1.2 liters per batch.

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

Solution mixing mode.

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

Lubrication of molds.

Placing ready-mixed concrete into molds

The types of forms and their possible choice or making with your own hands were discussed above. Therefore, the process of filling them and compacting them on a vibrating table will be described here.

In order to ready-made tiles easier to remove after the mold hardens, it is necessary to carry out pre-treatment. To do this, they are lubricated from the inside with light machine or vegetable oil. In extreme cases, it is permissible to use a thick soap solution.

If they let you financial resources, then you can purchase a special lubricant composition in stores. It will provide easier unmolding, but will require additional costs.

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To quickly fill molds, it is recommended to install a low table near the vibrating table. It will be possible to place forms on it and fill it there. This will reduce the amount cement mortar spilled onto the working vibrating surface.

The filling process can be done in three ways:

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

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

In the second case, pure concrete will act as a solid base, resulting in a stronger tile. In addition, the cost of purchasing dye is reduced. However, you will have 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.

Methods for painting tiles

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

The tiles are made of colored concrete throughout the entire volume;
Products are made in two layers, where upper layer the tiles are made from colored colored mortar, and the rest of the mass is made from ordinary gray concrete mixture;
Before pouring concrete into molds, their inner surface is coated with a water-based paint;
Superficial.

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

Forms with filled concrete mixture on the vibrating table.

Placing filled forms on a vibrating platform

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

Vibration treatment of paving slabs allows you to displace all the air and efficiently compact the concrete mixture. If during the vibration process there is a strong subsidence of the solution, 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, therefore, their durability, directly depend on the quality of compaction of the concrete mixture. Therefore, the vibration treatment process 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.

Concrete hardening process

After processing on the vibrating table, the completed forms must be transferred to a storage rack. The shelves of the rack must be able to withstand a large weight load, and the rack itself must be in the shade, excluding direct sunlight from hitting the surface.

The process of initial setting of concrete during the manufacture of paving slabs occurs in 12-18 hours, but complete hardening will end only after 72-96 hours, depending on the temperature and humidity. Only after this can you begin to remove products from the molds and store them.

Unmolding and further storage of finished products

Unmolding.

The process of removing finished products from molds after the concrete has hardened is called demolding. It must be done carefully, trying not to damage the slabs and maintain the possibility reuse forms

If the internal surfaces of the molds have been treated before pouring the concrete, then unmolding will not be so difficult, especially if soft models are used.

If complications arise, we can recommend treating the outside of the molds with hot water. Plastic or silicone materials will expand from the hot water and release the tiles. During unmolding, 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 a pallet should not exceed 1.2 meters. This condition allows you to protect the tiles of the lower rows from destruction due to 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.

Expense for self-production tiles

True for successful work you need to have equipment for the production of paving slabs such as a concrete mixer and a vibrating table, but you can buy, rent or make them yourself. The most important thing to obtain a high-quality result is strict adherence to technology and the use of high-quality raw materials.

Self-production of paving slabs gives the developer the following advantages:

financial costs for landscaping a personal plot are reduced;
it becomes possible to choose any shape and color of the material;
you can prepare any amount of paving material;
independent quality control of manufactured materials.

By laying homemade vibro-cast tiles, each owner can fully demonstrate their creative abilities and arrange the site according to their taste and desire.

The production of paving slabs at home does not bring any particular advantages to the developer. Without a vibrating table, the quality of figured paving elements (FEM) sharply decreases. You will have to buy or make a lot of tile molds with your own hands or dry and accumulate finished products it takes several months to pave one path or parking lot. It is difficult to maintain the composition of the concrete; you will also need a place to store the paving stones. But if you are not afraid of difficulties, then welcome.

Technology for the production of figured paving elements

Making paving stones yourself is like miniature constructing a foundation slab into formwork. Filling can be done in molds made by yourself or purchased in a store.

The easiest way to make the shape yourself is from a block:

Rhombus, Square, Hexagon are created in the same way. Factory molds simplify the technology and are made from several materials:

After calculating how much lining is required for the path, you can buy the required number of forms made of propylene or rubber. You can make your own molds from silicone, polyurethane or a two-component polymer resin, having at least one factory paving slab for a sample (master model):

the composition is mixed in the required quantity;
the master model is placed in a limiting container (for example, made of 4 boards with a bottom);
a solution of silicone (polyurethane or resin) is poured into a container.

Look more clearly in the video:

You just need to replace the brick with factory-made paving slabs.

Once dry, the mold is suitable for pouring several hundred tiles.

Making a vibrating table is much more complicated:

An eccentric is attached to the motor shaft;
the drive is fixed on a table with a metal cover;
works from the network, installed on solid foundation, preferably outdoors.

IN normal conditions concrete takes 3 days to dry, and molds are needed for the on-line production of FEM elements. Therefore, an analogue of concrete steaming technology is used - immersion for several minutes in hot water (within 80 degrees).

Important! It is impossible to dry the tiles using this method, but you can dramatically increase the speed and quality of hydration (formation of cement stone).

Mixing concrete

Having determined from the layout diagram how many solid elements and halves to make, you can calculate the approximate volume of raw materials, taking into account the following factors:

For small volumes, you can make the batches yourself using a drill with a mixer attachment. If you need a lot of tiles, use a concrete mixer and several vibrating tables.

Important! Granite or marble screenings, crushed stone in sand will significantly increase the strength and frost resistance of the tiles. If you plan to produce paving elements with an ornament on the front part, it is better to use seeded sand without large filler fractions.

Instead of a plasticizer, concentrated detergents (for example, Fairy) are often used in a proportion of 1 tablespoon per bucket of solution. But it is better to use an industrial plasticizer, for example C3, sold in both dry and liquid form.

Laying in molds

With known proportions of the mixture components, the technology for making figured FEM paving elements with your own hands is not difficult:

This time is enough to remove air from the concrete and uniformly distribute the coarse filler fraction throughout the entire volume. The vibrating table is turned off after the appearance of cement milk at the surface, the disappearance of crushed stone inside and the cessation of bubbles.

Each tile needs to be dried, and then the mold must be used to make the rest of the paving stones. Therefore, an accelerated demoulding technology is used - after the concrete has set, the FEM in the mold is immersed in 80 degree water for 5 - 7 minutes to accelerate the strength gain of the composition.

IN hot water It is easier to remove the tiles from the mold.

The technique replaces steaming, allows you to reduce the hardening time to 1 - 2 days, after which the paving stones are powerfully laid. On the very first day of FEM production, you can estimate how many paving stones you can make per unit of time.

Advice! To reduce the labor intensity of the technology, the molds are rinsed with a saline solution - brine. The proportions for its preparation are 30g/1l (salt, water, respectively).

Colored paving slabs

To reduce the finishing budget, only some of the tiles can be colored. Therefore, before preparing concrete with your own hands, you should calculate how many “halves” and solid paving elements you need to make with your own hands. The pigment is added to the cement-sand mixture during mixing; the main nuances of the technology are:

Apart from making the product more expensive, the manufacturing technology does not add any complications. Paving slabs dry the same way, their strength and moisture resistance do not change. Experts recommend making hard concrete with the minimum possible water-cement ratio of 0.4 - 0.6 units.

Important! When creating high-quality colored paving slabs, only white cement is used. Conventional gray Portland compounds are not intended for tinting; they react with the pigment and can give a “dirty” color.

The economic effect is achieved through a special technique for manufacturing two-layer paving stones:

separately from gray, but at the same time you need to make colored concrete;
the molds are filled with a tinted mixture to a height of 1.5–2 cm;
kept on the switched on vibration table for 20 seconds;
then the gray concrete of the base layer is poured on top;
the tile is vibrated for another 20 seconds;
wrapped together with the form in polyethylene;
removed for drying for 2 days.

Two-layer vibration casting.

During the specified time, the two layers of concrete do not have time to completely mix each other, but they penetrate each other, becoming a single layer. The front surface receives high-quality coloring, pigment is saved. You can calculate how much gray and colored concrete you need experimentally.

Glowing paving slabs

To improve the quality of sidewalk exteriors, luminous paving slabs are used. There are LED paving elements, networked and battery-powered, and fluorescent. In all of the above cases, it is possible to make luminous FEMs with your own hands:

luminescent paving stones are obtained after painting with a special composition;
LED lamps with a controller board are placed inside a transparent box of a suitable size or glass block.

Glowing paving stones.

Glowing paving stones with LEDs can be made using solar powered or from a 220 V network with a power supply. The specific figure for how much luminous paving slabs to make for a walkway depends on the owner of the project.

Curbs

The necessary spatial rigidity of the “trough” into which the paving elements are laid is ensured by curbs installed on the solution. Their production on our own will help reduce the budget for landscaping. You can buy molds or construct them yourself from the following materials:

polymer resin - the factory border, which is a matrix, is completely embedded in the diluted mixture;
lumber - edged or tongue-and-groove boards with side lintels;
rolled metal – a channel of a suitable cross-section with capped ends.

Factory-made forms for borders.

After lubricating the internal surfaces of the mold with a soap solution and waste oil, you can fill it with a concrete mixture and make curbs using the following technology:

compaction of concrete - bayoneting with a reinforcing bar or laying the form on a vibrating table;
drying - after stripping finished goods stored with an air gap.

Depending on the air temperature (+5 – + 30 degrees), curbs can be installed at the place of use for 4 – 28 days, respectively.

Storm drainage trays are constructed using a similar technology with minor additions:

the shape is a little deeper;
a piece of pipe is fixed longitudinally at its bottom, due to which a recess is created.

Without these additional elements, it is impossible to ensure drainage in a given direction; water will destroy the soil adjacent to the sidewalks.

Large format paving slabs poured on site

The technology of shaped paving elements poured on site is included in a separate category. The mold for these paving slabs is very large, making the finished products inconvenient to transport. Therefore, they are cast at the place of use close to each other. The seams are provided by the material of the mold.

The industry produces 44 x 44 cm propylene forms with a slightly changed configuration and name (Mosaic, Garden Road). The declared reversibility of 1000 cycles is almost always observed.

An analogue can be made on your own from a steel angle and strip according to a propylene sample. In any case, the technology differs from classical paving:

the form is set in place;
filled with concrete;
partially bayoneted with reinforcement or a trowel;
after the start of hardening, the form is removed and mounted close to the previous paving slab.

Such a coating has high adhesion to the underlying layer, but has a large format. In the middle part, the recesses are not through, but only imitate seams. Therefore, they may accumulate moisture and partially destroy the material when water freezes in winter.

Thus, curly elements you can do paving yourself, knowing the composition and how many tiles different color it will take everything.

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