How to make paving slabs bright. How to make paving slabs at home

Now it has become very fashionable to lay out paths and recreation areas with paving slabs, however, not everyone is able to purchase finished material due to its high cost. It is possible to make this finishing material on one's own. In addition, it is possible to make tiles according to your personal requests and needs.

Making pavement tiles with your own hands has many advantages, since the finished product: has original design, can be absolutely any color, strong enough and hardy. The production of pavement tiles is considered to be quite a complex and time-consuming process, especially given the lack of experience in its manufacture. In addition to preparing molds and tools, it is important to correctly calculate the proportions of the solution for pouring.

There are only two types of manufacturing of these products, namely, vibrocompression and vibrocasting.

The manufacture of tiles by vibrocompression involves the use of a thick cement mixture with the addition of a small amount of water. The manufacture of tiles by vibropressing implies the preparation of a mixture in a vibropress. For home-made tiles, the vibrocasting method is most suitable. To produce tiles using this method, you will need a concrete mixer, a vibrating table and molds for casting.

Paving slabs are considered simply ideal option for landscaping and country house. Its affordable cost and ease of installation make this material ideal for creating beautiful and comfortable walking paths. This coating has long been considered one of the most beautiful and durable. However, due to the high cost of the finished tile, not many people decide to purchase it. To ennoble your summer cottage or country house, you can make tiles yourself. To make a tile yourself, you first need to prepare the mixture, observing all the required proportions. The recipe for the mixture is quite simple, however, you definitely need to know which components to add and what proportions should be.

To make a mixture you need to take:

Astringent components;
Water;
placeholders;
Special additives;
Dye.

Cement is used as a binder. The brand of cement is selected depending on the degree of compressive strength of the component. It is best that the brand of cement is M500. The aggregate can be sand and gravel, or just clean sand is used.

As special additives, a plasticizer or dispersant is used. These mineral additives must be used, as they increase frost resistance and give products greater strength. In addition, they increase the elasticity of the finished tile and give its surface a beautiful glossy sheen.

In the production of tiles, a dye is definitely needed, since with its proper use, the durability and attractiveness of the finished product increases. As a percentage, the amount of dyes used should be no more than 4-5% of the total mass concrete mix.

The dyes used should preferably be lightfast, resistant to adverse weather conditions, and insoluble in water. When preparing a concrete mix, it is imperative to distribute the dye evenly. The recipe for preparing a mixture for tiles varies depending on the requirements for the resulting product.

The optimal composition of the mortar for paving slabs

When making tiles on your own, it is important not only to make the product correctly, but also to determine the composition of the solution, which is often quite difficult to do. When preparing a solution, factors such as the type of raw materials used, as well as the conditions for pouring and drying products, must be taken into account. Before you start making tiles, you need to prepare the ingredients, a vibrating table with a perfectly flat surface and shape.

Sand-cement mixture is made from such components as:

Cement brand M500 white;
Fine river sand;
Granite crushed stone fraction 3-5 mm or screenings;
Water;
Liquid dye;
plasticizer;
Dispersant.

The technology for preparing the mixture is quite simple. Initially, you need to mix the sand well with cement and the prepared plasticizer, and then add crushed stone, which, if desired, can be replaced with screenings. At the very end, in small portions, you need to pour in the liquid. The consistency of the resulting mortar should be strong enough so that it can be easily held on the trowel, however, the mixture should not crumble or crack when lightly tapped on the mold. The consumption of components largely depends on the required characteristics of the finished product, which is why it is calculated separately. Important! If all the required conditions are met, you can get paving slabs high quality, which will be distinguished by high strength and durability.

How to make paving slabs at home

The most demanded element for paving tracks in country house or at suburban area, central squares and city streets are considered to be paving slabs or curly paving elements.

The main advantages of FEM are:

Ease of manufacture;
Attractive appearance;
Ease of installation.

The manufacturing technology of the tiles implies that after preparing the mixture, it must be poured into molds located on the vibrating table. Before pouring the mixture, the molds must be lubricated with an oil. The vibration process lasts only a few minutes and its duration depends on the thickness of the tiles.

Excess concrete must be removed with a spatula, and if the mixture sinks heavily in the molds, then you need to add concrete mortar and continue vibrating.

The surface of the mortar is then smoothed out and then the filled molds are transferred to pallets. Depending on the air temperature and size, it is necessary to dry the tiles for 2 to 4 days in a special drying chamber. At the same time, it is necessary to maintain a certain humidity and air temperature. After drying, the molds are placed in an evaporating bath. When carrying out heat-steam treatment, it is necessary to set soft curing modes and the temperature should not exceed 70 ° C. The removal of finished products is carried out on a special table or manually. It is worth remembering that maximum strength occurs only after 28 days.

Do-it-yourself plasticizer for paving slabs

Now there are many options for paving slabs, thanks to the use of special forms in its manufacture and dyes of different colors. Many people prefer to make tiles on their own, but you need to know how many components to take in its production. In addition to the main components, plasticizers are also used.

These substances help:

Improve the quality of manufactured products;
Simplify the process of forming tiles;
Improve the look of the finished product.

In the production of tiles, the plasticizer must be prepared in advance. To do this, dry plasticizer is poured into water heated to 40 ° C in a ratio of 1: 2. Then for 15 minutes the mixture must be mixed using a mixer nozzle. When the solution is ready, it must be left for a while. It is best to prepare the plasticizer in the evening, and in the morning it will only need to be mixed for 15 minutes.

Production of paving slabs (video)

To make the product durable and resistant to negative atmospheric conditions, it is imperative to comply with all the required conditions for the manufacture of tiles and use only high-quality materials.

When arranging paths in a summer cottage or near a country house, everyone wants them to be not only functional, but also fit into the overall landscape design. Finding the right tiles is not always easy. In such cases, many decide to create paving slabs with their own hands at home. How to do this, we will tell in this material.

Making tiles at home, is it worth it?

First, let's figure out how profitable it is to make tiles yourself. The process of its creation requires a lot of time, labor and care. An undeniable plus - as a result, you get an exclusive path, made in accordance with the design of your home and the surrounding landscape. Experimenting with the color of the tiles, you can add incredible patterns.

There is also an economic side of the issue: do-it-yourself paving slabs for paths in the country house are much cheaper than finished products. In addition, you can make a coating in accordance with the features of its operation. Completely different requirements for strength and other characteristics are put forward for covering playgrounds, footpaths, entrances to the garage.

The process of making paving slabs

So, if you are inspired by the idea of creating a cover yourself, let's take a closer look at this issue.

Production of an individual form

To make tiles for the country house with your own hands, you will need a mold in which the products will be cast. Suitable forms can be found in any specialized store. You will be offered a wide choice plastic products in shape and size. But we must remember that most of them are designed for only 200 fills. Therefore, having decided on the form, you need to purchase about a dozen of these containers.

Did you know? Making molds for tiles with your own hands can be turned into a creative process using a wide variety of containers. For example, food containers are suitable for this business. They are quite soft, flexible and at the same time durable.

Selection of materials and preparation of the solution

To prepare a mortar for a future tile, it is necessary to purchase cement and sand, and you will also need water. The quality of the mixture depends on the proportions and the quality of the cement used. For garden paths recommend using cement grade M 500. All components must be clean, free of dirt, leaves. If large stones come across in the sand, it does not matter. This will give the tile a special texture.

Did you know? It is possible to increase the strength and resistance of tiles to temperature extremes by adding special plasticizers to the solution.

Having poured the components in the required proportion into the container, they must be mixed. To do this, you can use a perforator with a mixer attachment. But if you plan to produce large volumes, it is better to purchase a concrete mixer in advance.

In the latter case, sand is first poured into the installation, the mixer is turned on, and cement is gradually added to it. After that, without ceasing to stir the mixture, add water and plasticizers in small portions as necessary.

Important! Too much water will make the concrete not as strong and the tile can quickly crumble during use. To prevent the solution from absorbing excess, reinforcing fiber and water-repellent additives are added to it.

In order for the tile to get the desired color, various inorganic pigments are added to the solution. It is important that they are resistant to alkaline environments, weather conditions and UV rays. Then your tiles will retain their color for a long time. It is recommended to first add about 30–50 g of dye to the solution and gradually increase its amount, if necessary. As a rule, within 5-7 minutes the solution acquires a uniform color. And the absence of lumps in it indicates the readiness of the solution for use.

How to pour a solution into a mold, process features

Now the solution can be poured into molds. Before this, the forms must be lubricated with any oil, but it is better with emulsol. Then, after drying, you can easily remove the product.

Important! At this stage, you can increase the strength of the product. To do this, the solution must be poured halfway into the mold, and then a wire, metal rod or mesh should be put into it. After that, add the solution to the brim.

But the question of how to make paving slabs with your own hands does not end there. There may be bubbles in the solution, which make the mass of cement unnecessarily loose. To eliminate this trouble, it is necessary to lay out the forms on a vibrating table. During constant light stirring, excess air will come out of the concrete. Such a table can be replaced by any shelf or rack. Forms are laid out on it, and then the structure is tapped on all sides with a mallet.

How to properly dry tiles and when to use them

The next step is drying the finished products. Filled molds should be covered with plastic wrap and wait about 3 days. Make sure that the required level of moisture is maintained in the future tile. To do this, they can be periodically moistened with water.

After drying, the molds are lightly tapped, the edges are bent and the products are taken out. But they still cannot be used - it is necessary to withstand another 3-4 weeks so that the tile is sufficiently dried and strengthened.

Manufacturing technology of rubber tiles

In addition to concrete, for the manufacture of tiles is used rubber crumb. It is made from recycled car tires. The tires themselves are usually made of high quality material, as they can withstand heavy loads for a long time.

The crumb made from them can have different fractions, which vary from 0.1 mm to 10 mm. Which one to use depends on where the rubber tile will lie and what loads it will be subjected to.

It is made, as a rule, in black, but sometimes it can be painted in other colors. Moreover, usually large fractions (2–10 mm) are painted, which are much cheaper in cost, since they can include metal and textile parts.

Important! In the manufacture of colored tiles, it is necessary to form it in two layers, one of which is colored. This is acceptable if the total thickness of the product is more than 1.5 cm. Black tiles can be thinner, but are made in one layer.

Manufacturing itself rubber tiles takes place in three stages.

On the preparatory stage crumb rubber is being prepared. To do this, tires are removed from the bead rings and subjected to mechanical cryogenic processing. Then you get a crumb with a fraction of 1-4 mm.
Then it is necessary to prepare a mixture from the crumbs by adding a polyurethane binder to it. At the same stage, various pigments are added to the tile to color it.
The prepared mixture is pressed on a vulcanizing press. It allows you to set the tile to the desired thickness and density. The pressing process can be cold or hot. It all depends on what equipment you buy for work.

Filling the path with concrete

Another way to create a beautiful path in the country is to fill it with concrete. This process goes through the following stages:

marking the territory for the tracks;
soil preparation;
formwork installation;
pillow formation;
installation of reinforcing elements;
pouring concrete.

Required material and tools

To get started, you need to select the necessary materials and tools in advance:

crushed stone;
sand (preferably river);
concrete;
cord and pegs for marking;
solution container;
ruberoid;
bucket;
pointed shovel;
Master OK;
reinforcement (optimally 12 mm thick);
plywood or formwork boards.

When all the tools and materials are collected, you can begin direct work.

How to mix concrete mortar

First of all, you need to mix the solution. It consists of 3 components (cement, sand and crushed stone), which are mixed in a certain proportion: a bucket of crushed stone and 3 buckets of sand are taken on a bucket of cement. It is better to knead them in a concrete mixer.

Mixing begins with adding water to the concrete mixer. Then sand is added to it and, constantly stirring, cement is introduced. When the sand is evenly distributed throughout the mass, the solution is considered ready. Now you can start filling.

This stage also has several stages. The fastest and easiest way is to mark the tracks. It is necessary to determine in advance where they will pass, what width to have and what loads to experience. Then, pegs are driven into the ground through a uniform distance, and a rope is pulled between them.

Now we need to prepare the soil for pouring. To do this, the top layer of turf is removed to a depth of about 7 cm, the roots of plants are removed. If they are not removed, they will rot in this place, voids will form in which water will accumulate. In winter, it will freeze, displacing concrete. Because of this, the tracks may crack.

The next step is to mount the formwork from boards or plywood. The latter allows you to give the track beautiful bends.

Important! It is necessary to fill the track in parts so that it has seams to compensate for compression and expansion of concrete due to different ambient temperatures. Therefore, the formwork can be placed in parts. In addition, it will reduce the consumption of materials.

Then a so-called pillow is installed, which will perform the functions of drainage, as well as evenly distribute the load on the track. A cushion of sand and gravel is formed. They do not hold water, so it will not linger there and expand into winter time due to freezing. But sand eventually sinks below rubble. To prevent this from happening, waterproofing materials are laid directly on the ground: roofing material, agrofibre or geotextiles.

The most popular material for creating paths in the garden today is paving slabs. It can be of various shapes and shades, it is convenient when creating simple and intricate patterns, which is why the owners of suburban areas like it so much.

But not everyone can afford high-quality paving slabs. But making it at home is much cheaper. If you follow the instructions and technology, paved walkways will last for many years.

Making paving slabs with your own hands is not an easy task. But the manufacturing process is a creative and exciting activity that gives a lot of pleasant impressions.

What do you need to make tiles?

The main thing you need to create paving slabs with your own hands is:

sand;
water;
forms.

Experienced craftsmen for self-manufacturing tiles at home are advised to take cement brand M500. Products from it are more durable.

Sand should be sifted: it should not contain leaves, grass and other debris. If you buy sand in a store, it is better to take 04,-0.6 mm fractions. Water for the preparation of the solution must also be clean.

Although each mold for homemade cement tiles can be used more than a hundred times, it is worth buying a dozen or more to make the job go faster.

You can make paving slabs with the help of improvised means. To do this, they often use plastic containers, home-made forms from wooden bars, and so on. Nobody limits your imagination. To give a pattern and relief, you can also use all your imagination - the owners of garden plots use any materials for a pattern on a tile: relief figures and even tree leaves.

Other necessary materials and tools:

Hammer drill with mixing attachment or
vibrating table (optional)
bucket or other large mixing container
fine crushed stone fraction up to 1 cm or screenings
Plasticizer C-3 (preferably, to give greater strength)
clean glass containers
measuring cup
lubricant (emulsol, OPL-1, SVA-3 and other lubricants without petroleum products)
brine (brine) for mold washing

The proportions of the mortar for the manufacture of paving slabs

To make paving slabs, there are dozens of recipes. However, one of them has gained the most popularity. Note that this mortar recipe is only suitable for gray tiles (without the addition of dyes).

Required proportions for the manufacture of paving slabs:

Cement - 25%
Sand - 20%
Crushed stone - 55%
Plasticizer C-3 - at the rate of 10 g per 10 kg

Approximately 15 liters of water will be needed for 80 kg of solution. But it is better to focus on the consistency, pouring water gradually.

And for colored tiles, you can use this recipe:

Cement - 20 kg
Sand - 35 kg
Crushed stone - 35 kg
Plasticizer - 70 g
Inorganic dye - 500 grams

To make paving slabs of the desired shade, there is one secret. The bottom line is to experiment with the amount of pigment in a small volume of solution and remember the proportions.

Making paving slabs with your own hands: step by step instructions

When stirring the solution, do not pour a lot of water at once! If the solution is too thin, this is bad for the strength of the final product.
Some owners of suburban areas put forms with slabs immediately on the path and leave to dry right on the spot. This option is also appropriate if there are no animals in your garden that can spoil the texture of future paving stones. In addition, the path in this case will have to be reliably protected from rain so that the tiles do not get wet.
You can make paving slabs with your own hands without the use of a plasticizer. However, this component will give the tile greater strength and increase resistance to temperature changes.
Do not be afraid if small stones come across in the sand. The quality of the plate will not decrease from this, but the texture will be more original.
For more quality styling paving slabs, the surface should be tamped, for this you can buy a vibrating plate or vibrotamper, and how cheap analogue you can use a bar, having previously attached handles to it.

The abundance of shapes and colors of decorative cement paving slabs will allow you to turn your garden into a real masterpiece. This is exactly the case when the work is worth the result. Do-it-yourself tiles for garden paths not only look beautiful - they will give comfortable walks around the site even in the rainiest weather!

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

Independent production of paving stones resembles a miniature erection of a foundation slab into a formwork. Filling can be done in forms created by oneself or purchased in a store.

The easiest way to make the form yourself is from a bar:

Similarly, a Rhombus, Square, Hexagon is created. Factory forms simplify the technology, they are made of several materials:

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

the composition is mixed in the right amount;
the master model is placed in a bounding container (for example, knocked down from 4 boards with a bottom);
a silicone solution (polyurethane or resin) is poured into a container.

Look more clearly in the video:

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

After drying, the form is suitable for pouring several hundred tiles.

Making a vibrating table is much more difficult:

an eccentric is attached to the motor shaft;
the drive is fixed on a table with a metal cover;
mains operated, installed on a solid base, preferably outdoors.

Under normal conditions, concrete dries from 3 days, and molds are needed for in-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 in this way, but the speed and quality of hydration (the formation of cement stone) can be dramatically increased.

Mixing concrete

Having decided according to the layout scheme how many whole elements and halves to make, you can calculate the approximate amount of raw materials, taking into account the following factors:

With small volumes, batches can be made with your own hands with a drill with a mixer equipment. If you need a lot of tiles, a concrete mixer and several vibrating tables are used.

Important! Granite or marble screenings, crushed stone in the sand will significantly increase the strength and frost resistance of the tile. If it is planned to produce paving elements with an ornament on the front, it is better to use seeded sand without coarse 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 industrial plasticizers, such as C3, sold both in dry and liquid form.

Laying in forms

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

This time is sufficient to remove air from the concrete, uniform distribution of the large fraction of the filler throughout the 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 the release of bubbles.

For each tile, you need to dry it, and then use the mold to make the rest of the paving stones. Therefore, an accelerated formwork stripping 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 curing of the composition.

V hot water it is easier to get the tile out of 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 much paving stones can be made per unit of time.

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

Colored paving slabs

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

In addition to increasing the cost of the product, the manufacturing technology does not add any difficulties. The paving slab dries in the same way, the strength and moisture resistance do not change. Experts recommend making rigid concrete with the lowest possible W / C 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, react with pigment, and can give a "dirty" color.

The economic effect is achieved due to a special technique for the manufacture of two-layer paving stones:

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

Double layer vibrocasting.

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

Luminous paving slabs

Luminous paving slabs are used to improve the quality of sidewalk exteriors. There are elements of paving LED network and rechargeable, luminescent. In all these cases, it is possible to manufacture glowing FEMs with your own hands:

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

Glowing pavement.

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

borders

The necessary spatial rigidity of the “trough”, in which the paving elements are laid, is provided by the curbs installed on the mortar. Their manufacture on their own help reduce the budget for landscaping. Forms can be bought or designed independently from materials:

polymer resin - the factory border, which is a matrix, is completely recessed into the diluted mixture;
lumber - edged or tongue-and-groove board with side jumpers;
rolled metal - a channel of a suitable section with muffled ends.

Factory molds for the border.

After lubricating the internal surfaces of the form with a soapy solution, used oil, you can fill it with a concrete mixture and make borders according to the technology:

concrete compaction - baying with a reinforcing bar or laying the form on a vibrating table;
drying - after demoulding, the finished products are stored with an air gap.

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

Stormwater trays are built using a similar technology with minor additions:

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

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

Large-format paving slabs poured in place

The technology of curly paving elements poured in place is placed in a separate category. The form for this paving slab is very large, it is inconvenient to transport finished products. Therefore, they are cast at the place of operation close to each other. The seams are provided by the mold material.

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

An analogue can be made on its own from a steel corner and a 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 fittings or trowel;
after the start of hardening, the form is removed, 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 partial destruction of the material when water freezes in winter.

Thus, curly paving elements can be made independently, knowing the composition and how many tiles different color everything will be required.

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Paving slabs - element decorative design residential areas. V Lately she became real calling card house territories.

Paving slabs, just like paving stones, differ relatively low cost, and if the hard road surface is made by hand, then the total cost of Consumables are significantly reduced. How to make paving slabs at home? Before proceeding with the manufacture of paving slabs at home, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with the theoretical aspect of the issue.

Production of paving slabs at home: manufacturing principles

In industrial conditions, the production process of paving slabs is put on stream. In a short time, huge batches of tiles and paving stones leave the factory. In the manufacture of paving slabs at home production principles somewhat change. The basic technological algorithm remains unchanged, only the volume of the produced material and its type are adjusted. Quality work will allow you to achieve paving slabs, which will not be inferior to the factory model.

Manufacturing technology do-it-yourself paving slabs is based on two directions: vibrocasting method and vibrocompression method. Both can be used at home, with special equipment. Separate devices can be built with your own hands.

Undried tile material contains a small amount of liquid. The raw concrete mass in both production methods is affected by a vibration wave to eliminate accumulated air bubbles. During vibrocasting, the solution acquires a more liquid consistency, so it is fed into flexible forms. There it is kept until the initial drying. The second method, as its name suggests, is to apply pressure to form tile segments in a matrix. For this, a special vibration platform is used. After such mechanical influences, the workpieces are removed and put to dry.

Necessary equipment and materials

Since the tiles are made of concrete, the first step is to take care of purchasing concrete mixer. It is better if it is a forced action concrete mixer, functioning like a mixer. You can not do without a vibrating table, molds for casting and lubrication, concrete mix, metal rods for reinforcement, racks for drying finished products.

For drying in one layer under a canopy, a large area of free space is required. It is impossible for the completed forms to be stacked on top of each other. Products are placed on shelves so that there is a clearance of at least 20 cm between them.

In building hypermarkets, you can purchase casting molds of any size and various configurations. There are forms from:

rubber (the most durable);
plastics;
polyurethane.

The range is very wide, the manufacturer makes them according to custom order, whether forms with drawings, textured surface or molds for glossy paving slabs.

Lubrication is needed to produce a trouble-free stripping of blanks after the concrete has hardened. It is purchased ready-made or made by hand. Protozoa lubricant recipe: 100 g of mineral oil are mixed with three liters of water until an emulsion is formed.

The main thing: it is necessary to achieve the required level of fat content, otherwise the lubricant can give the finished tiles an unpresentable appearance.

How to prepare a mortar for paving slabs?

Making mortar for hard pavement - key moment Total technological process. The solution consists of:

hard crushed stone of non-metallic rock 2-10 mm or granite screenings or gravel;
cleaned washed sand;
Portland cement;
concrete plasticizer;
dry dyes;
water.

The composition of the mortar for paving slabs varies depending on what properties of the finished product are of interest to the consumer.

There is nothing difficult in preparing a mixture for paving slabs or paving stones, but careful preparation of the components and methodical observance of all stages are required. The amount of each ingredient is easily calculated when the required proportions of the volume of substances are known.

First of all, prepare additional components- plasticizer and concrete dye. The latter is used for the production of colored paving slabs. In the manufacture of products of the usual gray color, the need for it disappears.

The plasticizer, as a rule, makes up no more than a percentage of the total amount of all parts of the mixture. To knead 80 liters of concrete, you need 400 g of plasticizer. It should be noted that it is not added in dry form. In small portions, 400 g of plasticizer are poured into 2 liters of water heated to 70 degrees.

The dye accounts for approximately 2% of all constituent parts polymer mixture. Approximately 700 g of the dye is added to water (2.5 l), heated to 50 degrees, and mixed thoroughly.

The inner walls of the concrete mixer must be moistened. For this purpose, the device is rinsed from the inside, then the water is drained. The ratio of the cement mixture to the liquid determines how strong the concrete product will be.

To get high-quality paving slabs, the concrete to be mixed must be half wet. This effect is achieved by adding 25% less water than cement. A good example: for six buckets of cement (this includes plasticizer and dye), four buckets of water are needed.

Water is first poured into the concrete mixer, after which a portion of cement is added. As a result mixing a homogeneous emulsion should be obtained. After adding screenings to the resulting emulsion, a solution is obtained that must be thoroughly mixed. Next, pour in the pre-diluted plasticizer and dye. The polymer composition is kneaded until a homogeneous mass is obtained.

You can make a mixture for paving slabs using manual mixing, but this method requires good physical preparation and additional time.

Forms for the manufacture of paving slabs

An important role in the manufacture of paving slabs is played by molds for the production of such building product. The most common among them are plastic, rubber, polyurethane. Each species has its own characteristics and specifications. So, molds made of rubber withstand about five hundred production cycles. Rubber molds do not steam, they do not need any additional equipment.

Often, when paving paths, they use paving stones, which has a relief surface. In such cases, it is advisable to use polyurethane molds. The mortar in them quickly seizes, and the finished elements are easily removed. Polyurethane synthetic fibers, being high-strength, practically do not allow the appearance of defective products. Forms made from this modern construction material can withstand about a hundred cycles without any complaints. How to make molds for tiles with your own hands?

Instructions for making a mold for paving slabs with your own hands:

To make plastic molds, a special frame is prepared. Inner dimensions wooden frame must match the dimensions of the tiles. Plastic is melted and poured into the structure. After the plastic hardens (approximately 40–60 minutes), the finished mold is removed. The uneven edges of the resulting product are processed using sandpaper.
If pouring silicone is used to make molds, then a pre-prepared container matrix is required. It can be made from any durable material. The seams are covered with a sealant. Screws are used to fasten the walls of the container. The frame is cleaned and degreased. Silicone ingredients are mixed in the right ratio: base, hardener, catalyst. Sculptural plasticine is placed in a thick layer in the matrix. A model is placed on top of the plastic material, which is used to take an impression. Before that, she is lubricated sunflower oil. Next, pour in a thin stream of silicone. After 24 hours, the materials will harden, and the finished forms are taken out of the container. Small defects and irregularities are removed with scissors.
Compose wooden form without a bottom is possible using bars. From prepared wooden planks, fastened metal corners, you can get a rectangular, square or hexagonal mold structure.

Why do you need a vibrating table?

The procedure for the manufacture of paving slabs involves the use of an equipped vibrating table. Beginners in this business are strongly advised to use vibrating table, since it is unlikely that without its use it is possible to obtain high-quality paving slabs or paving stones. This is due to the fact that even the most plastic material is not able to tightly fill the mold without the formation of air voids.

Not everyone can afford expensive equipment, so you can make a vibrating table yourself. You will need an unnecessary electric motor in working order and two thick plywood sheets. The engine is attached to these sheets of plywood from two opposite sides. A metal disk is fixed to the rotating shaft of the engine, which, when the mechanism is turned on, creates vibration. Homemade design placed on tires from the car.

Forms filled with cement composition are laid out on a vibrating table, which is turned on for 15-20 seconds. This time is enough for the solution to thicken and air cavities disappear from it. Elimination of air space and compaction of the mixture significantly improves strength future paving slabs. A finished paving element that has not been compacted by vibration exposure will soon collapse. Such a tile is used only as a temporary track. This fact must be taken into account when it comes to the question of how to make a tiled road surface so that it lasts for many years.

How to properly reinforce paving slabs?

The increase in the strength of the pavement contributes to reinforcement of tiles metal elements. Both building reinforcing mesh, hot-rolled wire, and pieces of conventional reinforcement are used. Metal pieces close unpainted cement mortar, compact and smooth the surface.

With the described technology for the production of paving slabs front side placed at the bottom of the form. This circumstance creates difficulties: it is impossible to follow the pattern, color and condition of the front side.

To be able to control everything, it is necessary to lay the cement mixture and reinforcement in the reverse order. This will allow you to qualitatively apply a pattern to the tile, deepening each blank to the desired level.

Perform if desired blank ironing. Thanks to this procedure, the product acquires special strength, and its surface becomes more even and smooth. Dry cement is poured onto the damp surface and smoothed with a spatula. Also, a small amount of cement can be rubbed with a brush.

Drying and stripping

Forms with a solution are placed on racks for further drying. It lasts approximately 2-4 days. The place for drying products is chosen so that direct sunlight does not fall there, it should be good ventilation. To reduce the rate of evaporation of moisture from the cement composition, the molds are covered with a film of polyethylene.

If the forms were made with their own hands from wooden planks, then the mount is removed at some joint, after which the frame is moved apart and the tile is removed. The tile is laid in one layer and dried for ten days in a ventilated area in order to become more durable.

To release the tile from the polyurethane mold, it is dipped into a bath of water heated to 70 degrees. The polymer will soften, and the tile can be easily removed from the mold. The product is dried in a cool place. In ten days the paving elements are ready for operation.