This article describes in detail all the stages of how do-it-yourself paving stones are made. The instruction presented to your attention will help you understand the technological features of this process. For ease of perception of information, the entire description is divided into several stages. After reading this article, you will learn about all types of paving stones that exist today.
Types of coverage
Garden paths are an important part of any landscape. It is customary to use paving stones to improve personal plots. It is also called paving slabs. This coating can be made of concrete, clay or stone.
Concrete pavers
For the arrangement of private suburban areas, concrete pavers are used. Making such material with your own hands, by the way, will significantly save the whole process. Concrete pavers as a building material for paving sidewalks have excellent performance and affordable cost.
It is produced fromspecial building mixture, the main element of which is concrete. In addition, plasticizers and coloring pigments are also introduced here. Such products are obtained in two ways: vibrocasting and vibrocompression.
Clinker
The basis of clinker is clay. Clinker pavers are used to improve gardens. Making such a tile with your own hands is a rather complicated matter. But this product is distinguished by wear resistance, durability and a longer service life.
Also, this material has frost resistance, which allows it to be used in various conditions. A huge variety of colors and shapes of clinker provides ample opportunity for its use in landscape design. Such paving stones (you can master making this material with your own hands) are in great demand.
Natural stone
Natural stone is traditional for paving stones. It is extremely wear-resistant and durable, which is its most important advantage. Such material is quite expensive, and price reduction can be achieved through the use of sandstone or siltstone.
According to the processing method, sawn, sawn-chopped or chipped paving stones are distinguished. Making this element with your own hands is within the power of almost every person, especially since this material is classic.
Paving molds
In the production of paving stones, the forms for the manufacture of this building element are of great importance.
They can be:
- plastic;
- rubber;
- polyurethane.
Each of these three types has its own characteristics and technical characteristics. For example, rubber molds can withstand up to 500 production cycles. They don't need to be steamed. In addition, no additional tooling is required for rubber molds.
Very often paving stones with a relief surface are used for paving paths. To create such products, polyurethane molds are used. The building mixture hardens in them extremely quickly. It is very easy to remove finished products from these molds.
Because polyurethane is a high-strength material, there is virtually no defect in the manufacturing process. These molds are excellent for up to 100 cycles.
Plastic containers are used for the production of square, rectangular and non-standard tiles. Withstand these forms for paving stones with their own hands, the manufacture of a huge number of these elements. The process is designed for 250 production cycles. It is plastic containers that are most popular among consumers. Almost every hardware store presents such forms in a huge assortment. These containers may have a pattern or relief. It looks very advantageous on the finished product.
If for some reason you can't get molds to make pavers, try an alternative way. Take wooden boards, saw them and put together a box. You can alsoexperiment with all sorts of plastic containers and metal pipe scraps. Just remember that all homemade forms require lubrication (machine oil, drying oil) before use.
Vibrating table
So, you have decided to start making paving stones with your own hands. The step-by-step instruction involves the use of a special vibrating table, which is necessary for shaking concrete in forms. This method allows you to completely get rid of the formation of bubbles, which significantly increases the strength and durability of the product at the outlet. Of course, if you do not plan to mass-produce paving slabs, then you can create the necessary vibration manually. Just tap the mallet on the table. I must say that this is quite inconvenient. Better make a vibrating table from the most common materials.
Stack three used tires on top of each other and fasten with self-tapping screws. Attach any electric motor to an old countertop. To generate vibration, it is necessary to shift the center of rotation of the motor. Put a small blank on the shaft. Turn the table over with the motor down, lowering it into a makeshift well of tires. Secure the tabletop with self-tapping screws to avoid possible displacement due to vibration. This is the most primitive way to automate the process. If you want to start mass production of tiles, purchase a DIY paving machine.
Mix for pouring into molds
For pouring into molds, you need to prepare a solution consisting of cement, sand and water. Of course, the building mixture may be different, but in any case, these componentsmust be present. In order for the paving stone to be strong, the proportion of cement must be at least ¼ of the total mass, and the proportion of sand - ¾. Water must be poured so that the solution resembles thick sour cream in consistency. To increase strength, you can add fine gravel and plasticizer.
Technological process
The technological process can be divided into several stages:
- The production of paving stones begins with the preparation of concrete.
- Product molding. Concrete is poured into prepared containers, placed on a vibrating table for 45 seconds. The building mixture is carefully rubbed into molds, then they are placed on pallets on top of each other, laying with plastic sheets. There should be no more than 15 such layers.
- Products should be allowed to dry well, while not allowing even the slightest shift of the forms. As a rule, the duration of this stage is up to three days.
- It's the turn of demoulding. These are peculiar water procedures for paving stones, lasting no more than a couple of minutes. Forms with a dried solution are kept in a bath and then knocked out on a table.
- Finished tiles cannot be used immediately after production. After stripping, the paving stones are placed on pallets and kept for at least 4 weeks at positive temperatures. The first 2 weeks of the product must be moistened with water to prevent cracking. After 4 weeks, the paving stones can be painted.
After knocking out the tiles, the molds must be prepared for subsequent use - the plastic is easily cleaned from the remnants of the solution. Then the molds should be well treated with a 7% hydrochloric acid solution. This washing makes it easy to remove the products in the future.
Conclusion
This do-it-yourself paving technology makes it possible to obtain aesthetically attractive tiles with all the properties inherent in an industrial-scale material.
