Making concrete blocks with your own hands. Concrete blocks: types, characteristics and self-production process
Suitable for the manufacture of concrete blocks as a filler: slag, ash, coal combustion waste, crushed stone screening (stone, granite), brick waste, gravel, sand, sawdust (after processing), expanded clay, perlite, sand and gravel mixture, granite slag, hall , crushed stone, sawdust, gypsum, brick breakage, etc.
Solution for the manufacture of cinder blocks
Solution for cinder blocks: coal slag: coarse sand (expanded clay): gravel 5-15 mm, cement M500, water (7: 2: 2: 1.5: 1.5-3). It is important to keep an eye on the amount of water so that the blocks do not spread when removed. The solution should crumble when it falls to the ground, but it should join in the fist.
For the plasticity of the blocks, you can add a plasticizer (5 grams per block - strength, water resistance and frost resistance, fewer cracks) during vibration casting, it is possible during vibration pressing, but you need to add too much for the effect, and this is expensive.
In order for the cinder blocks to be durable, you need to consider:
The quality of the sand - you need a large one.
Blast furnace slag is ideal.
Cement - high quality M400.
Equipment - for better pressing, you need to achieve vibrocompression.
Time of preparation and storage of concrete blocks
mother from the tape can be in a day. Complete drying in a couple of months. After a day, the blocks can already be worn - they do not break, put them in a week.
When using a plasticizer, finished blocks can be removed from the site and stored after 6-8 hours. Without UPD - in two days. It is necessary to store ready-made cinder blocks in pyramidal stacks of 100 pieces with a small (2-3 cm) gap between the blocks - so that the "sides" dry out.
At first, concrete can be prepared by hand. Subsequently, it is more efficient and easier - on an electric concrete mixer with a volume of 0.2-0.5 cubic meters. m.
Production site - a room with a flat floor, good ventilation / heating, or a flat outdoor area under a canopy.
The advantages of cinder blocks
- low cost
- high speed of construction from cinder blocks;
- good sound insulation
- good thermal insulation
- can be made both for yourself and for sale
Negative opinions on making concrete blocks with your own hands
The machine is profitable only in the presence of cheap or "free" raw materials or with a huge amount of work.
A hollow block, made anywhere, is more expensive than a section of wall of the same size, made by the method of removable or permanent formwork, the more you waste your time and energy. Therefore, basically, the sale of these machines is just an opportunity to make money on others.
An example of the costs and costs of making homemade blocks
The production of one cinder block takes 0.011 cubic meters of solution, in a ratio of 1: 7 (cement: granulated slag), i.e. 1 bag of cement = 36 blocks.
Legislation
By Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of 13.08.97 No. 1013, Gosstandart of the Russian Federation No. 86 of 08.10.2001 and Gosstroy of the Russian Federation No. 128 of 24.12.2001, the list of products requiring compulsory certification does not include building concrete blocks with various fillers (slag, expanded clay , sawdust, etc.), as well as vibration molding equipment for their production.
Making a mold with your own hands for casting concrete blocks
The mold for self-production of cinder blocks is a 3-mm metal box without a bottom with handles. To make the front of the blocks smoother, they must be dried on a rubber band moistened with a solution of some kind of detergent.
We start the manufacturing process
What is needed for that? First of all, you need to decide on the size. I suggest dwelling on the following dimensions: 200x200x400 mm and 200x200x200 mm (these are "halves" and they will definitely be required when carrying out work).
Now let's prepare the formwork. To do this, it is necessary to saw the old furniture boards made of chipboard of appropriate sizes and connect with screws through transverse and longitudinal partitions cut from a 40 mm board (see figure).
This form is convenient in that 4 blocks can be simultaneously laid in it. Next, we put the form without a bottom on a flat base under a canopy, covered with plastic wrap. Their inner surfaces are coated with used engine oil. This is to make it easier to blame the blocks after they have hardened.
Now let's prepare the material from which we will make blocks. In a concrete mixer, and in its absence, pour gravel sand and a little lime into any container. After this is mixed, add the cement.
The ratio when laying should correspond to the proportion - 1 part of cement to 4 parts of aggregate. All this is thoroughly mixed and diluted with water to the desired consistency. The solution should be such that it would be convenient to put it into the mold.
Next, two shovels of mortar are placed in the mold, reinforcing the wire. On all this, two glass bottles, plugged with corks, should still be placed with a "jack". The bottles will play the role of sealed glass blocks and thanks to them, two air chambers are created inside the block, creating heat and sound insulation.
After placing the bottles, a layer of mortar with reinforcing wire is poured again. From above, everything is covered with an additional layer of mortar, which is smoothed out with a trowel. When pouring the solution, you need to tamp it well so that voids do not form inside the mold. When the concrete hardens, the side wall of the mold is removed and the blocks are removed.
It is better to make blocks in cloudy weather, since the time for evaporation of water from the solution increases, which reduces the likelihood of cracks on the finished blocks. If, nevertheless, you carry out work in a hot season, then the foma must be placed in the shade and it is desirable to cover them in order to reduce the rate of evaporation of water. Using this method you save up to 60 percent of your money.
That's probably all I wanted to tell you about the folk method of making concrete blocks with your own hands at home.
DIY concrete block video
Read on - find out more!
Each of us needs a family and our own comfortable place for permanent residence. Someone wants to have an apartment in a big city, while someone wants to live where they can grow vegetables and fruits, keep pets, have a house suitable for living, and all the necessary outbuildings. But not everyone can afford to build all the necessary premises from purchased building materials. In this case, we think about whether it is possible to build a house out of hand-made material.
Aerated concrete blocks are a lightweight building material, so there is no need to strengthen the foundation when building a house.
This question was asked by all generations before us, therefore, a sufficient number of ways to obtain building materials from improvised means have long been known.
The most optimal solution in this case is to build housing on your own from what can be obtained directly on the spot.
Elements of the supporting frame: 1 - the first row of blocks based on mortar; 2 - additional cellular blocks; 3 - annular reinforced belt; 4 - reinforced concrete floor slabs; 5 - heat-insulating gasket; 6 - monolithic reinforced concrete distribution belt; 7 - reinforced concrete lintel; 8 - jumper made of concrete; 9 - waterproofing; 10 - base.
The most accessible of the materials that can be found everywhere is the earth, or rather the soil, which is under the fertile layer. Since ancient times, both residential buildings and other buildings were erected from the ground, but more often in those areas where there was little forest. Blocks were made of this material by plastic molding or tamping, as well as with the help of formwork (the soil was simply stuffed very tightly into it).
For example, if work on building a house with your own hands is planned without a basement, then the soil that was taken out for arranging the future foundation will be enough to build the walls of a house on one floor. If you make a basement, then the house can already be made two-story. For walls, the soil that was taken out during the construction of a pool, drainage or well is also suitable.
Previously, it was not possible to mechanize at least some part of the process of making such a building material, but in our time, of course, you no longer have to mix the necessary ingredients with your feet, because special mechanized devices have been invented for this.
With the advent of special mechanisms, the situation with construction with the help of scrap materials has changed significantly for the better. With the help of an electrified tool, material can be produced - mixed and compacted. And the result is no worse than in antiquity, but it takes much less time and physical effort.
The authors of the equipment in question managed to create a tool suitable for compacting concrete and other low-moisture building mixtures and materials, as well as soil masses. And this invention, available to many at a price, will make it possible to manufacture most of the building material and parts directly on the construction site.
Manufacturing technology from soil
With the help of such a machine, it is possible to form wall blocks from local raw materials, incl. from soil using the “zone injection” technology.
The production process of this device is based on the reproduction of a natural effect called "flowing wedge". The main technological feature is that the mold, the molding powdery mass and the blower move simultaneously in it. And all this without any vibration or noise. At the same time, there is no need for such traditional processes as mass dosage, control of the size of the product and the pressure that the punch injects in similar molding factory installations.
In the molding apparatus called "Mini-blower" MH-05, a dense and uniform structure is formed throughout the entire volume of the mold, and the dimensions of the product always correspond to the shape in all respects. When changing to another material, no equipment changeover is required. And in the process, the effects of elastic aftereffect, air entrapment and repressing are excluded.
The sequence of laying blocks: a - single-row dressing system; b - multi-row dressing system; c, d - multi-row dressing system in a mixed way (numbers indicate the sequence of laying).
The MH-05, which has no analogues in the world, is intended not only for the manufacture of single-format blocks for building needs, with its help it is possible to independently manufacture bricks, and various racks, blocks, slabs for window sills and much more, which is necessary when building a house with your own hands. Various types of soils, and industrial waste, and other materials can be used as raw materials for MN-05.
This molding kit is indispensable for owners of garden and summer cottages, cottages, farmers, landscape designers and architects, as there are endless possibilities for individual creativity both in the construction of a house and in the improvement of any territories, be it a personal plot or a park.
Everyone has the opportunity to work with this device. You don't need to do anything complicated. And at the same time, the cost of building a house turns out to be several times lower than usual. Here are some parameters of products that can be made on MH-05 (name, size in millimeters and one-time quantity):
- raw brick from a soil block - 65x120x250 - 4pcs;
- concrete block for paving - 65x120x250 - 4 pcs;
- paving slabs 250x250 - 2 pcs;
- concrete gas stone - 65x120x1000 - 2 pcs;
- flat tiles -120x250 - 4 pcs;
- window sill plate - 50x250x1500 - 1pc;
- window lintel - 50x250x1500 - 1pc;
- concrete facing tiles - 250x250x15 - 2 pcs;
- reinforced concrete pillar-post - 65x65x100 - 3 pcs;
- concrete tray - 65x250x100 - 1pc.
The phenomenon of "flowing wedge" makes it possible to obtain unique properties of the material: its density reaches 99%, which does not give rise to elastic stress, transverse delamination and expansion of compacts, since air is not pinched.
Blockform fabrication
It is better to make a mold for making blocks with a removable bottom, so it will be easier to take out the finished blocks.
There are other technologies for making blocks for construction and other building materials for a house with their own hands from improvised materials (clay, sand, lime, sawdust, earth bit) and from cement.
The technology, which will now be discussed, has similarities with the technology called "tise" (technology + individual construction + ecology), but this one is modified and universal, since it can be used to make building blocks with voids (sand and cement mortar ), and without them (clay, sand, sawdust, cement, lime, earth).
The durability of structures made of blocks using this technology is greater than that of those made by traditional methods - up to 100 years or more. With the help of such blocks, it is possible to erect buildings up to 4 floors.
DIY block making process:
- preparation of mortar (sand-cement or other);
- setting the block-form in an exact horizontal position;
- pouring the solution into the mold (and, if necessary, tamping it);
- after 5-10 minutes, the pins and internal structures are removed to form voids;
- removing the mold from the manufactured structure, further drying the block.
Thus, you can make up to 40 blocks per day with your own hands. And building blocks made in block form gain significant advantages over panel or brick blocks:
- very sensitive reduction in construction costs;
- use of economical equipment;
- no need for heavy lifting and transport vehicles;
- availability of building materials;
- minimal waste;
- ensuring high strength of the structure;
- high thermal insulation of the house;
- environmental safety and a high level of comfort;
- during operation, there are no large maintenance and repair costs.
Wood concrete building blocks
The main composition of the wall blocks is wood chips and concrete.
Wood concrete blocks are lightweight building blocks made from wood chips (usually from coniferous trees), water, sawdust, chemicals and cement. In the sixties of the last century, the production of such blocks was carried out by more than 100 factories throughout the country. But after the panel construction was approved, production was discontinued.
Nowadays, it is possible to make blocks of wood concrete for building a house with your own hands, subject to strict observance of all technological requirements. The requirements of GOST, according to which wood concrete was previously manufactured, involves the use of wood particles, the size of which is strictly 40x10x5 mm. The number of leaves and needles may not exceed 5% and should not exceed 10% of the bark.
For manufacturing, a considerable amount of cement is needed, which worsens the thermal insulation properties of the material. It is because of this that wood chips are considered an ideal option as the main raw material.
Arbolit is an ideal material for making bath or sauna walls.
Experts recommend using sawdust and shavings, because wood shavings can serve both for heat and for reinforcement. The ratio of sawdust and shavings can be either 1: 1 or 1: 2. Before use, in order to avoid rotting, sugar must be removed from the shavings and sawdust, and for this, the material must be kept outdoors for 3-4 months. Without this procedure, the blocks may swell in the future.
During aging, it is necessary to periodically shovel the shavings with sawdust, but if this is not possible, then the mixture must be treated with calcium oxide. A solution is prepared at the rate of 150-200 liters of a 1.5% solution per 1 m² of raw materials. The treated mixture is left for 3-4 days with stirring several times a day.
For the manufacture of wood concrete is required. Experts recommend using 400 grade Portland cement, and liquid glass, slaked lime, aluminum sulphate and calcium sulphate as additives.
Additives are prepared in the amount of 2-4% by weight of cement. The best combination of additives is a mixture of 50% calcium sulphate and 50% aluminum sulphate or in the same ratio of water glass and calcium oxide.
Process features
If possible, you can prepare both shavings and sawdust with your own hands using special machines and processes, but you can also purchase this raw material ready-made and already processed.
This material is soaked in water with the addition of liquid glass. And to accelerate the process of hardening and mineralization of the material, calcium chloride is added to the mass. In order to carry out disinfection, you need to introduce slaked lime.
And only after all these preparations, the mass is kneaded in a concrete mixer along with cement and other necessary ingredients. Next comes the filling of the obtained material with special forms, while it is necessary to compact the mixture with a manual rammer, vibropress or pneumatic or electric rammers.
Material shaping
Experts recommend making molds for blocks from boards and upholstering their walls with linoleum in order to make it easier to remove the building blocks. With manual ramming, it is performed in layers, made of wood and padded with iron. After the block is kept for a day, and then removed. Then it is left under a canopy for full finishing to the desired strength. In this case, it should be covered while still wet for hydration.
The optimum temperature and time for this is 15 degrees and 10 days. Lower temperatures will take longer to hold. it is important not to allow the mark below zero and do not forget to periodically water the blocks with water.
Expanded clay blocks
You can do it yourself. First of all, for the manufacture of blocks from expanded clay, you need to prepare a special form. You can do it from a regular board. The form is made of a pallet and two halves, resembling the letter "G". Boards must either be treated with machine oil from the inside, or upholstered with tin. At the ends, special closures must be installed that will prevent the form from disintegrating or changing dimensions.
It will be a little more difficult to make a mold with voids for an expanded clay block with voids, but this is offset by the economical consumption of expanded clay mixture. If desired, schemes for their correct manufacture can be found in articles on this topic.
The size of the form can be arbitrary and depend on the assigned construction tasks, but more often they use the following dimensions:
- 39x19x14 cm;
- 19x19x14 cm.
In addition to the form, you will need the following tools:
- Master OK;
- shovel;
- buckets;
- container for primary mixing of components with water;
- metal plate for final mixing of expanded clay concrete mass;
- water, sand, expanded clay.
Component ratio
To make a quality mixture, you need to take:
- 1 part of the binder - cement grade not lower than M400;
- 8 parts of expanded clay (approximately 300-500 kg / m³). It should be added that about 5 kg of expanded clay with a fraction of 5 to 20 mm is placed in a 10 liter bucket;
- sand - 3 parts without clay and other components;
- 0-8 - 1 part of water.
Experts advise adding a teaspoon of any washing powder to the solution for greater plasticity of the solution.
Correct casting of the mixture
With a trowel or shovel, you need to carefully pour all the components into a container with water and let this mass settle for a while. Then it is transferred to a metal sheet and brought to the desired state by thorough mixing.
After that, the finished mixture is put into a mold and vibrated with the help of a special device that creates vibration impulses. You can also do with tapping with a shovel on the sides of the form.
After two days, the rammed block must be carefully released from the mold by unhooking the shutters on it, and in this form, leave it to harden for another 26 days.
A standard block of expanded clay weighs from 16 to 17 kg, and it takes about 1.5 kg of cement, 4 kg of sand and 10.5 kg of expanded clay. Having made simple calculations, we find that each block costs about 25 rubles, with an average cost of ready-made expanded clay of 30 rubles without delivery.
Aerated concrete blocks
To prepare blocks from aerated concrete, the following components are needed:
- Portland cement;
- quicklime;
- sand;
- water;
- a small amount of aluminum powder.
You will also need:
- concrete mixer;
- forms for blocks;
- metal strings, in order to cut off excess mixture from the top of the forms;
- shovel;
- volumetric dishes;
- buckets;
- individual protection means.
The components are taken in the required proportion: quicklime and Portland cement - 20% each; quartz sand - 60%; aluminum powder - less than 1% and slightly more than 9% - water. All this is mixed in a mixer to the consistency of sour cream.
Experts advise purchasing molds for aerated concrete casting in finished form, giving preference to metal and plastic molds. And now the finished mixture is poured into such forms, filling it in half, since gas formation will raise the mixture to the rest of it for some time. And if the mixture rises above the edges, then the excess is cut off with strings.
The mixture in the forms is kept for 6 hours. In this state, the blocks will already be ready for cutting into smaller pieces after removing the formwork from the precast molds. Cutting requires the formation of grip pockets and finger grooves.
Further, in industrial conditions, the blocks are placed in an autoclave for strength development, but these installations are very expensive, therefore, when self-made, blocks will gain strength under natural conditions.
The removed and cut blocks are kept in the conditions of the room for another day before they can begin to be stacked one on top of the other. Such material can be used for building a house only after 28-30 days, when the blocks gain their final strength.
Whatever method is chosen for preparing material for building a house with your own hands, in any case, the construction of buildings from it will come out cheaper, and in some cases it is also much more environmentally friendly, stronger and more comfortable than using industrial material.
Concrete blocks are often used for private and commercial construction. The most popular type of this artificial stone is aerated concrete, or in other words, autoclaved porous concrete. It has unrivaled energy saving and thermal insulation properties, is lightweight and easy to handle. In addition, you can easily do it yourself.
The technology of manufacturing aerated concrete blocks for individual needs and on an industrial scale will be the topic of today's article.
Preparatory stage
Materials for production
The use of aerated concrete blocks in construction has many advantages.
Let's list the main ones:
- one 30-kilogram block can replace about 30 bricks at the same time, which affects the construction time of the building;
- the low weight of porous concrete allows you to build private housing construction without the use of cranes and other special equipment;
- autoclaved gas blocks can be easily processed using ordinary locksmith tools.
The simplicity of the production process makes it possible to produce the required amount of this building stone directly on the construction site or next to it.
All you need is an instruction describing the entire process, and raw materials:
- water;
- cement;
- lime;
- quartz sand.
Note!
To obtain the porous structure of aerated concrete, a suspension of aluminum powder is used.
It is an active substance that can be harmful to human health.
Remember to use protective equipment.
Devices and mechanisms
Not so long ago, the complexity of the technology did not allow the production of various concrete blocks at home, without the use of specialized production lines. Currently, the situation has changed dramatically. There is equipment for: for the manufacture of aerated concrete blocks, for cinder blocks, for bricks, and so on.
In the case when aerated concrete is produced not for their own needs, but for the purpose of subsequent sale, it makes sense to pay attention to other equipment:
- semi-automatic production lines producing 2-4 cubic meters of finished products per day are good for individual entrepreneurship or medium-sized enterprises;
- automatic production complexes that allow the production of up to 100 cubic meters of aerated concrete blocks in 24 hours - suitable for a large enterprise engaged in the production of building materials.
Manufacturing process
The main part of the technological process
The production of aerated concrete blocks begins with mixing the raw materials. Considering that this building material has a porous structure and low weight, a fairly large number of ready-made elements is obtained from a small volume of sand, cement and lime.
For convenience, we will divide the further process into several stages:
- Lime, water, cement and quartz sand are poured into a concrete mixer, where they are thoroughly mixed... After 5-10 minutes, a small amount of aluminum powder dissolved in water is added there. This substance, having entered into a chemical reaction with lime, promotes the release of hydrogen. It is this gas that forms pores in the block with sizes from 1 to 2 mm, which occupy the entire volume of aerated concrete.
- Immediately after adding the aluminum suspension, the mixture is poured into special molds, where it swells, increasing in volume several times.
- So that the pores are evenly distributed, and the aerated concrete hardens faster, the forms are placed on a special table or platform, where the future aerated concrete is subjected to prolonged vibration loads.
- At the last stage, using metal strings, irregularities are cut from the upper edge of the finished products, and the blocks are calibrated to the desired size.
Advice!
In order to quickly cut and calibrate aerated concrete, you can use special milling machines.
Autoclave treatment
Equipment for the production of aerated concrete blocks includes autoclave chambers. In them, the hardened workpieces are subjected to a 12-hour steam treatment at a temperature of 190 degrees Celsius and a pressure of 12 kgf / sq. cm.
After this procedure, aerated concrete acquires greater strength and a homogeneous structure, and also gives minimal shrinkage after the end of construction.
It can be used as:
- heat insulator;
- sound insulator;
- material for load-bearing walls.
By the way, the excellent energy-saving qualities of aerated concrete, which has an excellent coefficient of thermal conductivity, allows you to build houses from blocks up to 400 mm thick without using additional materials that retain heat (mineral wool, polypropylene, foam).
Non-autoclave method
When making aerated concrete, it is not necessary to autoclave it. But such material will be less durable and have worse characteristics.
Finished product properties
Aerated concrete obtained by the method described above has the following properties:
- low density (comparable to the density of pine wood) - it is 5 times less than that of monolithic concrete and 3 times less than that of brick;
- compressive strength, which makes it possible to erect 2 and 3-storey buildings from aerated concrete;
- moisture absorption, which does not exceed 20%, which is comparable to the same brick;
- frost resistance is 2 times greater than that of bricks;
- high thermal conductivity - 2 times less than pine, 15 times less than concrete;
- excellent sound insulation properties - with a wall thickness of 300 mm, it completely isolates sound with a power of 60 dB;
- withstands exposure to an open flame at a temperature of 900 degrees Celsius for 4 hours;
- aerated concrete is easy to saw with an ordinary hacksaw for wood;
- the cost of purchasing or manufacturing it is lower than that of similar materials.
Output
The video in this article will help you learn more about the technology for the production of various building materials.
One of the most common materials for the construction of load-bearing walls and partitions of residential buildings, as well as small industrial buildings, are concrete blocks. Their popularity is due to their low cost, excellent performance and a large number of varieties, which allows you to choose the right unit for almost any task.
The instructions given in this article will allow you to learn how to make concrete blocks yourself, as well as acquaint you with their existing types.
Concrete blocks for walls
Varieties of artificial concrete stones
Consider the main types + characteristics of building concrete blocks, which are most common in modern construction.
Cinder block
These wall stones are made using the method of vibrocompression of concrete solution on special platforms.
The composition of the mixture from which the cinder block is made may include:
- crushed stone for concrete products;
- brick fight;
- sawdust;
- expanded clay.
The technical characteristics of concrete blocks with slag leave much to be desired, but due to the fact that their price is one of the lowest on the market, the cinder block is widely used in private construction.
But the cost is almost the only advantage, since they lag far behind other materials in the following parameters:
- durability;
- heat-saving parameters;
- strength.
The main area of application of the blocks is small buildings that will not be subjected to heavy loads:
- sheds;
- garages;
- summer kitchens;
- workshops and so on.
Photo of cinder block
A less common material that is made from the following components:
- organic matter (mainly wood);
- a binder (powder);
- hardener.
In fact, this artificial stone consists of sawdust enclosed in a concrete shell.
The advantages of the material are obvious:
- low weight of the concrete block;
- high thermal insulation properties;
- good sound insulation;
- efficient air exchange.
To protect the blocks from the negative effects of the environment, the stones are treated with a special solution. This prevents the formation of mildew and prevents rotting.
Arbolit is perfect for the construction of small houses that are suitable for year-round living without the use of additional thermal insulation.
Arbolite block
Gas blocks and foam blocks
Cellular concrete blocks in accordance with GOST, which determines their technical characteristics, by 70-85% should consist of artificially created pores (cells) filled with air. The most common foam and gas blocks.
These materials have the following advantages:
- have a low weight, as a result of which the transportation of concrete blocks and their installation in private construction does not require the use of special equipment;
- easy to process - you can give the required shape to the honeycomb block using an ordinary hacksaw for wood;
- walls made of cellular concrete blocks keep heat well and have excellent sound insulating properties.
Cellular concrete blocks are made from mortar, which includes sand, cement and aggregate. To form a foam, lime, aluminum powder or other foaming agent are added to it.
Note!
Unlike foam concrete, aerated concrete undergoes additional processing in an autoclave furnace, where it is exposed to high temperatures under high pressure (10-12 MPa).
As a result, this material acquires increased strength: it is almost impossible to crush or break it.
Aerated concrete block
Self-made blocks
The technology for the production of artificial stone from cement mortar with a filler is relatively simple, which allows you to make concrete blocks yourself.
Preparatory work
At the initial stage, the size of the future block should be determined. In the case of self-production, the parameters of each individual element are taken based on the required wall width.
The thickness of the bottom of the block should not be less than 2 cm, and the walls of the voids should not be less than 4 cm. In this case, a standard stone measuring 20x20x40 cm with voids inside weighs about 40 kg, which makes it convenient for laying walls.
For manufacturing, you will need any flat area covered with plastic wrap and special forms without a bottom.
The material for the forms will be:
- boards;
- plywood.
To protect the tree from damage, the inside of the mold is sheathed with sheet metal. Liners are made in the same way, due to which voids are formed in the finished block. They improve the thermal insulation properties of the material and make it lighter.
Forms for the manufacture of concrete blocks
Do-it-yourself concrete blocks can be produced faster if you make several forms at once in one block. This requires plywood or a board with a width equal to the height of the future block. The material is sawn into pieces and fastened with self-tapping screws. Next, internal partitions are made.
Advice!
In order for the frozen block to be easily separated from the mold, all its parts must be lubricated with kerosene, machine oil or antifreeze.
Manufacturing process
To cast blocks from a concrete mixture, you will need the following materials:
- fine gravel;
- cement;
- sand;
- water;
- lime;
- wire for reinforcement.
The amount of each of the components is determined based on your artificial stone needs. The proportions of cement, sand and gravel are taken in a ratio of 1: 3: 5.
For mixing concrete mortar, it is better to use a concrete mixer
For convenience, we will divide the entire subsequent process into several stages.
Self-made concrete block
The technology described above allows, without applying much effort, to make concrete blocks with your own hands. The technical characteristics of the finished products will practically in no way be inferior to the analogs that are sold in building supermarkets, and the size will ideally match your needs. In addition, this way you can significantly reduce the cost of purchasing building materials and their delivery.
The video in this article will help you to get acquainted with the material in more detail.
Building a house with blocks progresses faster than with bricks. You can buy them freely, but many make building blocks with their own hands.
Blocks in construction are used not only for the construction of walls. It is also accelerated by the use of building blocks for the foundation. Of course, these blocks must be very dense: 1.5 tons per 1 cubic m. Making blocks with your own hands, if you figure it out, is not such a super complicated matter.
Where to begin?
And the beginning of everything is the manufacture of forms.
Forms
On sale there are molds for building blocks with standard dimensions. And at home you can make building blocks in sizes that suit you. We take sheet metal, cut out the workpiece of the required shape and weld the shape. Molds are also made of wood, they are good for adobe blocks. The bottom is not needed here. But the handles on the sides will come in handy, so it is more convenient to work with them.
DIY building block material
What's great about DIY building blocks is that they use material that you already have or can easily purchase.
Basically, blocks are made on the basis of cement with different fillers, but craftsmen, like manufacturers sometimes, do without it. Depending on the material chosen, it is possible to make homemade building blocks of the following types:
- slag concrete;
- blocks based on liquid glass;
- adobe;
- chip concrete or wood concrete.
How the filler is used:
- ash;
- slag;
- screening out;
- crushed stone;
- gypsum;
- perlite;
- expanded clay;
- sawdust;
- straw;
- broken brick and more.
Cementless blocks
The manufacture of building blocks using this technology is not available to everyone, because there is liquid glass in the mixture. Is it possible to negotiate with the nearest precast concrete plant and buy the main component there. The mixture will consist of:
- two dozen parts of river sand;
- one and a half dozen pieces of liquid glass;
- 4 parts of chalk;
- 3 parts of slaked lime;
- 2 parts kaolin.
Manufacturing process
- Sand is sieved first;
- chalk is added;
- everything mixes well;
- slaked lime is introduced;
- kaolin or brick crushed to a powder state;
- liquid glass.
The starting material should be homogeneous, pasty. Moisten the inside of the molds before pouring in this dough-like mass. You can color the building blocks if you wish. To do this, add:
- chalk of any color;
- red brick ground into powder.
Fillers are added to such blocks: slag, expanded clay, shavings. Their strength is high - they are much stronger than cement ones.
Expanded clay concrete blocks
Expanded clay concrete blocks are one of the types of cinder blocks, where expanded clay serves as a filler.
Composition
- cement - 1 part;
- expanded clay - 5 parts;
- sand - 3 parts;
- water - about one part.
Technology
The technology for manufacturing expanded clay concrete building blocks is, in general, the same as any others:
- the original material is placed in pre-lubricated forms;
- compacted;
- the form is removed after 10 minutes;
- the product remains in place;
- after 12 hours, it is transferred to a place protected from precipitation and direct sunlight.
- in warm weather, the blocks will become solid after a little less than a month.
If you plan to make thick walls (about 0.5 m), then blocks are better with voids. For this, wood inserts are inserted into the mold: round or square. And so that they are well removed, before inserting, wrap them in the roofing iron.
Advantages
- light weight;
- frost resistance;
- breathability;
- moisture resistance;
- strength;
- low cost.
A house from expanded clay concrete blocks is built faster than from a brick, less mortar is used for masonry.
Adobe blocks
Components
For this type of block, the material is literally underfoot. All you need is:
- clay;
- straw;
- river sand .;
- water.
Selection features
In order for the building blocks to meet all the requirements, you need to know something about the features of the selection of components:
- It is better to prepare the clay in the fall, cover it with a film and let it overwinter - this will improve its quality.
- First sift the sand, freeing it from impurities.
- The straw can be taken to the field where wheat, rye or barley have just been harvested. If the straw is left over from the harvest of the previous year, then the quality will no longer be the same - after all, after lying down, it begins to rot.
How to determine the percentage of components
- clay - 1 cub. m;
- straw - 20 kg;
- sand - 25%.
In order not to spoil the whole batch of blocks, you need to make a small experimental batch. So we proceed as follows:
- we combine all the components in small quantities and write down the proportions;
- we make a batch;
- we form a ball;
- leave in the sun to dry for about 1 hour;
- we throw it to the ground at a height of a meter and a half.
If all the components are selected in the required ratios, then the ball will remain whole. Added more sand than you should? It will collapse or crack. Not enough sand? The ball will blur. So, in a practical way, we select the most optimal option.
Preparation
To prepare a mixture for several dozen blocks at once, you need to make a recess in the ground: a round one with a diameter of about 2.5 m or a rectangular 1.5x2.5 half a meter deep. Line its bottom with polyethylene. Although some kind of ready-made container is also suitable: a trough or an old bath. Then everything is the same as it was done in the old days: we put on high rubber boots and walk, mixing everything until smooth.
Manufacturing
- While the batch is in the manufacturing stage, we are preparing a platform for the products: we select an even, sunny place;
- we bring the mixture with buckets;
- fill out the forms;
- we compact;
- we remove the excess by running a board along the upper edges of the form;
- we remove the form.
The finished blocks should dry out. This usually takes several days. It is important that they are not exposed to rain. Then they are transferred to a shelter and dried again. They will be completely ready in 10 days.
A house made of adobe blocks turns out to be very warm and comfortable. In addition, this building material is environmentally friendly, durable, and fireproof. It is used for buildings not higher than 2 floors.
Sawdust concrete blocks (arobolite)
The technology for making blocks from sawdust concrete is similar to the manufacture of adobe blocks, but the components must not be mined, but purchased.
The constituents
Before you start manufacturing, you need to purchase:
- cement - M300 or higher;
- sand - fraction not larger than 1.8 MCR;
- not slaked lime;
- sawdust (coniferous wood).
Preparation of components
- sift sawdust;
- mix dry cement and sand;
- here the lime and mix again;
- add sawdust and repeat the mixing procedure;
- pour in water;
- In order for the components to adhere well to each other, add calcium chloride or sulphate alumina;
- we control the quality of the mixture.
For quality control, we roll the ball and squeeze it in our palms. If water flows, then there is too much of it in the mixture; if the ball crumbles, there is a lot of sawdust or sand.
We start manufacturing
- We cover the form with plastic wrap;
- we lay the mixture;
- ram;
- without removing it from the mold, we leave it to harden for 5 days;
- take it out of the mold and dry it further.
The drying process will take a long time - from 1.5 to 3 months: it all depends on the mass of the block.
Equipment
If the construction is going to be large-scale, then it may make sense to spend money on equipment for building blocks. For example: on sale there is a mini-machine for the production of wood concrete RPB-1500 BL. Its productivity is 1 sawdust block with dimensions of 19 x 19 x 39 cm per minute. Produced by a Russian manufacturer - INTEC.
They are widely used in the manufacture of building blocks vibrating tables. They allow you to solve the problem with the compaction of mixtures. The vibrating table consists of:
- movable table;
- engine;
- control panels;
- sometimes a transformer is included.
Compaction of the working mixture occurs under the influence of vibration generated by the vibration motor.
Work cycle
- set the form on the movable table;
- put in a mold half or completely dry mixture;
- we start the engine;
- drying.
How to choose?
There are 3 types of vibrating plates capable of compacting material by weight:
- up to 75 kg;
- from 75 to 160 kg;
- from 160 kg.
Focusing on these indicators, you should select the optimal variant of the vibrating table for yourself.
Manufacturers
They are produced by:
- Russian company VPK;
- LLC Stroymash;
- plant "Red Poppy" in Yaroslavl and others.
Vibrating tables are also supplied by foreign manufacturers:
- Spain - Enar and Hervisa;
- Germany - Wacker;
- Italy - Batmatic;
- France - Paclite.
