How to make paving tiles at home

If the hosts in the plans is scheduled to equip the track on your country site, or the site around a private town house, it will inevitably have to make a decision about what material it will make a better and more economical.Today, very popular coating used everywhere, became paving tiles of different colors and configurations.

However, this material, as well as its transportation and unloading is not cheap, especially during transport losses are possible, and thus to acquire tiles with a margin, and it will also be unnecessary spending.That's why many homeowners are thinking about how to make paving tiles in the home and thus save a decent amount.

advantages of self-production of tiles

to manufacture this stuff yourself - it's possible.Of course, the lack of special equipment and accumulated experience will make this process long enough, but deliver us from the search for a suitable pattern and color options.

If you decide to do an independent manufacturer of paving tiles, then you need to be prepared for quite a laborious job.However, resulting from her result will exceed all expectations when the track or playground near the house will be exactly the kind of which was conceived in the development of the masters of landscape design of their possessions.

homemade advantage is the fact that you can create your own exclusive version of tiles, which do not produce on an industrial scale, no general or anyone else.

If we stick to technological recommendations, and to approach the manufacturing process with the necessary accuracy, the products are obtained of excellent quality with a long service life.

In the process of developing their own version of the tile is always the possibility to experiment with colors and even shapes as a template for casting also can be made independently.

Forms for manufacturing of paving slab

In that case, if the store could not find the tile desired configuration, or it was found, but has too high a price, or the color is not quite satisfied with the owners, then this positionYou can always find a way out by making a template for its own manufacturing.These forms are usually prepared in the amount of several pieces, and already use them to produce a number of paving slabs, as will be necessary for the improvement of the section of tracks and platforms.

To do this, it purchased a few copies of the finished tile in any color, which made and shaped.In addition to the tiles in the board, which has a beautiful textured pattern, or liked its shape stone can be used as an initial sample.

Matrices can be single, that is designed for one tile, or complex, which produced several products.The second option is more difficult to do, but in the course of tile production work will go much faster.

To make the shape required for formwork material and, of course, a special composition for casting matrix.Formwork

make more 20 ÷ 30 mm initial sample size in height and 12 ÷ 15 mm wide.It should be borne in mind that paving slabs should have a thickness not less than 35 ÷ 60 mm.As formwork suitable plywood box, carton or any other material that can withstand fill the plastic composition to form.Matrices themselves are made of two-component polyurethane based compound or silicone sealant.

form of a polyurethane compound

The range of DIY stores you can find several types of compound specifically designed for the production of dies for plaster casts, artificial stone facade and sidewalktiles.One of the most popular of them are domestic composition "Silagerm 5035", since it has excellent technical and physical characteristics.Moulding composition based on polyurethane is made and produced in two parameters hardness - 30 and 40.by Shor table.Its main indicators are presented in Table

Main indicators of material	Hardness 30 ± 3	Hardness 40 ± 3
Skin formation time after exposure to the components with the air (min) no more.	45 ÷ 100 45 ÷	100
Pot life (min), no more.	60 ÷ 120 60 ÷	120
Conditional tensile strength MPa, min	3,0 ÷ 4,5	3,5 ÷ 5,0
Elongation at break (%), not less.	450 ÷ 600 400 ÷	600
Shrinkage (%), not more.	1	1
Viscosity (cps).	3000 ÷ 3500 3000 ÷	3500
Density (g / cc), no more.	1,07 ± 0,02	1,07 ± 0,02

Making matrix of the compound is as follows:

• sample for preparing the matrix must be well washed and dried.
• Further, the initial sample is prepared and the inside of the formwork is covered with a solution consisting of white spirit and wax.The composition was applied in two layers.It can replace the finished wax lubricant.
• two-component mixture is then prepared.To this paste is added into the hardener in the proportions 2: 1, and the mass is mixed until uniform.It is important to keep the proportions, since by them is correct curing of the finished material will depend.

When preparing a large amount of the mixture, the preparation process is carried out using a drill with paddle-mixer, well, a small amount is quite possible to mix with a spatula.Drill Mixing mass is turned into small speed, otherwise the composition obtained with a large number of air bubbles.If the compound is not mixed components will not be fully utilized, the necessary capacity to them tightly capped staff to avoid contact with air.

• finished mixture is gently poured into the mold, which is laid face-up pattern.The composition of the fill should cover the full initial sample and the thickness of its layer above the upper part of it should be equal to at least 8 ÷ 10 mm.
• Upon completion of pouring a little formwork needed to move back and forth, shaking slightly, to rid the mixture of air bubbles.Then, filled with formwork must stand for 5 ÷ 7 minutes - during this time the air bubbles rise to the surface, and they can be gently removed with a spatula.
• After 24 hours, the mixture hardens, and the mold can be removed from the casing.However, to use it for its intended purpose is permitted only after 72 hours, after the material will acquire all of the claimed quality of the manufacturer.After this time, the shape will be able to withstand even pour mass heated to about 80 ÷ 120 degrees.
• form of the compound will last a long time, if before filling solution for its tile manufacturing process with a special compound "Tiprom 90".

sale this compound in buckets weighing 1.5 and 7.5 kg.

matrix of silicone

silicone compound can also be a two-component, packed in buckets, and require training in accordance with the instructions (inwhole - is similar to the process described above).But it is possible to use a conventional silicone, which is known to all under the name of the sealant.Buy it must be as long as necessary for the production of forms, because after opening the package, he immediately begins to set.Therefore, open the original packaging, one-component silicone to be after the formwork and the initial sample will be lubricated with grease greasy and ready to fill.As a lubricant often use ordinary grease.

future sample tiles stacked front side up, too, smeared with grease and is filled with silicone.The thickness of the upper part of the source code must also be 8 ÷ 10 mm.

If the sample used tiles made of plaster, it is first necessary to be sure to handle with several layers of varnish or lacquer.

to distribute silicone formwork using a spatula or brush, which dipped in soap solution prepared in advance.

thick silicone layer dries much longer than the compound - the term can range from two weeks to a month, and sometimes more.The duration of the period depends on the thickness and depth of the cast layer.Therefore, the shape of the tile is better to prepare in advance, for example, dedicating this winter to the matrix were guaranteed to be ready to fly, as the cement of which will be manufactured paving slabs, work better in warmer months, or at least at a positive temperature.

When the form is ready, it is removed from the casing and well washed free of grease.Next, you can start making tiles.

main parameters of standard silicone one-component sealant are shown in the table:

Main indicators of material	normalized values ​​	results when tested
surface film formation time after squeezing the sealant from the tube (m) does notmore.	30	5 ÷ 25
Viability (h), no more.	8	6 ÷ 8
Conditional tensile strength MPa, min	0.1	0,4 ÷ 0,6
Elongation at break (%), not less.	300	400 ÷ 600
resistance strength (mm), max.	2	0 ÷ 1
Water absorption by weight (%) not more.	1	0,35 ÷ 0,45
Density (g / cc), no more.	1200	1100 ÷ 1200
durability, contingent years, at least.	20	20

It should be noted that if the owners have no desire to engage in the manufacture of matrices on their own, they are it is quite possible to buy in a specialty store.However, in this case, the tracks on the country site may completely differ from the neighborhood.

When selecting the final matrix is ​​not worth buying the plastic form (unless absolutely necessary, as will be discussed below).It is better to give preference to polyurethane, silicone or rubber.

manufacturing of paving slab at home

Not every house has special equipment that can be used to quickly and accurately make paving tiles.So, then we will look at ways that allow it to make, using the means at hand.Of course, without special shapes do not, and can be manufactured according to the instructions or purchased as a finished product shown above.Ideally, for high-quality and rapid production would be good to have a vibrating table.However, as will be shown below, a small scale it is possible to cast tiles and without it.

Production of square tiles using a plastic mold

square tiles can be called traditional.She goes out of fashion since the paths gives rigor and accuracy.Especially important to use this version of the tile design paths leading to the house from the entrance to the site.

Illustration	Brief description of the operation being performed
	In this case, for the manufacture of tiles used plastic molding measuring 300 × 300 mm and 30 mm thick.The embossed pattern of this embodiment the matrix is ​​called "California orange peel". Plastic forms are convenient in that they have sufficient rigidity and are not deformed during application of the solution, but is more difficult to extract them from the final product because of the same rigidity. to form lasts as long as possible, and from it was easier to extract the finished tile before grouting is recommended to process a matrix of fatty grease.
	For mixing the solution needed for one such tiles need to sand the coarse fraction - 3 kg.
	addition of sand, you need to prepare cement M-500-D0 - 1 kg, normal tap water of 0.5 liters, red color powder 70 g, and a plasticizer - 25 ml.
	For mixing the solution need to prepare a container - it can be plastic or glass-lined bucket.Galvanized capacity use is not recommended as a plasticizer or colorant can cause oxidation, whereby the selected tile color can change.
	In the prepared container poured sand and cement. In this case, the master is selected such mixing technology, but it is easier to mix the mass, if the dry mix is ​​prepared in advance - sand and cement are mixed in advance.
	So, sand and cement thoroughly mixed using a drill with a paddle-mixer.
	next step, in a separate container, mix until smooth water, dry colorant and a plasticizer.
	a result of such mixing should get a red liquid.
	finished solution is poured into dry cement-sand mixture.
	All components thoroughly kneaded using a mixer - this process should be carried out for at least 3 ÷ 5 minutes.
	After mixing should get enough thick viscous mass of coarse. It will acquire the necessary density in the process of putting some in shape and tamping.
	Next, the resulting mixture is spread into a greased form. first laid out in a matrix of a mixture of half finished.
	The weight must be distributed with the greatest possible uniformity in shape, lifting her shaking and matrix.
	then laid out the remaining mixture and the first spread with a spatula or trowel. Filling matrix solution, it needs to carefully seal, holding a trowel. special attention form the corners - they should be well filled.water.