How to make a sidewalk tile at home

If the owners plan to equip the tracks in their suburban area or the sites around the private city house, then they will inevitably have to decide what material this will do better and more economically. Today, a fairly popular coating, used everywhere, has become a sidewalk tile of various colors and configurations.

However, this material, as well as its transportation and unloading, is not cheap, especially during transportation, there may be losses, which means that you will have to buy tiles with a margin, and this will also be unnecessary waste. Therefore, many homeowners are thinking about how to make paving slabs at home and save a decent amount at the same time.

Advantages of self-made tiles

It is quite possible to manufacture this material on your own. Of course, the lack of special equipment and experience will make this process quite long, but it will save you from searching for a suitable variant according to the pattern and color.

If you decide to do self-made paving tiles, you need to be prepared for a fairly laborious work. However, the result obtained from it will surpass all expectations, when the paths or the playground near the house will have exactly the kind that the masters thought when developing the landscape design of their possessions.

The advantage of home production is that you can create an exclusive version of the tile yourself, which is not produced on an industrial scale, nor at all, nor by anyone else.

If you adhere to technological recommendations, and go to the manufacturing process with all the necessary care, then the products will be of excellent quality, having a long service life.

In the process of developing your own version of the tile, you can always experiment with the color scale and even the shapes, as the molding matrix can also be manufactured independently.

Forms for the manufacture of paving slabs

In the event that the store did not find the tiles of the desired configuration, or if it was found, but has too high a price, or its color is not entirely satisfactory to the owners, then from this position one can always find a way out by makingmatrix for its production independently. Such forms are usually prepared in quantities of several pieces, and already with their help produce as much paving slab as will be necessary for the improvement of tracks and sites on the site.

. To do this, only a few copies of finished tiles of any color are available for which shapes are made. In addition to the tiles, a whiteboard with a beautiful textured pattern or a stone that you like with its outlines can be used as a reference sample.

The matrices can be single, that is, designed for a single tile, or complex, in which several products are manufactured at once. The second option is more difficult to make, but in the course of tile production the work will go much faster.

To make the mold you need material for the formwork and, of course, a special composition for casting the matrix.

The formwork is made larger than the original sample size by 20 ÷ 30 mm in height and by 12 ÷ 15 mm in width. It should be noted that paving slabs should have a thickness of at least 35 ÷ 60 mm. As a formwork, a plywood box, cardboard box or any other material capable of withstanding the filling of a plastic compound for molds is suitable. The matrices themselves are made from a two-component compound based on polyurethane, or from silicone sealant.

Form of polyurethane compound

Several types of compound can be found in the assortment of building shops, specially designed for the manufacture of molds for gypsum castings, artificial facade stone and paving slabs. One of the most popular of them can be called the domestic composition "Silagerm 5035", as it has excellent technical and physical characteristics. The molding compound is made on the basis of polyurethane and is produced in two hardness parameters - 30 and 40 units.according to the Shore table. Its main indicators are given in the table

Basic indices of the material	Hardness 30 ± 3	Hardness 40 ± 3
Time of surface film formation after contact of components with air,( min) no more.	45 ÷ 100	45 ÷ 100
Pot life( min), not more than.	60 ÷ 120	60 ÷ 120
Conditional tensile strength MPa, not less than	3,0 ÷ 4,5	3,5 ÷ 5,0
Relative elongation at break( %), not less than.	450 ÷ 600	400 ÷ 600
Shrinkage( %), not more than.	1	1
Viscosity( cPs).	3000 ÷ 3500	3000 ÷ 3500
Density( g / cm³), not more than.	1,07 ± 0,02	1,07 ± 0,02

Manufacture of the matrix from the compound is carried out as follows:

• The sample for the matrix must be thoroughly washed and dried.
• Further, the initial sample and the internal space of the prepared formwork is covered with a solution consisting of white spirit and wax. This composition is applied in two layers. It can be replaced with a finished wax grease.
• A two-component mixture is then prepared. For this, a hardener in proportions of 2: 1 is added to the paste, and the mass is mixed until uniform. It is very important to observe the proportions, since the correctness of the solidification of the finished material will depend on them.

If a large amount of mixture is being prepared, the preparation process is carried out using a drill with a mixer-mixer, and a small amount can be mixed with a spatula. Drill with kneading the mass is turned on at low speed, otherwise the composition will turn out with a lot of air bubbles. If not mixed components of the compound will not be used completely, then the containers with them must be tightly closed with standard covers to prevent contact with air.

• The prepared mixture is poured neatly into the formwork, into which the template is laid face up. The fill composition must cover the original sample completely and the thickness of its layer above the upper part should be at least 8 ÷ 10 mm.
• After completion of pouring, the formwork needs to be moved a little forward and back, slightly shaking to rid the mixture of air bubbles. Then, the formwork with the filling should be settled for 5 ÷ 7 minutes - during this time the air bubbles will rise to the surface, and they can be carefully removed with a spatula.
• After 24 hours the mixture hardens and the mold can be removed from the formwork. However, it can be used for its intended purpose only after 72 hours, after the material has acquired all the quality claimed by the manufacturer. After this time, the mold will be able to withstand even the poured mass, heated to 80 ÷ 120 degrees.
• The form of the compound will last a long time if it is treated with a special composition "Tiprom 90" before filling it with a grout for making tiles.

This compound is sold in buckets weighing 1.5 and 7.5 kg.

Silicone matrix

Silicone compound can also be a two-component, packed in buckets, and requiring preparation in accordance with the instructions( in general - similar to the process described above).But you can use a conventional silicone, which is known by all as a sealant. You need to buy it as much as you need to make a mold, since after opening the package, it immediately begins to grasp. Therefore, to open the factory packaging of one-component silicone should be after the formwork and the original sample will be greased with grease and ready for pouring. As a lubricant, the usual solidolol is used.

mold. The sample of the future tile is laid face-up, also smeared with a solidol and filled with silicone. The thickness above the upper part of the source should also be 8 ÷ 10 mm.

If a tile made of gypsum is used as a sample, it must first be treated with several coats of varnish or varnish.

To distribute the silicone on the formwork, use a spatula or brush, which is dipped in a prepared soapy solution.

The thick layer of silicone dries much longer than the compound - this time can range from two weeks to a month, and sometimes more. The length of the period depends on the thickness and depth of the filled layer. Therefore, it is better to prepare the tile mold in advance, for example, devoting it to winter time, so that the matrices are guaranteed to be ready for the summer, since with the cement from which the paving slab will be made, it is better to work in the warm season, or at least at a positive temperature.

When the mold is ready, it is removed from the formwork and well washed with grease. Next, you can start making tiles.

The basic parameters of the standard silicone one-component sealant are given in the table:

	In this case, a 300 x 300 mm plastic mold and a thickness of 30 mm is used to make the tile. The relief pattern of this variant of the matrix is ​​called "Californian shagreen". Plastic molds are convenient in that they have sufficient rigidity and do not deform during the mortar laying, but they are more difficult to remove the finished product because of the same stiffness. For the form to last as long as possible, and it was easier to remove the finished tile from it, it is recommended to treat the matrix with grease before filling the solution.
	To mix the solution required for one such tile, a coarse sand of 3 kg is required.
	In addition to sand, you need to prepare cement M-500-D0 - 1 kg, ordinary tap water 0.5 liters, color red in powder 70 g, and plasticizer - 25 ml.
	To mix the solution, you need to prepare a container - this can be a plastic or enamel bucket. The galvanized container is not recommended to use, as the dye or plasticizer can cause oxidation, so that the color chosen for the tile is able to change.
	Sand and cement are poured into the prepared container. In this case, the master has chosen this kneading technology, but it will be easier to mix the mass if the dry mix is ​​prepared in advance - sand and cement are pre-mixed.
	So, sand and cement are thoroughly mixed with a drill with a mixer nozzle.
	Next step, in a separate tank, water, a dry colorant and a plasticizer are mixed to a homogeneous state.
	This result should result in a red liquid.
	The finished solution is poured into a dry cement-sand mixture.
	All components are thoroughly mixed with a mixer - this process should be performed for at least 3 ÷ 5 minutes.
	After mixing, a thick enough viscous coarse mass should be obtained. It will acquire the necessary density in the process of its laying in shape and ramming.
	Next, the resulting mixture is laid out in a greased form. First half of the finished mixture is put into the matrix.
	Mass must be distributed with the greatest possible uniformity in shape, lifting it and shaking the matrix.
	Then the remaining mixture is laid out and first distributed using a spatula or trowel. Filling the matrix with a solution, it must be carefully sealed, pressing the trowel. Special attention to the angles of the form - they must be well filled.
	Next, the matrix for a long time is "squashed" - this process occurs until the mass is not condensed to the maximum and does not form a completely flat surface. When shaking from the solution, air bubbles will protrude. It is advisable to carry out this work until the air stops coming out completely. When tiles are produced in large quantities, a special vibrating table is used to seal the fillings - it greatly facilitates the work. However, if the molded products are manufactured only for one track, the vibrating table will be unprofitable to buy or do it alone. The mold is left to cure for 24 hours. This indicator is valid for air temperature of +20 degrees, and can vary in larger direction in cooler weather - this will have to be determined experimentally.
	After the required period of time, the matrix is ​​inverted and the tile is carefully removed from it.
	If necessary, you can press a little on some parts of the bottom of the mold, in order to make the product lighter from it.
	The result is a neat smooth tile, but it can not be used immediately, as it must finally dry out and gain strength. For this, the tiles are placed on the edge and left for at least three days. And the final set of required strength, with the possibility of applying full load to the tile laid, will end approximately two weeks after fabrication.
Illustration	Brief description of the operation

	This very original version of the paving slab, having a diameter of 300 mm and a thickness of 40 mm, consists of two layers made from solutions of different colors. It is a little more difficult to make than a one-color one, since the work will have to be done very carefully, taking care that the solutions do not mix with each other. This tile is called a "pine cut", as it imitates a cut log of a tree trunk. The inner part has a beige color and the relief of the annual rings, but the outer frame repeats the pattern of the stale pine bark.
	For the manufacture of similar products a polyurethane flexible mold is used, which can be manufactured independently by the technology described in the article above. Since the matrix of polyurethane does not have the proper rigidity, it must be installed on a perfectly flat surface. For the stand under it, a plywood sheet is usually used, which will later help to clean up the solution after filling the mold. Shake a flexible matrix filled with a fairly heavy solution, it will be extremely difficult.
	To obtain a core with "annual rings", one such tile will require white cement 100 ÷ 150 g, sand of the middle fraction - 300 ÷ 350 g, yellow or beige color - 50 g, plasticizer 20 ÷ 25 ml.and 200 ÷ 250 ml.water.
	Water, color and plasticizer are combined in one container and mix well.
	Next, the resulting solution is poured into a mixture of white cement and sand. All components are well mixed until uniform. If necessary, add a small amount of water.
	The result should be about 0.5 liters of the finished mixture.
	The mass is laid out in the middle of the mold, previously smeared with wax grease. It may seem that it is too small, but this is a deceptive impression, since when distributing the mixture, it will fill all space intended for it. The mass is distributed only on the inner part of the mold, which simulates the core of the round rod with the annual rings. This layer should have a thickness equal to or slightly less than the height of the rim that separates the middle part of the "round" from the improvised "bark".
	The solution should be thick enough. Therefore, it is first distributed using a spatula, gently pressing to the bottom of the mold. The mixture can not be diluted, since the mass that will be laid on top of it can mix with the more liquid bottom, and spoil the whole conceived effect of the tile.
	Since the mixture in the matrix is ​​small, the shape after the primary distribution moves back and forth over the table surface and gently shocks.
	Next, the mass is again distributed with a spatula, and it is pressed firmly against the mold.
	After this, the matrix with the mixture is shaken again until the mass has filled all the space allotted for it. The result should be a smooth smooth pancake, if you look at it from above.
	The next step is to prepare a mortar to fill the roundwood core with a "bark". For the mixture intended for the formation of this layer, and for the whole main part of the tile, it is necessary to prepare gray cement M-500-D0 - 1 kg, water 0.5 l, plasticizer 35 g, brown tint 60 ÷ 70 g,sand of coarse fraction 3,5 ÷ 4 kg.
	Sand and cement are mixed well with a mixer. Then, separately prepared solution from water, dye and plasticizer.
	Half the solution is added to the mixture and mixed with the same mixer. During mixing, part or all of the solution residue is added. The mass should be quite thick and crumbly.
	Using a trowel, the mixture is laid out in a matrix. First, it fills the edges of the shape that will mimic the bark of the tree.
	Then, the mixture is laid out on the entire plane of the container. When the entire composition is laid out, it forms a slide, which must be carefully distributed by the trowel. The form needs to be shaken a little. Since, it is plastic enough, a sheet of plywood, laid under it, will come to the rescue, one edge is raised and shaken, that is, vibrating movements are produced.
	Then, the mixture is again compacted with a trowel, continuing to distribute it.
	The mold filled with the mixture continues to vibrate until its solution surface becomes even and smooth. He must fill out the entire relief pattern on the side walls of the matrix. The finished mixture is left in the mold for a day to solidify.
	After 24 hours, the matrix is ​​carefully turned over.
	Then, the shape from the tiles is neatly removed. Polyurethane or silicone matrix has the advantage over plastic that it is much easier to remove it from the finished product, and the risk of damaging it is not so high.
	Finished tiles must finally dry out and gain strength, this will take at least 2-3 days. When drying, the product will get a lighter shade, so if you want to get a saturated color, you can add more color. However, it must be taken into account that too much dye makes the solution less durable.
	If it is decided to make a mold for such a tile on its own, then for the basis it is necessary to take a natural roundwood from any tree that you like, with a well-expressed structure of coarse bark. Before pouring silicone or compound in the manufacturing process of the matrix, it is necessary to carry out the processing of the sample, deepening the texture pattern, otherwise the effect may not work out. Pay attention to the groove between the bark and the wood itself - it also needs to be deepened - as a result, a small edge will be obtained on the matrix, which helps to perform high-quality layer-by-layer filling. After laying the tiles, this thin gap will quickly fill with soil and become invisible. You can also fill it up with the trowel or usual cement composition
Illustration	Brief description of the operation

	For such work, tools will need to be prepared: - building level; - large and small spatula; is a trowel; - bayonet and shovel shovel; - pump sprayer; - mixing tank or concrete mixer, - a wheelbarrow is required to deliver the mixture to the pouring place. After the familiarization with the work process is completed, each master can add to the list with the tools convenient for him, or remove the extra ones from the presented list.
	From the materials it is necessary to prepare: - plastic form for tiles; - cement M-500; - coarse sand; - dye if it is planned to make a multicolored tile; - black polyethylene for flooring on the ground; - slag or crushed stone of fine fraction. In this case, it should be taken into account that from one bag of cement in 50 kg, 6 ÷ 7 slabs of 600 × 600 mm size and 60 mm thickness can be produced. This list can be replenished with curbs, as on the uninhabited area the track will not last long - the edges will begin to collapse.
	A few words need to be said about the stencil itself. The design of the mold is well thought out - its side walls are wider than the middle ones that separate the tile. Thanks to this arrangement, after the concrete is poured into it and its strength is set, not individual stones are formed, but a solid plate separated by gaps in the upper part only by ⅔ total thickness. Other than that? The mold should have two technological holes, in which the handles are fixed, which will help to remove the stencil without difficulty from the grasped concrete.
	In order for the track to last a long time and not overgrown with grass, it is necessary to prepare a place for its pouring. For this purpose, first of all, a fertile soil layer is removed from the marked site, approximately 100 ÷ 120 mm deep. Then, the ground is tamped, and on top of it it is desirable to lay black polyethylene film, which will not allow to break through the germinating grass outside. Next, there is a layer of cement-gravel, cement-sand mixture, just sand or slag 50 mm thick. Some save on pouring and make it a thickness of only 30 mm, but this will not be enough. If to do on conscience, then 50 mm is the optimal thickness. This layer is moistened and re-compacted.
	If a narrow path is laid, then it is recommended immediately, to install curbs. If it is planned to protect the track with curbstones, then they can be installed after the formation of the track.
	Next, the prepared place is laid stencil, processed from within with engine oil with a brush. In order to save the mortar, as well as strengthening the strength of the created plate and its unique reinforcement, it is possible to lay gravel of a coarse fraction into the internal space of the mold.
	The next step is mixing the cement slurry. It can be manufactured in a concrete mixer or in a suitably sized container. Concrete mixture should be made in this way: for 1 kg of cement and 3 kg of coarse sand, 35 g.plasticizer and, if desired, a dye is added.
	If 5 ÷ 6 molds are poured immediately, it is better, of course, to prepare the mortar in a concrete mixer. In this case it is kneaded in such proportions: for 50 kg of cement it is necessary to prepare 250 gr.plasticizer-accelerator, 9 buckets of fine gravel, 6 buckets of pure river sand. Water is added so much to achieve the desired consistency of the mixture. With such a volume of solution can handle a concrete mixer, calculated at 0.3 cubic meters.m. To adjust the composition for a smaller concrete mixer, the component composition must be proportionally reduced. If colored tiles are manufactured, it is permissible to add color in the volume of 2 to 8% of the amount of cement, depending on how much the paving is supposed to be light or dark.
	The filled mortar is filled with the prepared mortar. It is very important that the mixture completely fill the entire space of the stencil. Special care must be taken to fill corners.
	The trowel is distributed. Thanks to its pointed blade, the mass will easily be placed in the corners under the stitch jumper. It is better to put the mixture more than is required, than not to report, since the excess can be easily removed with a trowel.
	The mortar is spread out on the upper jumper stems using a wide spatula. The surplus of the mixture is removed by the trowel. It is recommended to level the surfaces of the future tile to an ideal smoothness, as this will depend on its durability and durability.
	After waiting 20 ÷ 30 minutes, until the solution seizes, remove the stencil from the tiles by grasping the handles screwed into the technological holes. This should be done very carefully and strictly vertically, since the concrete has not yet solidified completely, and it is very likely that in case of awkward movement it will damage one of the corners of the tile.
	The result should be a concrete slab.
	The form taken from the previous plate is placed next to it, with a clearance of about 10 mm. Then, the stencil is checked by the construction level for an evenness, and if necessary, a sand pile or a support made of flat stone or ceramic tiles is made in one or two corners.
	Next, the process is repeated, that is, the mold is laid with crushed stone, then it is filled with a solution that is leveled and so on, until the entire planned track( pad) is closed.
	If the track is framed by the curbs already installed along it, then after the coating is completely ready, the gaps between the slabs and the curbs are also filled with mortar. In addition, the formed slots between the tiles can also be filled with concrete mortar, covered with sand or the soil with seeds of a special lawn grass, which rises only 30 ÷ 50 mm.
	The gaps between the plates may be left empty. However, one should take into account the fact that over time they will be killed by soil in which weeds of weed grass may appear, and it is capable of hammering the entire path and even contributing to the destruction of slabs.
	If desired, in the process of manufacturing such a coating, it can be decorated with a broken ceramic tile. It is pressed into the solution that has just been poured into the stencil, and then the surface is again leveled with a spatula.
	If you want to add a garden area of ​​color, then the tile can be made in many colors, filling the cells with stencil solutions, which are added different colors. This process will take more time and effort, but a site with such interesting tracks will always cheer up. Using several dyes, it is advisable to prepare two or three forms for pouring. So the work will be more effective, since a solution of one color can fill the sections in several stencils at once.
Illustration	Brief description of the operation

Basic material values ​​	Normalized values ​​	Test results
Time of surface film formation after squeezing of the sealant from the tube( min) is no more than.	30	5 ÷ 25
Pot life( h), not more than.	8	6 ÷ 8
Conditional tensile strength MPa, not less than	0.1	0,4 ÷ 0,6
Relative elongation at break( %), not less than. Resistance to flow( mm), not more than.	2	0 ÷ 1
Water absorption by mass( %) is no more than.	1	0,35 ÷ 0,45
Density( g / cm³), not more than.	1200	1100 ÷ 1200
Durability, conditional years, not less than.	20	20

It should be noted that if the owners have no desire to manufacture the matrices themselves, then they can be purchased at a specialized store. However, in this case, the tracks on the countryside may not be completely different from neighboring.

When choosing a finished matrix, you should not buy a plastic mold( without special need, as will be discussed below).It is better to give preference to polyurethane, silicone or rubber.

Production of paving slabs at home

Not every house has special equipment with which you can quickly and efficiently make paving slabs. Therefore, in the following we will consider the ways that make it possible to produce it using improvised means. Of course, you can not do without special forms, and you can make them according to the instructions given above, or you can buy them in ready-made form. Ideally, it would be good for a high-quality and fast production to have a vibrating table. However, as will be shown below, on a small scale it is possible to cast the tile without it.

Square tile production using plastic mold

Square tile can be called traditional. It does not go out of fashion, because it gives the paths rigor and accuracy. It is especially important to use this version of the tile to decorate the path leading to the house from the entrance to the site.

Production of the original paving slab "pine cut" in polyurethane form

The original design of the sites and paths is the laying on them of a wooden round timber. However, wood absorbs moisture well, is subject to gradual decay and damage by various insects. Concrete tiles, imitating a cut of wood, will be an excellent substitute for natural material.

Sidewalk tiles made "in place" using the

stencil Another affordable way to equip the garden paths is to pour them with a concrete solution using a polypropylene stencil. With the help of this convenient device, it is quite possible to quickly ennoble not only narrow paths, but entire sites.

This instruction can understand how to properly prepare a place for laying a track, and how to use a stencil. In addition, attention will be paid to how to decorate a concrete surface.

Starting the work on arranging the tracks in this way, it is necessary to take an interest in the weather forecast for the coming days, otherwise all work can go wrong if the first night after the formation of the paths suddenly it rains heavily.

The stencil will greatly facilitate the work on the development of the site. Although this form is quite expensive, but having only two or three such matrices, you can quickly build paths and refine the sites of the whole territory without involving third-party masters.

Another important point. When purchasing a ready tile, remember that it's not so easy to put it right. Therefore, if you do not manage to produce the paving yourself, you will have to invite specialists and pay them for work an amount that, at a minimum, will be equal to the cost of the tile itself.

The same stencil will not allow us to commit gross errors. Even without any experience in this area, any landlord can independently make high-quality, neat surfaces. Undoubtedly, if all technological recommendations are observed, increased accuracy will appear, and the novice master will mobilize all his abilities and abilities.

Video: the master's work is the production of paving slabs for natural wood