Paving stones are a very common building material, which is mainly used for decorating sidewalks and roads. It should be noted that in the manufacture of these elements you can organize a real business.
The advantages of such a production
To begin with, you should understand whether it is worth doing such a thing. Among the advantages of a business are the following:
- good payback;
- a wide variety of shapes, colors and sizes of elements;
- a small amount of necessary equipment;
- the use of common and relatively inexpensive materials.
In addition, the scope of paving stones is quite wide. This material is environmentally friendly and durable. It is these qualities that make the presented elements very popular not only among the population, but also among large construction organizations. It should also be noted that equipment for the production of paving stones is inexpensive.
What raw materials are used for work?
In order to produce the presented product, starting materials are required. For work you will need:
- Cement. High-quality raw materials have a brand of 400 or 500. It is better to choose "Portland cement".
- The sand. It must be well cleaned and of high quality.
- Water.
- Plasticizer.
- Dye.
In addition, you can use various additives that will give the elements one or another quality.
What equipment is needed for work?
Now you can figure out what equipment for the production of paving stones you need to purchase. So, for a small workshop you will need:
- Concrete mixers. They can have different sizes and power. It all depends on what kind of performance you want to achieve. The cost of such equipment starts at $ 300.
- Hydraulic trolley. It can be used to transport a solution or a finished product. It costs about 300 y. e.
- Baths. It is desirable that the tanks are equipped with heating. Their price ranges from 250 dollars.
- Vibration table. This paving machine is very important. Thanks to him, you can make durable and high-quality material. It costs about 350-400 y. e.
- Forms. These elements are also very important. Thanks to them, paving stones of a given shape and size can be made. Their cost is quite small. Although it all depends on the material from which the molds are made.
Naturally, all equipment for the production of pavers should be of high quality. You need to buy it only in official stores, where you can provide quality certificates. You also have the opportunity to purchase such equipment in installments or on credit.
How to choose the right form?
This question is not easy, since the quality of the finished product often depends on this element. Forms for the production of pavers can be made of different materials:
- metal;
- silicone;
- wood;
- plastic.
The latter option is the most common in small production. The fact is that such forms are quite simple to use, have a small weight. However, the disadvantage of the plastic form is that it can be used a limited number of times - this material is not as strong as metal.
However, the low cost of plastic makes such products very popular. In principle, you can replace the form at any time.In addition, plastic products can provide the manufacture of completely different types of pavers.
Wooden and silicone molds can only be used for home production of a limited number of concrete elements. They are the simplest and most fragile.
Features of the pavers production process
In principle, the process itself does not involve any heavy manipulations. First you need to make a solution. To do this, in the prescribed proportions, mix all the components with a concrete mixer. Next, the solution should be poured into molds and put on a vibrating press for the production of pavers. If you want to make colored elements, you will have to fill in 2 layers of concrete.
In the form of the mixture should spend about 48 hours - until completely dry. Next, the paving stones are placed in the bath, where it needs to be heated. After that, it is placed on a vibrating table, with which you can extract the finished elements. Then the finished product is packaged or stored.
The presented material can be produced by several methods: by vibration casting or by vibropressing. The second method is more productive. In doing so, you can produce multi-colored elements. However, basically the surface of the pavers in this case is rough. Therefore, it is most convenient for installation. As for vibration casting, this method is less productive and does not allow automation of manufacturing. In addition, such paving stones are less resistant to the influence of low temperatures.
