Architectural concrete: types of material and manufacturing

Concrete is one of the most versatile building materials, it is used in various areas of construction, ranging from the construction of houses, and ending with the manufacture of various decorative products. In the latter case, use a special concrete, which is called architectural. Next, we take a closer look at what architectural concrete is, what properties it has and how it can be prepared by yourself.

Features of architectural concrete

Architectural (or as it is also called decorative) concrete differs from the usual in its resistance to various negative influences, such as sudden temperature changes, increased moisture, etc. Products made of architectural concrete can be incredibly attractive, imitating natural stone. With their help, you can decorate any structure from the outside or decorate the room from the inside.

Types of material

Decorative concrete solution is conventionally divided into two main types, each of which is designed for different types of work:

• White decorative concrete - used for facades, interior decoration, as well as the creation of various decorative elements that will be subjected to heavy loads.
• Light white concrete - used to create various lightweight designs with decorative elements, in the manufacture of tiles, imitation of natural stone, etc.

In general, architectural concrete is designed to solve two important problems:

• Imitation of the surface of natural stone;
• Ensuring the strength and reliability of the product.

As a rule, this material imitates the surface of sandstone. Moreover, in many respects, he even surpasses it.

Composition

Composition архитектурного бетона состоит из следующих ингредиентов:

Note! The proportions depend on the specifics of the products that will be made of this material, as well as the type of molding and some other factors.

Molding methods

Decorative concrete can be molded by different methods, so let's take a closer look at them:

• Trampling or packing - is a manual method by which you can get the product in rigid forms. It consists in pouring mortar and tamping with a metal rod or a wooden stick. To improve the material properties, vibration settings can also be used.

This technology allows you to create products of medium and even high level of complexity of forms. As for the shortcomings, they include a high rejection rate, as well as a low strength of products.

• Vibropressing method - The basis of this method is vibration with a pressure of up to 1 kg / cm2. For molding use special vibropress and molds.

According to this technology, various types of paving stone, paving slabs, and simple architectural forms are made. Polyurethane substrates have recently been used as molds, which make it possible to obtain a better surface. The advantages of this method include high strength products, good performance and ease of manufacture of products.

With the help of pigments using this method, you can get an attractive colored tile that can decorate any playground or courtyard.

• Pressing under pressure - when casting using this technology, hydraulic presses and molds are used. In this case, molding is performed under a pressure of 50-500 kg / cm2. This technology of architectural concrete is used in the manufacture of thin-walled structures, which have high strength and resistance to low temperatures.

Also, the solution can be poured into the formwork or sprayed when performing various construction works.

Making decorative concrete

Making decorative concrete will save a significant amount, since the price of natural stone or paving slabs is much higher than the cost of self-made material.

Next, we consider how to prepare decorative concrete for pouring into formwork or forms, and subsequent tamping.

The instruction is as follows:

• The manufacture of architectural concrete begins with the mixing of cement with sand in a ratio of 1: 3.
• Then water is added to the composition. In addition, at this stage, the mass is stained with dye, as well as additives are poured into it. The number of additives in each case may be different, detailed instructions on their use are on the package.
• After obtaining a homogeneous mixture, crushed stone is added to the solution. As a rule, its content is 40% of the total mass. After thorough mixing, the composition will be ready for use.

After preparation of the solution, it is poured into the formwork, which is pre-reinforced, or special forms. During the pouring process, the concrete is rammed periodically.

Tip! After hardening, the concrete turns out to be very durable; therefore, a diamond-powered electric tool is used for its machining. In particular, such procedures as cutting reinforced concrete with diamond circles, diamond drilling holes in concrete or grinding with diamond crowns can be performed.

Conclusion

Область применения декоративного бетона довольно обширна, что обусловлено многими его достоинствами. В том числе ему всегда найдется применение и в частном хозяйстве. Как мы выяснили, изготавливается архитектурный бетон своими руками довольно просто (см.также статью «Пила для бетона: разновидности режущего инструмента и особенности применения»).

From the video in this article, you can get more information on this topic.