Production of facade tiles yourself

Works on self-finishing of the facades of a house under construction belong to the category of time consuming and responsible operations, the successful implementation of which is possible only if you have certain skills. At the same time, the use of purchased decorative tiles as a facing material for some owners of their own houses seems to be quite expensive.

In this article we will try to tell you about how the production of facade tiles with their own hands., and also share some secrets of the organization of work of this class.

Finishing the facades of buildings is, as is known, at the final stage of construction work and ultimately determines the aesthetic appeal of the future home. That is why the question of choosing a suitable finishing material is traditionally given special attention.

In the subsequent sections of our article, we will consider the known types of finishing tile materials used to make facade tiles; in them we will also try to decide which one is the most suitable for self-production of such tiles.

Factors affecting the choice of material

Facade tiles представляет собой облицовочный материал, используемый не только с целью декорирования фасадов. Он обеспечивает надёжную защиту от различного рода климатических воздействий.

To minimize the cost of manufacturing veneering material, it is necessary to take into account a number of related factors that affect the amount of costs. These include:

• cost of raw materials;
• technology used in the manufacture of tiles;
• the size and shape of the blanks;
• color shades and decor.

It should be noted that for the manufacture of decorative tiles can be used any dry mix, ranging from traditional concrete compositions and ending with their special types (terracotta or clinker, for example).

Using special forms

For the preparation of working forms used in the production of facade tiles, you will need originals (preferably from a wild stone), which would completely repeat the structure of the future coating. The prints (impressions) obtained from these originals will be the forms that can be used to make tiles. Consider this process on the example of the production of cladding material "under the artificial stone", carried out by the method of so-called vibratory casting.

Before starting work, the original dry mixture (in accordance with the recommendations for its use) is diluted in warm water and then poured into previously prepared forms. Before pouring, the composition is thoroughly mixed, and immediately after its placement in the forms it is subjected to the so-called vibro-processing. To do this, you need a special flat vibrator (vibrator), on which all forms prepared for one batch will be placed.

In the course of such processing, small particles of the mixture sink to the bottom, thus forming the dense and sufficiently strong front surface of the future tile product. Immediately after “setting” and hardening of the initial composition, the tile should be removed from the mold and allowed to rest for a while. As a result, you get a facing material with an absolutely smooth back surface and with the front side, which exactly repeats the structure (drawing and texture) of the original used in its manufacture.

For the manufacture of facade tiles of arbitrary size, you can prepare several different shapes. In this case, an interesting pattern is found: the more available forms differing in size, the more natural the structure of the facade facing of the structure will look.

Dyeing and molding techniques

To obtain one or another color of the front surface of the tile, you can use one of the known methods, the first of which involves mixing special enzymes into the prepared composition. According to the second method, the coloring of the front part of the workpiece is carried out by simply applying a special dye to its surface.

One of the varieties of the first method of staining is the option of pouring the enzyme diluted in water to the bottom of the mold just before making the tile. This technique allows you to paint over products to a sufficient depth and can be used as an additional to the second method.

Note! When molding facade tiles, it is necessary to carefully monitor the accuracy of compliance with the geometric dimensions and the resulting surface structure of the product. It should be noted that the standard classification for these characteristics of tile products does not exist, so that each manufacturer chooses them at their discretion.

Types of cladding: pros and cons

The most common types of tiles used for cladding facades include the following types of tiles:

• ceramic,
• concrete,
• теракакотовая,
• clinker

In order for you to be able to choose the most suitable option for yourself, you should be familiar with the advantages and disadvantages of each type of tile.

Ceramic granite tiles

Facade tiles из керамического гранита изготавливается путём смешивания различных сортов глины с добавлением песка, полевого шпата, красителей, а также специальных минеральных ферментов. Полученная таким образом смесь сначала формуется, а затем помещается в обжиговую печь, где при температуре порядка 1300° С плитка принимает свой окончательный вид. К основным достоинствам этого вида следует отнести высокую морозостойкость, водостойкость и износостойкость получившегося покрытия. К минусам гранитного материала принято относить сложность укладки плитки по причине её значительного веса.

Concrete tile

Concrete tile изготавливается на основе классического портландцемента и хорошо просеянного песка с добавлением в них наполнителей и присадок, придающих изделию особую прочность и морозостойкость. Прошедшие вибропрессование формы сначала обжигаются в печи, а после остывания покрываются цветными герметиками. Достоинством этого вида покрытий является широкий выбор разнообразных текстур и цветовых оттенков, а также относительная лёгкость и невысокая стоимость. Каких-либо существенных недостатков у плиток этого класса практически не наблюдается.

Terracotta tiles

The source material for the production of terracotta tiles is a special kaolin clay with a porous structure, calcined in a furnace at a temperature of 1000 ° C. The advantages of these coatings are the simplicity of their installation, resistance to temperature changes and solar irradiation. The relative disadvantage of terracotta products is their insufficient mechanical strength.

Clinker плитка

For the production of clinker tiles, special shale clays are used, calcined in a furnace at a temperature of 1300 ° C.

Its advantages include low moisture absorption, high frost resistance, as well as a wide choice of colors and textures, as well as resistance to mold and mildew. Its only drawback is the high price. 

Video

We invite you to see with your own eyes the process of making artificial stone for the facade: