Production of concrete fences: features of the process

Fencing panels

Among the owners of country houses, cottages and townhouses decorative concrete fences are very popular. The demand for such products is so great that many are beginning to consider the production of concrete fences as one of the main ways of making money.

In our article we will try to describe the most accessible technological process for the production of fences made of cast cement, as well as dwell on a few nuances that the quality of the finished product depends on.

Necessary equipment and raw materials

When planning the organization of the production of cast sections for concrete fences, it is necessary to attend to the presence of three elements:

• Manufacturing technology.
• Equipments.
• Raw materials for production.

And if with regard to technology information is quite enough (including this material itself, as well as the video in this article), then for the purchase of tools and raw materials will require serious investments.

What kind of equipment for the production of reinforced concrete fences is included in the minimum set? In order to start the manufacturing process, we need:

Vibrating table - equipment for the production of concrete fences

• A set of matrix forms. It includes both forms for the plates themselves, and forms for the pillars. Different production technologies involve the use of different types of forms, because in more detail on their design, we will focus on the appropriate section.
• Vibrating screen Designed to clean cement, sand, etc. from impurities. The cleaner the raw materials used will be, the higher the mechanical and aesthetic characteristics of the fence will be.
• Vibrating table - a key detail in the entire set of equipment. This is due to the fact that it is by vibration casting that we remove air bubbles from the panel, which means we provide it with the necessary strength.
• As for the concrete mixer, experts recommend the use of coercive models to improve product quality.

Vibrating sieve

Also, to organize the process of manufacturing cement fences, we will need a room. The optimum area is about 200 m²Because a significant amount of space is required for drying finished products.

Instant stripping

Materials used

Concrete panels used for the construction of fences, produced by the method of vibrating cassette. In this case, two different technological schemes can be applied: “exposure” and “instant dismantling”. For the inexperienced reader, the difference in these technological schemes is small, but the end product is very different in quality and performance.

Mold for the manufacture of the panel

«Instant stripping» предполагает литье специально приготовленной смеси в высокопрочные матрицы. При этом для эффективной работы необходимо, чтобы в нашем распоряжении было достаточное количество распалубочных поддонов.

Note! The required number of pallets can be calculated by multiplying the planned daily number of cast plates by two.

As a rule, fiberglass matrices with a metal frame are used for the production of fencing plates using this technology. Such forms for the production of concrete fences have an adequate margin of safety and weigh more than 50 kg.

Preparation of solution in a concrete mixer

For the production of fences this method uses a special casting mixture:

• Concrete brand M300 and above.
• The water to cement ratio is 0.35.
• A filler - crushed stone no more than 5 mm.

If production of panels for fencing is planned, the use of plasticizers is mandatory. You can also use fillers that speed up the process of curing and give the finished panel different shades.

For the lubrication of forms can be applied such compositions as "Lerossin", "Separa" and similar. It is also possible to manufacture artisanal lubricants based on mineral oils with used motor oils, fuel oils or diesel fuel, but the surface quality of the plate in this case is quite low.

Sequence of operations

The process of production of fences on the technology of "instant stripping" is as follows:

• On the vibrating table, included in the operating mode, the form is set. The mold must be pre-cleaned and lubricated to prevent sticking of the cement and the formation of a defective surface.
• A mixture of the required consistency is poured into the mold. Excess mixtures are cut using a long rule flush with the sides of the form.
• On the surface of the fill fit rebar of rods, after which, under the influence of vibration, it is pressed deep into the slab. Care should be taken to position the armature as close as possible to the center of the part.
• When the compaction process is complete (this is indicated by the absence of bubbles on the fill surface), table off.
• Two workers lift the form and spread the finished section of the fence on the stripping tray.
• The form is cleared of residual concrete, washed and lubricated for the next fill.

Drying products

Making a concrete fence with your own hands by stripping on a pallet involves getting a fairly cheap material, which, however, does not have high aesthetic characteristics.

If you are more impressed with the high-tech production of concrete fences, then you should consider the technology of exposure casting.

Exposure casting

Technology differences

In general, the technology of instant stripping and exposure casting are similar, but if you are planning to make concrete fences with your own hands, then you should carefully examine all the differences in the operations performed.

And the main one of these differences is the fact that the strength building process takes place directly in the form itself. The front surface of the slab is formed at the point of contact of the material with the counter surface of the matrix, which means that for exposition production, only high-quality forms should be used for the manufacture of concrete fences.

PVC Matrix

As a rule, today for this purpose, casting dies made from either PVC or ABS are used:

• Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) forms are made of material with a thickness of 0.75 - 1.2 mm. The smooth inner surface makes it possible to produce decorative slabs for fences, as well as pillars, pedestals, monuments, etc. The strength of PVC forms is sufficient for working with a concrete mix, and the wear resistance is about 50 cycles.

Decorative Matrix

 Note! Pallets for working with casting dies of PVC should be made with the most accurate observance of dimensions, excluding the slightest deformation of the plate. This is due to the fact that thin walls of polyvinyl chloride practically do not have a bearing capacity.

• ABS plastic (acrylonitrite - butadiene - styrene) exceeds PVC primarily in durability. Acrylonitrite matrices are capable of withstanding up to 200 casting-stripping cycles, so if you plan to make concrete fences with your own hands on an industrial scale, then you should choose the ABS.
• The thickness of the applied polymer sheets in this case is 2.2 mm. This allows the use of less durable (and therefore lighter) pallets. At the same time, the price of the ABS slightly exceeds the cost of the PVC form, therefore, if possible, you should choose this material.

ABS casting matrix

Tip! Forms from an acrylonitrite sheet are produced by the method of corner gluing, therefore, when cleaning and lubricating, it is necessary to monitor the state of glue seams. The appearance of cracks or cracks in the corners is the first sign that the matrix will soon fail.

Exposure casting process

Making a concrete fence with your own hands according to the method of exposure is also quite simple. Instructions describing the sequence of our actions are given below:

• We make a pallet stretcher from a strong wooden bar with a section up to 60 mm. The construction of the stretcher should eliminate the displacement of the form during pouring and demoulding.
• For panels of complex shape with decorative elements in the manufacture of the pallet can be used foam, polyurethane foam, etc. These materials are designed to support the lower part of the matrix and protect the parts from displacement and compression.

The distribution of the solution in the matrix

• The matrix is ​​set in a wooden pallet, lubricated and served on a vibrating table. For the treatment of the inner surface, experts recommend the use of the K-222 stripping compound, since, due to its characteristics, it almost completely eliminates the contact of plastic and casting mixture.
• In the lubricated form, we serve the casting mixture, after which - by the rule we align it along the edge.
• Fill the reinforcement into the fill, after which we perform the vibratory compaction until the formation of bubbles on the surface stops.
• Pouring the stretcher is removed from the vibrating table and transported to the place of drying. From the moment of completion of compaction to stripping should take at least a day. At the same time, the casting mixture is constantly located inside the mold, and the fence acquires the necessary configuration.

Photos of the finished product

With strict adherence to the technological process as a result, we get a flat and smooth section for a concrete fence, the surface of which looks very attractive even without additional processing. Introduction to the composition of the casting mixture of decorative filler or pigment allows you to create imitations of granite and marble with your own hands.

Making a concrete fence with your own hands is a difficult and rather expensive task. At the same time, if you scrupulously follow the instructions, the quality of the finished product should be at its best. This means that due to the high demand, your investment will pay off pretty quickly.