New technologies are constantly making adjustments to the construction industry, offering innovative materials. Not long ago, the group of concretes was supplemented by modern polymer concrete. It is rapidly gaining popularity in our country because it is stronger and more durable than traditional concrete and has a beautiful appearance. It is also called artificial or cast stone. In addition to construction, polymer concrete is used to make furniture and plumbing fixtures; interesting landscape sculptures are cast from it; fountains and artificial waterfalls are installed.
Features and types
Polymer concrete is one of the new types of concrete mixtures in which polymers are the binding component instead of cement. The composite material is obtained by mixing viscous flowable synthetic resin with mineral fillers. Plasticizers, dyes, and hardeners are also added to the mixture. Depending on the type of aggregate used and its fraction, the type of binder used and the purpose of the material, several types of special polymer concrete are distinguished.
- Heavy polymer concrete, it contains coarse aggregate (2 - 4 cm). It is used for the manufacture of structures subject to high loads.
- Thermal insulation. Small particles (up to 1 cm) of highly porous materials are used as filler. Used for thermal insulation, suitable for the construction of internal partitions.
- Structural high density. The size of aggregate particles in the mixture does not exceed 2 cm. Used in construction. This group also includes cast stone that imitates natural types of granite, marble, and onyx.
- Structural and thermal insulation. The density of this type of polymer concrete varies in the range of 0.5 - 1.5 t/m3. The aggregate crumb fraction is no more than 2 cm. The material has good heat saving properties. Scope of application: construction of foundation and wall structures.
Polymer concrete preparation technology
To obtain polymer concrete, polymers that are in the hardening phase before the hardening phase are used as a fastening agent. liquid state(thermoplastic or thermoset type of material). The most common products are furan, epoxy, polyester, phenol-formaldehyde and urea-formaldehyde synthetic resins.
GOST in the composition of polymer concrete, unlike conventional concrete, allows the use of filler not only in the form of large and small fractions, but also finely dispersed components. The specific particle size of the aggregate is selected based on the purpose of the polymer concrete and the requirements put forward for it. For heavy concrete, the filler is large fractions of crushed stone: 10-20 mm and 20 - 40 mm, for a lighter type of concrete mixture - porous expanded clay gravel and agloporite crushed stone.
The polymer concrete recipe contains quartz sand as a fine-grained aggregate. Andesite or quartz flour, graphite powder and marshalite are used as powder fillers. The composition of polymer concrete necessarily contains modified additives: plasticizers, stabilizers, hardeners and dyes. Certain standards apply to each type of material.
How to prepare polymer concrete yourself
The first step is to prepare the starting materials: crushed stone of the required fractions, quartz sand with a grain size of no more than 5 mm, ground filler, for example, mineral flour, binder resin.
The approximate composition by weight in percentage terms is as follows: crushed stone - 51%, quartz sand - 26%, mineral flour - 11%, synthetic polymer resin - 10%, the rest is modified additives.
Making polymer concrete with your own hands involves a number of sequential operations. To do this you need:
- Remove dirt and rinse coarse aggregates.
- Sift the sand and separate out the impurities in it.
- Dry the washed aggregates, ensuring the desired moisture content. It is recommended to use only a dry component with a moisture content not exceeding 0.5% - 1%. Failure to comply with this parameter will significantly reduce the strength of the final product.
- Load the aggregates into the mixer, strictly observing the following order: first add crushed stone, then sand, and lastly filler.
- Mix the loaded components.
- Prepare the binder. Depending on the used synthetic material it is softened by heating or diluted with a solvent, bringing it to the desired consistency.
- Add modifying substances to the softened polymer and mix.
- Add the binder to the prepared aggregate mixture.
- Mix the binder resin with the aggregate (1 - 2 minutes).
- Add hardener and mix again for 3 minutes.
It must be borne in mind that the prepared mixture sets quickly, so it must be used immediately by pouring it into formwork or prepared forms.
Among the varieties of polymer concrete, the production of which is carried out in factory conditions, options are produced in the form of dry mixtures. As a filler, they require a fraction not exceeding 1 cm; the mixture is diluted with water. This type of material is suitable for sealing cracks, repairing concrete structures, pouring foundations and installing self-leveling floors.
Scope of application of polymer concrete in construction
First of all, polymer concrete is a building material. Products made from polymer concrete are characterized by high strength, water resistance, frost resistance, resistance to aggressive environments, and a variety of colors. The material can subtly reproduce the pattern of natural granite, marble, or malachite. This factor plays an important role in the use of polymer concrete for the manufacture of columns, window sills, fireplace elements, balusters, steps and railings for stairs, decorative stucco molding, and facing slabs.
The technology of seamless self-leveling polymer concrete floors is widely used in construction. Based on their composition, there are several types of such coatings, suitable for premises for various purposes. In industrial workshops, mixtures based on epoxy resins are often used. The lightest and most flexible is polyurethane flooring; it is installed in shops, shopping centers, office premises, on balconies and loggias in residential apartments.
Polymer concrete is a wonderful alternative to structures made of conventional concrete and finishing materials from natural stone.
The main difference between polymer concrete and other concrete mixtures is the use of organic compounds in production. Polymer concrete is a mixture of various binders and polyester resins, which are combined with various substances (catalysts, hardeners and solvents). Polymer concrete is much superior to other types of concrete in its physical and mechanical characteristics. It has increased ductility, increased strength, it is not afraid of water and frost, and is resistant to abrasion. If you wish and have some knowledge of production technology, making polymer concrete with your own hands is not difficult.
Polymer concrete for mechanical and physical characteristics superior to all other types of concrete.
Where is this material used?
Due to all its positive characteristics, the applicability of this material in construction is much higher than that of others. This material is used:
- as an insulating coating for concrete;
- when laying high-strength bricks;
- as a weather-resistant painting material;
- for decorative finishing of premises facades;
- for putty and plaster;
- as an adhesive solution for facing tiles;
- covering for heated floors.
Due to its characteristics, such as high plasticity and low porosity, stable strength, which is achieved in a short period of time, polymer concrete can be produced by vibration molding. In particular, it can be used to work with products of small forms of architecture, decorative items for furniture and load-bearing structures.
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Transparent concrete: some features
Improvements occur every day, including in the construction industry. Concrete is known more for its strength than its light transmittance. This was the case until a new product appeared on the market - transparent concrete. This material is a mixture of concrete and glass threads that allow ordinary cement mortar accept increased hardness of the concrete solution, plus also quite significant transparency.
Thanks to the presence of glass fibers in concrete, silhouettes can be seen through it.
The technical name for transparent concrete is litracon. It is made in the form of blocks, not much larger than a brick, and because of its transparency it seems completely weightless. This material can rightfully take its place among decorative and construction materials. According to the manufacturers, such blocks, in addition to being used in the construction of partitions, can even be used for paving sidewalks, since glass fibers make up only 4% of the total part of the concrete solution, and the material retains many of the advantages of the concrete mixture.
Thanks to the presence of glass fibers in the composition, through the new material it is possible to see the silhouette of a person or, for example, a tree. Blocks made from this material allow you to fill your living space with light, making it light and airy. It seems as if the walls practically do not exist. It is preferable to use such blocks in rooms that were originally built “dead”, this applies to corridors and storage rooms. If you use LED lighting when constructing a partition made of transparent concrete, you can achieve amazing effects.
The sizes of the blocks produced can be different, which does not at all prevent the transmission of light through them. These blocks transmit solar and electrical rays up to 20 meters. And production technology may change depending on customer requirements. Glass fibers can be distributed either along the entire perimeter of the block or concentrated in a certain part of it, and in some cases it is possible to form certain contours.
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Printed concrete: basic properties
Printed concrete is widely used for paving sidewalks, pavements, swimming pools, on facades and in interiors.
In recent years, decorative forms of concrete have become increasingly popular. This technology is widely used for paving sidewalks, swimming pools, pavements, in the interior and on facades. Surface finishing with colored concrete is increasingly being used, which is also an innovation in construction industry. This type of concrete is produced by imprinting a texture on the surface of the concrete, thereby imitating any surface - from stone to tile.
For the production of printed concrete, M-300 grade concrete is used using fiberglass as a reinforcing material. After concrete is poured into molds, its surface is imprinted with molds and, as a final stage, it is treated with varnish, which prevents moisture from penetrating into the pores of the concrete, creating the effect of repelling moisture.
Another name for printed concrete is press concrete, which fully reflects its essence: a matrix with a pattern is imprinted on the surface of the coating, thanks to which it is possible to create a complete imitation of a stone coating with minimal labor costs. Printed concrete combines the main consumer characteristics - wear resistance and decorative appearance. In addition to a large selection of textures for concrete production, it is possible to paint it in various colors.
Stamped concrete is superior to asphalt pavement and concrete tiles in many of its technical characteristics. It has increased resistance to aggressive environmental components, and also has an increased temperature limit from + 50 to -50 ° C. This coating is easy to clean and non-slip, which makes it indispensable when laying the coating in swimming pools. Such concrete does not lose its original color under the influence of ultraviolet rays. Stunning decorative effects can be achieved when using printed concrete.
A coating made from this material can withstand about 300 freezing and thawing cycles, which makes it the absolute leader among other materials. In addition, such concrete is not subject to destruction under the influence of acids and alkalis, which makes it an excellent material for organizing flooring in garages or auto repair shops.
Polymer concrete - what is it? Step by step we make the mixture with our own hands. Polymer concrete (also cast stone) is a material that perfectly combines beauty and strength natural stone with an affordable price (which is available thanks to inexpensive mineral supplements) and ease of manufacture.
When creating, you can use almost any type of aggregate (glass, marble/granite chips, sand), which guarantees you the most interesting products made from polymer concrete.
Due to the fact that it contains a binding polymer, the stone is durable and resistant to frost, water and overheating. Next, we propose to consider standard technological processes for the production of polymer concrete, as well as how to make polymer concrete with your own hands.
What will you need?
To create this type of product we need:
- Coarse fraction filler (crushed stone, crushed large glass, sand).
- Filler of a smaller fraction of fine grinding, which will reduce the cost. It can be andesite, graphite or quartz powder.
- Binder - only 5% of the total volume. Usually these are polymer resins, for example, urea-formaldehyde, polyester (unsaturated), furan.
- Plasticizer, hardener, dye, modifying additives.
- Release agent for molds and separation, as well as gelcoat for coating the outside.
Creation methods
The production process can be carried out using continuous or batch technology.
- Typically, continuous technology is used only in large-scale production. At the same time, dispensers, injection molding machines and automatic mixers are used to coordinate production and organize a single chain.
- During periodic production, after each completed cycle, the containers in use should be constantly washed. But there are also advantages - you can make polymer concrete even in a concrete mixer or bucket.
Process
To create a casting stone, you will need a mold that is generously lubricated with a special release agent (otherwise you will not be able to remove the finished product). Usually they use a mold made of plastic, metal, silicone, and sometimes chipboard (with a modest budget).
- Apply a layer of gelcoat of the desired shade to the release paste.
- Next, we put a composite mixture into the mold, which consists of the above-described elements, which should be mixed well in advance in a concrete mixer. In large production, where the volume of mixtures is much larger, a special concrete paver places the mixture into the mold. If you intend to create a small product from polymer concrete, and the process is periodic, this action is performed manually.
- Next, it is necessary that the mixture, which is placed in the mold, be subject to vibration compaction. This procedure lasts no more than two minutes. To do this, a resonant platform is equipped at the factory, and a vibrating table is used in small industries.
Important, that during production at the factory, in some cases, heat treatment is carried out so that the part hardens faster. But usually the hardening process is completed naturally.
Now let's look at what equipment is required.
Equipment for creating polymer concrete
Nuances of choice and cost
For those who immediately decided to become a polymer concrete tycoon and set their sights on continuous technology, large-scale production should be organized, which means there is a need for special conveyor equipment. It includes machines for casting, mixing, finishing, dosing, as well as a mechanized warehouse. Since purchasing a “complete” kit will cost several million dollars, you can first buy only the basic elements on a turnkey basis, thanks to which the initial costs will be reduced to 50 thousand dollars.
But even such an amount can become unaffordable for a novice businessman during a crisis. But the good news is that you can get by with even less money if you buy the required minimum equipment separately. There are some elements you can do yourself, and next we'll look at how to spend less and get more.
Equipment and devices
So, this is a list of things you definitely can't do without:
As you can see, polymer concrete technology and creating conditions for production are not that expensive if you can prepare the equipment yourself.
Atmospheric pollution from polymer concrete production
As we mentioned earlier, during casting harmful substances are formed. human body evaporation. This is usually styrene, which is found in resins. This type of production cannot be done without resins - they are used as a binder. As soon as the sealed container with resins is opened, the toxic fumes begin to poison your health. In addition, the hardener (often methyl ethyl ketone peroxide) is also dangerous. But it is not volatile and to protect yourself from it, you only need rubber gloves for your hands.
Please note that it is these factors that oblige the manufacturer to equip the foundry room extremely carefully, designing it as a sealed unit, and also not to forget about installing a powerful hood and purchasing respirators. If these measures are followed, the air will be purified and there will be no emissions into the atmosphere.
Do-it-yourself polymer concrete production technology
Now we’ll talk about how to make products yourself at minimal cost. It could be flower pots, window sills, countertops (they are quite popular, as they are warmer than granite and marble).
Choosing a room
First you need to think about a suitable room - approximately you should have approximately 80 m 2 at your disposal. Ideally, this will be a house on the outskirts. From this area we immediately allocate 12 m2 for the foundry, but we will have to work hard to achieve full. In the center of the room we place a table on a frame made of corners, the tabletop will be made of chipboard.
The table should be leveled on the surface - this is very important! The hood should be comfortably located above the table. Use a lamp for lighting daylight. In the next room we will need another table for finishing and other types of work. Tools and containers for drying sand and chalk should be placed nearby (low metal boxes are suitable for this).
Raw materials for production
We will need:
- Quartz sand, river (packed 20 kg/bag). It should be dried well.
- Sifted chalk - also dry well.
- Polyester resin - sold in 20 liter buckets.
- Gelcoat, hardener, release paste.
Manufacturing
- To begin with, you will need to purchase a plastic bucket for mixing the components, a hammer drill with at least 0.45 kW capacity, and a construction mixer (we connect the hammer drill to the mixer, then weld a drill bit for perforating and you get an improvised mixer).
- We will make the mold from laminated wood boards; it must be collapsible. Purchase a brush to make it easy to apply the release paste to the surface. It is convenient to grind the paste with nylon products.
- The gelcoat should be diluted with resin (approximately 10% of the total volume) and applied with a flute brush. This procedure should be carried out twice. Make sure that the brush hairs do not stick.
- Mix the hardener and resin in a clean bucket, then add 15% chalk and a portion of sand. You should have a viscous mass. To remove air, occasionally tap the bucket on the floor.
- When everything is ready, pour the solution into the mold. Next, you should smooth the surface - to do this, take the mold together (there should be handles on the mold) and tap it on the floor. Next, the mixture should be left for 40 minutes, and during this time you should not be in the caster.
- When the solution hardens to a “rubbery” state - which can be determined by the hot surface and a certain sound when tapped - remove the product (to do this, simply disassemble the mold) and turn it over with the pouring side down. After this, wait until it hardens completely, and then sand and polish the surfaces.
TB: When weighing the resin, as well as working with it, gelcoat and the poured mixture, you should only work in a respirator and under a hood. To add the hardener, use a syringe and wear rubber gloves.
Polymer concrete is one of the most recent inventions given to us by industrial engineers. The peculiarity of this building material is that it contains various polymer additives. Typical components of such concrete are styrene, polyamide resins, vinyl chloride, various latexes and other substances.
The use of admixtures allows you to change the structure and properties of the concrete mixture and improve its technical performance. Due to its versatility and ease of production, polymer concrete is used almost everywhere in our time.
Species
There are two types of polymer concrete, each of which is used for individual species construction work. The first option is filled polymer concrete. The structure of this material contains organic compounds that fill the voids between the filler (crushed stone, gravel, quartz sand).
The second option is frame molecular concrete. The voids between the fillers remain unfilled, and polymer materials are needed to bind the particles together.
Polymer concrete is concrete in which the mineral binder in the form of cement and silicate is replaced in whole or in part by polymer components. The types are as follows:
- polymer cement - a polymer added to concrete makes up 5-15% of the mass of cement (phenol-formaldehyde resins, polyvinyl acetate, synthetic rubber, acrylic compounds). Very durable against liquids, impacts and used for the construction of airfields, finishing brick and concrete, ceramic and glass, stone slabs;
- plastic concrete - thermosetting polymers (epoxy, phenol-formaldehyde and polyester) are used in the mixture instead of cement; the main property of such concrete is high resistance to acids and alkalis and instability to temperatures and deformations. They are used to cover structures to protect them from chemical aggression and to repair stone and concrete elements;
- concrete polymer is concrete impregnated after hardening with monomers that fill the pores and defects of concrete, resulting in strength, frost resistance, and wear resistance.
Pros and cons
Why has polymer concrete become a worthy competitor to traditional building materials? It hardens quickly and becomes as durable as granite. The curing time frame is significantly shorter than the same period for conventional concrete.
The polymer component gives concrete its maximum tensile strength a week after pouring. Regular concrete takes about a month for this.
Concrete contains waste from agricultural and construction work. Previously, they were not processed in any way and in most cases were simply buried in the ground. The use of waste in the preparation of polymer concrete solves the issue of recycling and will significantly reduce the negative impact on environment.
Since these same wastes are distributed almost everywhere, there is already a good raw material base for the production of polymer concrete. There is usually no need to buy any special additives or impurities. The technology for producing such concrete is accessible even to novice builders. In the process of preparing a concrete mixture, everyone can experiment with the amount of additives and impurities, but the initial list of components remains unchanged.
The disadvantages of polymer concrete include a significant proportion of its artificial components. The mixture contains about 10% substances of artificial origin. The second drawback is the lack of standardization according to GOST. You cannot be sure that the concrete you need is available on sale. The third disadvantage is the high cost due to the price of additives (resins, etc.).
Compound
One of the most important components of polymer concrete is fly ash. This substance is a product of coal combustion. The use of ash as an additive has a filling effect on the fresh concrete mixture. The filling effect is based on the ability of the smallest coal particles to fill all voids and porous formations. The smaller the size of the ash particles, the more fully this effect is observed. Thanks to this feature of fly ash, hardened concrete becomes much stronger and stronger than usual.
Another important component of the concrete mixture is liquid glass. It has excellent adhesive ability and low cost. Its addition to polymer concrete will be very useful if the finished structure will be located in the open air or exposed to constant exposure to water.
The technical characteristics of various types of polymer concrete are higher than those of other standard ones and, moreover, it is environmentally friendly - it can be used in the construction of buildings in the food industry. The averages are as follows:
- linear shrinkage 0.2-1.5%;
- porosity – 1-2%;
- compressive strength – 20-100 MPa;
- resistance to heat – 100-180С;
- creep measure – 0.3-0.5 kg/cm2;
- resistance to aging – 4-6 points.
This type of mixture is used as a structural and decorative finishing material.
DIY technology
If you have the necessary knowledge and appropriate materials, you can prepare polymer concrete with your own hands. But it should be taken into account that there is no specific recipe for preparing such concrete; the balance of components is determined based on practical experiments.
The technology for preparing polymer concrete itself is quite simple. Water and a small amount of cement are poured into the concrete mixer. Then slag and fly ash are added in equal quantities. All components are thoroughly mixed. Next comes the turn of the various polymer components. They are added to the previous ingredients, after which the mixture must be mixed again.
Liquid glass, PVA glue, and various water-soluble resins are suitable as polymer additives. PVA glue can be used in any quantity, as it is an excellent filler with good viscosity. Its addition to the concrete solution significantly improves the durability of the finished structure and reduces the percentage of shrinkage.
The ratio between polymers and binders can range from 5:1 to 12:1.
Application
The most rational seems to be the use of polymer concrete as decorative and protective products made of concrete or metal. It is advisable to carry out this or that design entirely only in some cases. Usually this is the manufacture of electrolysis or pickling baths, pipelines or containers for aggressive liquids. The manufacture of building or enclosing structures from this material is neither feasible nor economically profitable.
Polymer concrete has great resistance to external influences, so it can be installed without additional reinforcement. But if there is still a need for an additional margin of safety, then fiberglass or steel are used to reinforce polymer concrete. Other elements, such as carbon fiber, for example, are used much less frequently.
The technical capabilities of polymer concrete make it a convenient and inexpensive material for the manufacture of building decorative elements. To obtain different colors, dyes are added to the prepared solutions, and to give the desired dimensions they are poured into specially prepared forms. The resulting polymer concrete products are very similar in color and texture to marble, but the cost of such structures is much lower.
Innovative technologies delight us more and more every day. New developments have also affected the construction industry.
In particular, the creation of new building materials, among which polymer concrete is in great demand. It is a mixture whose composition consists of various polymer substances, and not from the cement or silicate that has long been familiar to us. This material has a lot of positive properties, thanks to which it is superior to conventional building mixtures.
Due to the huge number of its positive properties, the cement-polymer mixture justifiably deserves respect among builders. Using this material, any specialist will appreciate its strength and durability. Polymer concrete is not susceptible to moisture, does not deform, and responds well to temperature changes and bad weather.
It hardens quickly and adheres perfectly to any surface. This material has high tensile strength and good air permeability. It is not affected by any chemical reactions.
But the most important of all the properties of polymer concrete is that it is environmentally friendly, does not pollute the environment and does not harm human health in any way. The polymer mixture is allowed to be used even in the construction of catering establishments, various food retail outlets, as well as other food industry buildings.
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Pros and cons
A huge number of positive properties elevate the cement-polymer construction mixture over conventional concrete.
Due to the rapid hardening with polymer concrete, the first work can be done within a few days, which cannot be said about conventional material. The new type of concrete is much more durable and stronger. For complete hardening, it only takes one week, not a month, as for ordinary cement.
Among the positive properties of the polymer mixture is waste-free production. Previously, all agricultural and construction waste was simply thrown away or buried in the ground, thereby polluting our nature. Now the recycled material is used to make polymer concrete. The use of such technology not only solves the problem of waste disposal, but also protects the environment from pollution.
Unfortunately, this building material also has disadvantages.
Among the negative properties, one can highlight the inclusion of artificial materials in the composition. The second negative point is the high cost of some additives necessary for the preparation of polymer concrete. Due to this, the price of the finished product increases.
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Application
Due to the presence of many positive properties, polymer concrete has a fairly wide range of applications. It is used in landscape design, laying out paths and terraces. A similar mixture is used to decorate walls, both externally and externally, and decorate borders, stairs, fences, swimming pools, and plinths.
Such material can easily be handmade. It produces different shapes, figures, and decorative elements. Its beauty is that it is easy to paint after drying.
The use of such a building mixture is suitable for pouring floors. Polymer concrete floors will provide excellent protection against moisture. Polymer concrete floors will keep your home warm.
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Species
Considering technical specifications and composition, new generation concrete is divided into:
Polymer-cement. This type of concrete has excellent strength.
A similar material is used in the construction of airfields, finishing slabs and bricks. Plastic concrete. It exhibits the property of excellent resistance to acid-base reactions and temperature imbalance. Concrete polymer. This building mixture differs from others in that the ready-made, frozen block is impregnated with monomers.
These substances, filling holes and defects in the material, provide it with durability and resistance to sub-zero temperatures.
Also, depending on the type of construction work, experts divide polymer concrete into filled and frame molecular.
The first type allows for the presence of organic materials such as quartz sand, crushed stone, gravel. These materials perform the function of filling voids in concrete. In the second option, the concrete is left with unfilled voids. And the connection between concrete particles is carried out by polymer substances.
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Composition of polymer concrete
Polyester concrete is based on polyester resins that perform the binding function. These resins include:
- Polyvinyl; Methyl methacrylate; Epoxy; Polyurethane, etc.
Epoxy resins are practically odorless. They provide maximum strength to the material in operation. But at the same time they make concrete brittle.
Methyl methacrylate, on the contrary, has a strong smell.
But the smell disappears after polymerization. This type of concrete sets quickly. But they are vulnerable to chemical attack.
Fly ash gives the material strength.
Polyurethane resins are considered the most optimal for work. In addition, mineral fillers made from sand or crushed stone, as well as special plasticizers and hardeners, are added to the mixture of polyurethane concrete.
A significant role in polymer concrete is played by fly ash, which imparts strength to the material, as well as slag. Another equally important ingredient is liquid glass. Its use in polymer concrete provides the building with protection from dampness and moisture.
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Manufacturing Features
Preparation of cement-polymer concrete is a simple matter. To do this, you need to take a concrete mixer, pour in water specially designed for polymers, then add a little cement. Then take equal proportions of slag and ash and mix with the contents of the concrete mixer.
Polymer additives are added to concrete last. Then mix thoroughly. The preparation is over.
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DIY cement-polymer concrete
The manufacturing technology is so easy that it can be done at home with your own hands. This idea is perfect for those who are thinking of making, for example, polymer concrete floors. Having studied a completely simple technique and having all the necessary components, even a novice builder can cope with this.
But it is worth noting that the preparation of polymer concrete does not have a specific recipe with exact proportions.
You can achieve what you want only through trial and error. Mix and experiment. You will succeed.
Polymer concrete (otherwise known as cast stone) is a material that combines the strength and beauty of natural stone with an affordable price (thanks to cheap mineral additives) and ease of manufacture. The possibility of using almost any filler (sand, granite and marble chips, glass and many others) guarantees a variety of polymer concrete products. And the presence of a polymer binder makes them durable, resistant to frost, water and overheating.
Let's look at typical technological processes for producing polymer concrete, as well as the possibility of creating it yourself.
To obtain the product you need:
Filler of a fairly coarse fraction (sand, crushed stone, coarsely crushed glass). Filler of a finer grind, reducing the cost of the material.
This is a powder made from graphite, quartz or andesite. A binder - about 5 percent will be needed. For this purpose, one of the polymer resins is used. For example, polyester (unsaturated), urea-formaldehyde, furan, epoxy. Hardeners, plasticizers, special modifying additives, dyes. Lubricant for releasing molds and gelcoat for external coating.
Production methods
The production process can occur using batch or continuous technology.
- In the first case, the containers used to make the material must be washed after each completed cycle. But it is possible to make polymer concrete in the most ordinary bucket or concrete mixer. Continuous technology is used mainly in large industries. At the same time, they work harmoniously, organizing a single chain, special injection molding machines, dispensers and automatic mixers.
The following video talks about the production and spraying of lightweight polymer concrete:
To make casting stone, you will need a mold well coated with a special release agent (otherwise it will be impossible to remove the finished product). The mold can be made of silicone, fiberglass, metal or even chipboard (budget option).
A layer of gelcoat of the desired color is applied to the release paste. A composition mixture consisting of the above ingredients, previously well mixed in a concrete mixer, is placed inside the mold. In large industries, where the volumes are very large, the mixture is placed in a mold using a concrete paver.
If the products are small and process is periodic, this is done manually. Now it is necessary that the laid mixture is subjected to vibration (vibration compaction). This procedure takes approximately two minutes. In a factory, a resonant vibration platform is used for this; in small production, a vibration table is used.
In production conditions at a polymer concrete manufacturing plant, if necessary, heat treatment is carried out for faster hardening of parts. In other cases, they wait for the natural completion of this process.
We will talk about machines, molds and other equipment for the production of polymer concrete products below.
Required equipment
Features of choice and costs
Those who dream of using continuous technology and significant volumes by organizing large-scale industrial production will need special conveyor equipment. Which will include machines for dosing, mixing, casting, finishing, as well as a mechanized warehouse.
All this will cost a tidy sum of several million dollars. If you limit yourself to only branded turnkey equipment, then the costs will be significantly less - from 30 to 50 thousand dollars.
But it is still not always possible to find money for a purchase, especially in our difficult times. However, you can get by with even less money.
If you purchase all the necessary cars and other things separately. And make some things yourself. Read more about this option below.
List of equipment and devices
So, here is a list of equipment and devices that you cannot do without:
A ready-made vibrating table will cost about 27 thousand rubles. If you want to save money, weld the table yourself using two-millimeter metal corners (60-gauge). We weld an industrial-type vibrator to the table - you're done. A stirrer that will combine all the components into a homogeneous mixture.
If you purchase a powerful vacuum device of European quality, you will have to shell out about 10 thousand dollars. But you can also use a domestic concrete mixer or construction mixer. It will be much cheaper - the cost depends on the volume and power.
It’s even cheaper to make the mixer yourself from an iron barrel and an electric drive with a gearbox. You will also need a compressor system with a gun. Without it, you won’t be able to apply the gelcoat evenly. The pistol costs between $50 and $100.
You can take car compressors - two from ZIL will be enough. They are connected in parallel and attached to metal platforms mounted on a strong frame. Forms made of fiberglass or silicone are not yet widely available. They can be ordered for specific products (for example, window sills) from a specialized company.
Or make molds yourself, starting with a cheaper material - chipboard with lamination. An exhaust hood will be required - at the casting stage, production is characterized by harmful fumes. Accordingly, we will purchase personal protection: gloves, respirators. For finishing work, you will need electric tools: grinding and polishing machines. And also a drill, jigsaw, grinder, router (if necessary).
We will talk about emissions into the atmosphere from the production of polymer concrete further.
This video will tell you about another method of producing polymer concrete:
As mentioned just above, during casting there is a release of harmful components.
- In particular, it is styrene, which is found in resins used as a binder. As soon as we open a hermetically sealed container with such a resin, poisonous gas begins to evaporate. In addition, the hardener (usually methyl ethyl ketone peroxide) is also extremely dangerous. However, it is not volatile and requires only protecting your hands with rubber gloves.
These facts force polymer concrete manufacturers to carefully equip the casting room, making it airtight, installing a powerful hood above the table, and not forgetting about their own protection (respirator). And if all these measures are followed, and the air escaping into the hood is cleaned, then there will be no emissions into the atmosphere (after all, the room is sealed).
Read below to learn how to make elastic polymer concrete yourself (with your own hands).
DIY creation
And now we’ll talk about how to make small products from fashionable cast stone yourself, spending a minimum of money. For example, these could be flower pots, countertops, window sills (especially popular, as they are warmer than marble or granite).
Choosing a room and its arrangement
First you need to think about the premises - you will need 80 square meters of total area.
It is advisable to look for a suitable house somewhere on the outskirts. And 12 square meters You will immediately need to fence off the casting room, and you will have to try to seal all the cracks as much as possible. To prevent styrene from leaking.
In the center of this room we make a table on a frame made of iron corners, covering it with a chipboard tabletop. We set its surface to a level - this is important! Above the table we install a hood - a metal box with an electric motor.
To make it light, we attach fluorescent lamps on top. We put the same table in the next room - for finishing and other work. Here we will place tools and containers for drying chalk and sand (low metal boxes).
Necessary raw materials
Required raw materials:
- River quartz sand (packaged in 20 kilograms). It must be dried well. Sifted chalk - we also dry it. Polyester resin - bought in 20 liter buckets. Hardener, gelcoat, release paste.
You will need a clean plastic bucket for stirring, a 450-watt hammer drill and a construction mixer (we attach a hammer drill to it, weld a drill for perforating - we get a mixer). We make the mold from laminated wood boards, making it collapsible. It is convenient to apply the release paste with a brush, rubbing it with a nylon stocking. We dilute the gelcoat with resin (adding 10 percent of it) and apply it with a flute brush. We do this twice.
We make sure that the hairs from the brush do not stick. Having mixed the resin with the hardener in a clean bucket, add 15 percent chalk, and then add sand in portions. The mass should become viscous. To remove air bubbles, tap the bucket on the floor from time to time. Once ready, pour the solution into the mold.
Now let’s smooth the surface: two people take the form (certainly equipped with handles) with their hands and, lifting it, tap it on the table. The mixture is left (for about 40 minutes) and left the casting room. After hardening to a “rubber” state - this can be determined by a very hot surface and a special sound when tapped - remove the product from the mold (disassembling it) and turn it over with the pouring side down. Allow to harden completely, then sand and polish.
Safety measures: when weighing the resin, as well as working with it, with the gelcoat and with the mixture poured into the mold, we work only in a respirator, under a hood. Add the hardener with a syringe while wearing rubber gloves.
The following video will tell you how to make polymer concrete with streaks with your own hands:
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From the author: Hello, dear readers. We try to monitor all advanced construction technologies and highlight them on the pages of our website. This time we will talk about polymer concrete, or “artificial stone”.
The material was created in the USA and is now actively used by developers in Europe and Russia for the construction of residential and utility rooms, household items, sculptures, as well as in the manufacture of furniture. Its demand poses a difficult task for the consumer: is it possible to make polymer concrete with your own hands?
After all, manufacturing technology requires highly specialized knowledge and skills. We will study the technical characteristics of the coating and determine how to make polymer concrete yourself without the involvement of builders.
Features of the material
Polymer concrete combines the achievements of modern technologies and traditional ones; instead of the usual binder - cement or silicate - this mixture uses a polymer (another name for the substance is synthetic resin). Thanks to the use of epoxy, furan and unsaturated polyester resins in the production, polymer concrete acquires its distinctive technical characteristics.
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