The composition of architectural concrete from Kolesnikov. What is architectural concrete and where is it used? Interaction with light: reflect and highlight

Concrete is the most functional and widespread building material used in almost all areas of human activity. To solve aesthetic problems and for the manufacture of various decorative elements, architectural concrete is used, which differs from the usual material in composition and performance characteristics.

Types of architectural concrete

Architectural decorative concrete is divided into two main types, which differ both in terms of use and composition. Each of these materials should be used for its intended purpose.

decorative white

The material is mainly used for the design and decoration of facades, interior design, it is used to make objects of various shapes and textures.

The main condition for the operation of architectural concrete products of this type is the load limit. Exceeding the maximum allowable value leads to the collapse of the structure.

Light white

White lightweight concrete it is used for the manufacture of lightweight elements that perform a decorative function: tiled flooring, stairs, balconies. Often, lightweight concrete is used to imitate natural rocks - natural sandstone or marble.

What components are included in the composition of the material

The composition of architectural concrete includes almost the same ingredients that are used to prepare conventional mixtures, namely:

• water;
• binder;
• filler;
• modifiers;
• dye.

As a filler, washed river sand, marble or granite chips are used, thanks to which it is possible to exactly repeat the texture and structure of natural rocks.

Portland cement, which is a binder additive, is recommended to use a light gray or whitish tint, it should not contain any extra impurities.

For maximum similarity to natural stone, coloring pigments are also included in the composition of the material. Uniform distribution of color throughout the volume of concrete is ensured by the addition of a dye at the stage of stirring the dry mix.

The dry mixture is diluted with clean water that does not contain impurities - this is required condition getting quality material.

As modifying additives, frost-resistant and anti-foaming ingredients, adhesives, plasticizers are used. The addition of one or another component depends on the required characteristics and the shape that future elements must have. With their help, architectural concrete products acquire the right stability to mechanical stress and sudden changes in temperature.

Advantages and disadvantages of the material

The advantages of such material include:

• sufficiently high strength, allowing the construction of garden or terrace balustrades, stairs;
• plasticity, due to which products of any shape are created;
• long service life;
• relatively low cost;
• resistance to atmospheric precipitation and harmful external factors.

Disadvantages of architectural concrete:

• significant weight of finished structures, which does not allow the use of decorating elements to decorate the facades of frame and wooden houses;
• the complexity of the installation of products requiring application special equipment and attracting experienced craftsmen, which significantly increases costs;
• low artistic expressiveness, expressed in the impossibility of creating small details;
• the need for careful adjustment of each element;
• the duration of solidification of the concrete mixture in the form, which is at least 1-2 days.

Technology and methods of preparation

The production technology of architectural concrete is quite simple.

First of all, it is necessary to sift all the dry ingredients through a special sieve. The cement is mixed with the filler, the selected dye and modifying components are added. The mixture is thoroughly mixed until a homogeneous composition is obtained. A small depression is made in the resulting material, which is filled with clean water.

The proportions of the components in the production of architectural concrete with their own hands are taken depending on the brand of cement. For the most commonly used grade M500, the ratio of ingredients in the mixture is as follows: 1 part cement to 2 parts liquid and 3 parts sand.

The readiness of the material is checked as follows: ready mix for a few seconds tightly clenched in a fist. If after unclenching the lump crumbles, then it is necessary to add a little more water, and vice versa, if liquid flows out during compression, then filler must be added.

Manufacturing methods

Architectural concrete can be made various methods, each of which allows you to create a product that is as similar as possible to natural stone.

Embossing method

The embossed method of producing architectural concrete, which requires a special matrix, is the most common due to its simplicity. Concrete produced in this way is mainly used for finishing wall surfaces, laying backyard and garden paths.

A primer layer is applied to the cleaned surface before concrete is laid, on which a reinforcing mesh is installed to strengthen the concrete. A thick layer (up to 5 cm) of finished and thoroughly mixed cement mixture. After a short solidification of the composition (about an hour), embossing is performed using a matrix.

To design small areas or create a pavement for paths, as a rule, the pattern is applied to the concrete that has not yet dried. To speed up the manufacturing process, it is recommended to use several forms at once.

This method involves the addition of a coloring pigment not during the mixing of the components, but after the impression is made. The surface of the finished elements is painted over with a powder composition, rubbed into the body of the product by means of trowels. To fix the top layer, additional impregnation is carried out.

Vibrocompression

How to make architectural concrete suitable for making paving stones or sidewalks? Of course, by the vibrocompression method, using which products of various relief and shapes are created.

The process of producing concrete in this way involves the use of a special vibratory press, under which the product is formed and compacted.

This technology has its advantages and disadvantages, which determine the area of ​​use of the elements. For example, under vibration it is impossible to make openwork elements, but at the same time, the resulting products are the best suited for making exterior finish requiring the use of frost-resistant and durable materials.

The cost of equipment for vibrocompression is quite high, but it pays off with a high production speed.

Pressing

In the manufacture of thin-walled products from architectural concrete, special molds and a hydraulic press are used by pressing. When working, it is important to pay increased attention to the quality of the raw materials used, on which the safety and durability of products, strength and resistance to external factors depend.

The technology is not very productive, and the final cost of production is too high.

Casting

Casting - the most effective method production of architectural concrete. Vibration installations are not used in production, and gypsum concrete and polymer concrete are used as materials.

This method allows you to make a product of any openwork shape or a thin-walled element, it is economically beneficial and has high productivity.

Comments:

Architectural concrete is used in both construction and landscape design. Due to its special composition, this material has high strength and plasticity; various architectural elements are cast from it, including openwork lattices, park sculptures are made, and imitation natural stone. Making architectural concrete with your own hands is not so difficult if you know the composition and choose the right proportions.

Architectural concrete is used in both conventional construction and landscape design to create various sculptures.

Making architectural concrete with your own hands

You will need:

• Portland cement;
• quartz sand;
• coloring pigments;
• modifying additives.

As a filler for architectural concrete, you can take quartz sand.

For the manufacture of architectural concrete, it is necessary to purchase white or light gray Portland cement of the highest quality. The most commonly used brand is M-500 or DO-400. It is highly undesirable to use gray cement, since it produces faded, dull colors. The composition of Portland cement should not contain any impurities and lumps; before use, it must be sifted through a construction sieve.

As a filler, quartz sand, marble or granite chips (dust) are most often used. You can use only one of these materials, but if you need to imitate natural stone, then it is better to take a mixture of marble chips and quartz sand. In order to give architectural concrete a certain shade, color pigments are used, which are sold in the form of a dry powder or liquid dye. By mixing pigments with each other, you can get a different color range: from light pastels to rich bright colors. It is important to remember that the amount of dye should be 2-3%, for a saturated color - no more than 5%.

To create concrete different color pigments are added to the composition.

Architectural concrete is made according to following scheme: all dry components are sifted through a construction sieve, quartz sand is mixed with cement, fine stone chips or dust are added, pigments are mixed in, everything is mixed until a homogeneous consistency is reached, after which a hole is made into which water is poured. The proportions depend on the brand of cement, for example, 1 part M-500 accounts for 3 parts of quartz sand and 2 parts of water. In order to determine the quality of the solution, it is necessary to hold a handful of concrete in a fist, then unclench your hand. If the slide crumbles, then you need to add water, if water flows when the concrete is compressed, then there is not enough sand.

In addition to the main components, the composition of architectural concrete includes various modifying additives. Plasticizers make the solution more plastic, frost-resistant additives give it resistance to weather conditions, adhesives and defoamers improve the quality of concrete. The proportions of modifying additives depend on the type of product and the selected technology.

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Methods for the formation of architectural concrete

Architectural concrete can be produced different ways. The most common method is embossing, which is performed using a special matrix. Embossing is used both for vertical surfaces and for the formation of garden paths or small areas. The prepared wall is primed, reinforced with a plaster mesh, after which a thick layer of concrete of 2-5 cm is applied, after about 70 minutes an impression is made using a matrix. On the garden paths, the relief is made on wet concrete, the craftsmen use several forms for embossing at once. The surface is painted with a colored hardener, which is applied as a dry powder and rubbed with trowels, the result is fixed with a special carrier impregnation. Some masters prefer the following staining method: coloring pigments are added to the solution during kneading.

To obtain paving slabs, paving stones of various shapes, relief decorative elements from concrete, the vibrocompression method is used. For this purpose, a vibropress and special molds are used. Products are formed by vibration under a certain pressure. The method has its advantages and disadvantages. In this way, it is impossible to achieve thin openwork forms, but the products are quite durable and frost-resistant. The initial costs quickly pay off with high productivity and production speed.

The pressing method involves the use of a hydraulic press and molds. This technology used for the manufacture of thin-walled products. The disadvantages of the method include low productivity, high cost of imported equipment (there are no domestic analogues), in addition, the raw materials must be of high quality.

Casting is the most common way to obtain architectural concrete in various forms, without the use of vibration. For casting, gypsum concrete and polymer concrete are used, thanks to which any thin-walled and openwork shape of the product can be obtained. The advantages of the method are low cost and high productivity.

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Flower pots made of architectural concrete

You will need:

For the manufacture of architectural concrete, you need to purchase high quality white or light gray Portland cement.

• 2 plastic buckets of different diameters;
• white portland cement - 2 parts;
• quartz sand - 2.5 parts;
• granite chips - 2.5 parts;
• reinforcing mesh with cells of 2-3 mm;
• solidol.

Architectural concrete is often used to make flower pots for the garden. Making such a product with your own hands is quite simple. First of all, you need to select 2 forms of different diameters so that one freely enters the other, while the gap between the walls must be at least 2 cm. Large containers of paint or putty, plastic buckets and basins with high walls are perfect for this purpose. In order for the solution not to stick to the forms, they are lubricated with grease.

If you plan to reuse the forms, then it is better to line the bottom and sides that will come into contact with the solution with plastic wrap.

Next, a solution is prepared: high-grade white Portland cement is mixed with sand, after which granite or any other stone chips are added, water is poured in, and the solution is kneaded. To give the product a certain color, colored pigments can be added to the solution, but it is important to remember that after the concrete dries, the color will become slightly lighter than in the original version. The solution is poured to the bottom big shape, the layer thickness should be 3-5 cm, the concrete is rammed, after which a smaller bucket or basin is installed on it, they begin to fill the space between the walls. To give strength to the product, a metal reinforcing mesh is used, which is installed between the walls in the center.

After the concrete hardens, the flowerpot is removed from the mold, a drainage hole is drilled in the bottom. If the farm has Sander, then you can polish the surface, giving it the appearance of a product made of real stone. If desired, the flowerpot is decorated with a mosaic of shells, pebbles, pieces tiles, broken glass etc. The product can be painted facade paint based on acrylic, it all depends on your imagination and possibilities.

The versatility of concrete is a key factor in its use in construction. This can be both the construction of a building and the creation of decorative structures for an already finished building. In the second type of construction, special architectural concrete is used. Thanks to architecture, you can create three-dimensional or flat decorations of any nature, create an imitation natural coating. Below we will try to find out the essence of architectural concrete, the purpose of its application, to determine its advantages and disadvantages.

Essence and general characteristics

The classification of concrete for its application is diverse. First of all, it all depends on the components of the solution, which, when combined, determine the purpose of its use. The main components are cement as a binder, filler (gravel, crushed stone, sand, etc.), special additives, for example, to increase strength. A certain proportion gives concrete that is suitable for certain jobs. One of them is architectural concrete mix.

Architectural concrete or concrete for decorative works is a material that is obligatory element to decorate already created buildings or the area around them. The architecture is, which consists of a cement mortar with the addition of some components.

Sometimes in practice the name “archstone” is applied to this material, which comes from the name of one of the most famous Russian companies for the production of this type of decor.

Sculptures made of architectural concrete.

By color, architectural concrete can be of different shades: from pure white to gray. Included components contribute to the texture of the material - ceramics, sandstone and others. Depending on the wishes of the customer, other elements, such as crushed stone or shells, can be added to the composition. These characteristics give a clear understanding of the appearance concrete, however, there are other differences between architectural materials and conventional concrete. Among them:

• fine-grained, flat structure, which indicates the possibility of it up to a perfectly smooth surface;
• sorption humidity is extremely low, which indicates the absence of carbonization processes throughout the entire operation and, as a result, the preservation of the integrity of concrete;
• can be painted in any Color tone, which allows you to create multi-colored decorative elements without fear of losing their color stability during exposure to UV rays, the negative impact environment;
• strength and resistance to low temperatures;
• high manufacturability compared to other concretes, which allows you to design decorative products various shapes and size.

Advantages and disadvantages

Architectural concrete has both advantages and disadvantages. The following advantages of this material are distinguished:

• high strength, which allows you to create stairs, terrace or garden balustrades;
• the cost is small, but if you take into account the installation of finished decorative objects, then the price increases;
• to increase the service life of concrete decorative structures, polymers and fibers are added to the solution, but in this case the cost increases.

Flaws:

• without sufficient reinforcement of the walls, the facade may collapse under the weight of heavy decorative concrete. On wooden houses frame types the creation of concrete decorations is unacceptable;
• you can not cope with the installation of decor on your own, and the use of special equipment, work experienced craftsmen requires additional costs;
• artistic expressiveness is small - the creation of small decorative details is impossible;
• low productivity of work on concrete - solidification of the cement mixture in the form occurs for 1-2 days;
• the size of the parts must be accurate, this requires a careful fit.

Classification and composition

There are several groups of architecture depending on the purpose and type of work:

• white decorative - decoration of facades, halls, decoration of surfaces that are not subjected to heavy loads;
• light white - creating lightweight objects, such as stairs or tiles imitating natural stone.

The main objectives of this material are:

• imitation natural stone;
• protection of concrete from loss of strength and stability.

The most common, simple type of imitation is the sandstone type. In addition, this concrete can not only imitate stone, but also have a quality higher than natural material. main reason this is the component composition of the decor. As a rule, the following substances are used:

• The role of the filler is played by natural quartz sand, thanks to which the stone acquires structure. Based on this, in practice, many types of concrete are called reclaimed sandstone.
• Depending on the degree of naturalness of sandstone, the cost is determined decorative items- natural material costs much more than artificial.
• The binding component is Portland cement, the color of which should be white or gray. The composition should not contain any impurities, and the quality should be high.
• Dyes are used to make the coating more natural look. Their introduction should take place at the mixing stage, since this is how the paint can be distributed over the surface. There are dozens of shades that allow you to achieve any result. However, more natural colors are used.
• Water, as a component of concrete, must be clean, without impurities, since the quality of the material depends on this. In addition, it is necessary to observe the proportions of water in relation to other components.
• Additives to improve the quality have in their composition components that are important for a particular type of construction. They can increase the frost resistance of a structure or the compatibility of concrete with other substances. Depending on the nature of the product, the technology of creation, the amount of additives will be different. Resistance to damage and environmental influences is one of the advantages of this material.
• The specificity of the decorative object is a key factor in determining the correct component proportions.

Shaping methods

Filling with vibropress - mechanical way moldings.

The formation of concrete is possible in several ways. Among them are:

1. Tamping (stuffing) is handmade over materials, resulting in hard scenery. The essence of this process consists in pouring the solution and subsequent tamping with the help of special devices - a rod or a stick. In addition, it is possible to use vibrators. This technology is used to create the most complex decorations. However, disadvantages should also be taken into account, including frequent cases of marriage, low strength.
2. Vibrocompression - performed by pressure during vibration. The tools of this method are vibropress and molds. As a result of this method of forming architectural products, paving stones, paving slabs and other simple shapes. Polyurethane substrates play a role in improving the surface quality. In addition, objects created by this method have high strength, productivity and ease of manufacture. In addition, with the help of pigments, attractive tile colors can be achieved.
3. Pressing - the formation of products occurs with the help of hydraulic presses and molds. This process is used when creating thin-walled parts. Their features are high strength, frost resistance.

Archconcrete (architectural concrete) is a building material of a new generation. It is also often called artificial granite, it is so beautiful, and also, it has all the qualities and advantages that are characteristic of this natural stone. Another common name is archstone, which immortalizes the name of the company that invented this unique building material more than 100 years ago.

Composition of arch concrete

Arch concrete is produced according to the technology for the production of ordinary concrete - from sand, water and gray or more often white Portland cement, but with the use of special aggregates and binding elements. The original color of arch concrete is white and shades of gray, depending on the brand of cement.

The following materials can be used as a filler:

• crushed stone;
• granite and marble chips;
• colored sand;
• glass and quartz chips;
• shells, other types of decorative inclusions;
• coloring pigments (there are 20 standard shades: white, all shades of gray, beige-brown, mauve, blue-green tones, etc.).

Thanks to this and the peculiarities of the manufacturing technology, architectural concrete products can be given any color and texture, imitate any natural material: natural stone, brick, fireclay and ceramics, wood, goldite, gypsum and others.

Additionally, various modifiers and plasticizers are introduced into the composition, which significantly increase the hardening and strength characteristics in comparison with ordinary concrete.

Another important component arch concrete - binding inclusions that provide maximum contact of the mixture with the aggregate. Most often it is fiberglass, then it is fiber-reinforced concrete. An even more attractive material is glass fiber reinforced concrete (GFRC), into which fiberglass is introduced. Thanks to this, SFRC is the most durable of concretes, and its service life is almost unlimited.

Manufacturing technology of architectural concrete

Arch concrete is produced by vibroforming finished products in molds or by casting. Forms can be rigid (plastic) or flexible (polyurethane rubber, elastosil). This makes it possible to manufacture volumetric products of any shape, complexity and size from archconcrete.

Material Specifications

• resistance to temperature changes from - 50°С to + 80°С;
• very durable, does not crack, resistant to mechanical damage, abrasion, pressure and shock;
• frost resistance more than 100 cycles;
• does not fade, as the UV-resistant pigment colors the entire volume of the material;
• not slippery (for pedestrians and cars);

Our offers

The Ricam company will custom-make from architectural concrete:

• facing tiles, decorative facade panels;
• paving slabs;
• architectural facade and interior decor;
• elements of fences and balustrades;
• small architectural landscape forms, benches, garden sculptures, etc.

We have been working with archconcrete for more than 7 years and we know all the possibilities of this unique material. Look at the portfolio of our finished works - and you will be convinced that it is worth ordering the production of architectural concrete products from us!

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

Finishing with decorative concrete

Features of architectural concrete

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

In the photo - the structure of decorative concrete

Material types

Decorative concrete mortar is conventionally divided into two main types, each of which is intended for different types works:

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

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

• 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 it even surpasses it.

Compound

The composition of architectural concrete consists of the following ingredients:

Filler Most often, natural quartz sand is used as a filler. It is he who gives the material the structure of natural stone. Sometimes marble chips or finely ground glass are added to the composition, which also allows you to achieve an interesting effect. Binder Portland cement is used as a binder, it is desirable that it be white color. The quality of cement must be the highest, any impurities in it are strictly prohibited. Coloring pigments This component is designed to color the material and make it even more similar to natural stone. Pigments are added at the stage of mixing the solution, so the product is colored throughout the mass. I must say that pigments come in a wide variety of colors, including very bright ones, however, for a realistic imitation, natural shades should be used. Water must be clean, without any impurities. The quality of the material depends on this. Modifying additives These additives include plasticizers, antifoams, antifreeze additives, adhesives, etc. With their help, you can improve the properties of the material and give it certain properties. Crushed stone In some cases, crushed stone of certain breeds is added to the concrete, the required colors. This allows you to give it strength and at the same time achieve a certain decorative effect.

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

Scheme of the mold for pressing

Forming methods

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

• Tamping or stuffing is a manual method by which you can get the product in rigid forms. It consists in pouring the solution and tamping with a metal rod or wooden stick. Vibrators can also be used to improve material properties.

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

Vibrating table with molds for concrete

• Vibrocompression method - this method is based on vibration pressure up to 1 kg/cm2. For molding, a special vibropress and molds are used.

This technology is used to produce different types paving stones, paving slabs, and simple architectural forms. Recently, polyurethane substrates have 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 manufacturing products.

With the help of pigments, this method can be used to obtain attractive colored tiles that can decorate any site or any courtyard.

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

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

Walkway lined with artificial stone

Production of decorative concrete

The production of 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.

The instruction looks like this:

• The production of architectural concrete begins with mixing cement with sand in a ratio of 1:3.
• Next, water is added to the composition. In addition, at this stage, the mass is colored with a dye, and additives are also poured into it. The amount of additives in each individual case may be different, detailed instructions for their use are available on the packaging.
• 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.

Pigments for concrete

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

Advice! After solidification, the concrete is very durable, therefore, for its mechanical processing, power tools with diamond nozzles are used. In particular, procedures such as cutting of reinforced concrete with diamond wheels, diamond drilling of holes in concrete or grinding with diamond crowns can be performed.

Conclusion

The scope of decorative concrete is quite extensive, due to many of its advantages. Including it will always find application in the private sector. As we found out, it is quite simple to make architectural concrete with your own hands (see also the article “Saw for concrete: varieties cutting tool and features of application).

See the video in this article for more information on this topic.

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The composition of concrete for the foundation: proportions and combinations of materials

The composition and proportions of concrete are very important and have a huge impact on its performance characteristics

The foundation is the foundation of the house. The strength of the structure as a whole depends on the correctness of this design. Almost any foundation is created using concrete mortar: combinations of materials: cement, crushed stone, sand and water.

The composition of concrete for the foundation: the proportions of the mortar components determine the quality and performance of the entire building. In the article, we will consider which components are more suitable for mortars of various brands and how to choose the right proportions of the concrete composition for the foundation.

Base types

The type of foundation and its possible loads are determined at the design stage. At the same time, the weight of the structure and the required strength of the base structure are calculated.

The strength characteristics of the basic structure depend on:

• the type of foundation chosen,
• concrete composition,
• presence of reinforcement.

Almost any foundation, except for a pile, arranged using metal pipes, poured with concrete:

On a note! Regardless of what composition of the concrete mix for the foundation is prescribed in the project, pouring must be done at a time. Otherwise, strength characteristics bases will be changed.

Violation of the technology of pouring the foundation, or incorrect proportions of the solution, can subsequently lead to sad results.

Solution brand

Why is it important to know the ingredients of concrete? In order to optimize costs. As we have already found out, different buildings require different foundations. In this case, it is not always important to gain maximum structural strength.

Often, averaged indicators are quite enough - which means that cheaper components of the solution are suitable for mixing.

Design strength concrete structure depending on the brand of solution

To understand in which cases this or that strength is necessary, let's summarize several brands in a table:

Composition of concrete

Solutions of all brands are mixed on the basis of the same components:

• The binder is usually cement. The characteristics of the solution largely depend on the brand and quality of cement.
• Fillers of various fractions. The composition of concrete includes crushed stone and sand. Crushed stone is taken in grain sizes from 10 to 50 mm with a rough surface to improve adhesion. Sand is a fine filler of possible voids.
• Water connects all the components and gives the solution fluidity. At the same time, it is important that the composition of the water does not include any technical impurities or active chemicals.

Sand and crushed stone of various fractions are used as volume fillers in the solution.

The quality of the components

As mentioned above, cement is taken as a binder in the composition of concrete. At the same time, it can be used different kinds.

The most popular brands for mixing concrete are:

• pozzolanic;
• Portland cements of various hardening rates;
• slag Portland cements.

The basis of the materials is the same, but due to different additives, they have different properties and setting time. The price of materials is also different.

The classic solution is the choice of Portland cements. This is a quality and affordable binder. At the same time, Portland cements include a minimum of additives, which allows the use of various additives when mixing the solution.

Important! Cement has an expiration date indicated on the original packaging. After the expiration of this period, the cement loses a significant part of its operational properties, and the solution mixed with such a binder will not respond technical requirements.

In order to be sure of the quality of the cement, it is preferable to purchase a binder in bags with an expiration date.

Specifications and instructions for mixing concrete, unambiguously determine that the crushed stone or gravel used in the solution must be clean and not have any organic inclusions. If you are not sure about the quality of crushed stone, it can be washed under running water.

In general, with regard to cleanliness, all components of concrete for the foundation should be chosen without any impurities. Sand is recommended to take quarry or river. Sand should be sieved before use.

Clean, sifted sand is required for mixing concrete.

Purchased solution or independent batch

After analyzing the prices on the market, some decide to save money and mix the mortar for the foundation with their own hands. Indeed, it is quite easy to purchase quality components. But one should take into account the fact that the foundation must be poured continuously throughout the entire volume in one go. And this means that it will take a large number of solution.

For these purposes, you will have to rent a concrete mixer, because manually mixing the solution in such an amount is quite problematic. As a result, you save on materials, but incur significant additional costs for the rental of special equipment and electricity.

On a note! Even when mixing concrete with a mixer, feeding the components manually, it is difficult to be sure of the strict observance of proportions. This means that different parties will receive excellent initial characteristics, which will adversely affect the strength of the foundation.

For cooking required amount concrete will require the rental of special construction equipment

Amount of concrete

In order to know how much mortar is required for purchase or self-mixing, it is necessary to calculate the amount of concrete required. This data can be found in project documentation, but it's quite easy to calculate it yourself, or use online calculator.

On a note! To calculate the volume of the solution, take the depth and width of the formwork and multiply it with the length of the foundation to be poured around the entire perimeter of the building, including internal partitions.

The design specification always prescribes the amount of concrete required for pouring

Solution proportions

As we found out, concrete is a composite material. The solution is measured in cubic meters. Therefore, all components are calculated based on the cost of preparing 1m3. Knowing the composition of concrete under the foundation, you can prepare the solution yourself.

Having decided on the brand of concrete, we turn to the standards and the classic recipe for mixing solutions.

Correct calculation

In order to correctly calculate how much cement is included in one cube of concrete for the foundation, it is necessary to determine the brand of mortar. In addition, it is necessary to know the characteristics and properties of all other components. What is worth paying attention to?

When purchasing materials, consider the following parameters:

• Cement - mass, activity, setting time;

The packaging of the cement must indicate the entire necessary information

• Sand - voidness, fraction, mass, moisture level, presence of impurities;
• Crushed stone - weight, strength, degree of moisture, contamination, the presence of lamellar and needle grains.

Aggregate batches must be accompanied by a quality certificate along with a test report that specifies all the necessary parameters. The photo shows an example of a test report for a batch of crushed stone

Only after analyzing all the characteristics, and selecting the material required quality, you can get a solution with the appropriate characteristics. Several simple tips on the choice of components for concrete can be emphasized by watching the video in this article.

Cement

Of course, cement is the most important component of the concrete solution. The pattern here is as follows: the less cement in the solution, the higher the mobility of the mass, and the longer the setting time.

Important! When mixing concrete, the error in the amount of binder is allowed no more than 1 kg per 1 m3, aggregate no more than 5 kg.

Why is it important to maintain the correct composition of concrete on the foundation? If there is not enough cement, it will not hold the aggregate. This means that under the influence high humidity or physical exertion, the structure will begin to crack, losing strength and becoming unusable.

On a note! In practice, it is very easy to determine the required brand of cement if the brand of the required mortar is known. The figure of cement should be 2 times larger.

To save time, you can use the calculations of specialists.

The table below shows how much cement should be included in the concrete for the foundation per 1 cube, depending on its brand.

If you decide to use a lower grade binder, you can maintain the strength of the final product by increasing the amount of cement. For example, replacing cement M 400 with brand 300, its amount should be increased by 30%.

Conclusion

Concrete for the foundation: the composition and its proportions will have a significant impact on the service life of the entire structure. Perhaps this is one of those cases where you should not save and experiment, because even a small deviation can have very serious consequences.

Pouring the foundation from a concrete truck

If you are not sure of your own knowledge and capabilities, it is perhaps better to purchase a ready-made solution. Specialists will carefully calculate and prepare the concrete composition suitable for your situation for pouring the foundation. And your house will last for many years.

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Composition of concrete: proportions, properties

The use of concrete mix in modern construction already so widespread that without this material it is difficult to imagine the possibility of constructing a durable and reliable building. But before using it, you need to know the composition of concrete, the proportions and purpose of the components used for its manufacture.

Milling machines for concrete

A concrete mass is a mixture of several ingredients that, after mixing, have the ability to harden and form a strong, stone-like mass.

For its manufacture, in most cases, 4 main components are used:

In the manufacture of the solution, it is necessary to use all components in the exact amount and with suitable characteristics. That is why only ready-mixed concrete, manufactured in the factory, can have the necessary indicators for specific purposes.

Plasticizers and additives can also be used in the production process to obtain a material with increased characteristics of frost resistance, water resistance, etc. But they are being used less and less - impregnation for concrete is more effective.

Acts as the main binder. The basis for his choice is the brand. The higher the brand, the more durable the structure of the future artificial stone will be.

A mixture with a minimum content of a binder component is called lean concrete. It is used for a number of construction works, the implementation of which does not require the maximum strength of reinforced concrete.

It is used as a solvent for cement - it is commercially available as a dry powder.

Of great importance in production is the ratio of water and cement.

Acts as a small filler. It is necessary for the formation of the structural framework of the material. It turns out that the cement mortar binds the particles of the fillers together and, as a result, a strong and durable structure comes out.

It is a major filler. Allows the production of heavy concrete, which has a fairly high strength after hardening, and also has an excellent bearing capacity.

Proportions

As already mentioned, in order for a reinforced concrete product to be able to withstand the loads placed on it, it is necessary to use the necessary components and in the right quantity when creating the mixture.

The standard cement mortar after hardening is very strong, but this increases the level of thermal conductivity. To increase the thermal efficiency of certain parts of the structure, a mixture with expanded clay is made.

For example, to create a concrete solution with standard characteristics, you can use the components in the following ratio:

1 part cement;

Previously, concrete waterproofing was carried out with special materials. Now concrete impregnation is used for these purposes.

Line-up selection

For the manufacture of high-quality concrete mortar, you need not only to know the exact proportions, but also to select:

Cement with a certain brand;

Sand with an acceptable level of impurities and grain size;

Crushed stone from a certain type rock, which has a suitable fraction size.

In industrial production, even the chemical component of water and the shape of large aggregates are constantly checked - they have a special effect on the strength of the future structure. This is what makes a factory product many times better than a self-made one.

Only when manufactured in a factory, you can get the optimal chemical composition of concrete. The proportions and properties of the components are determined using special equipment and qualitative analysis.

PRICES FOR CONCRETE

• M-100
• M-150
• M-200
• M-250
• M-350

2% from 500 m3 to 1000 m3

4% from 1000 m3 to 2000 m3

6% from 2000 m3 and above

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