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If you are going to pave a yard, sidewalk or garden path, you will have a choice - which sidewalk tiles to use for this.
After reading the article, you will learn how to choose the right paving slabs for the courtyard of a house or summer cottage, which one experts recommend to use and by what parameters it is chosen. Learn to determine which varieties and types are preferable in a given situation.
Before proceeding with the choice, ask the question: why exactly tiles? Why not asphalt, concrete, poured and compacted gravel? Why is it important for you to lay the tiles here? This question will help you to better understand what expectations are associated with coverage, and to select required material, shape and other parameters of the tile.
If you need to fit a walkway or sidewalk into an exquisite site design, choose porcelain stoneware or natural stone tiles. If you need to create a sense of antiquity and monumentality, choose natural or cast wild stone. To bring back memories of the last decades Soviet Union, choose colored vibropressed tiles.
The cost of high-quality tile installation (with appropriate preparatory work and creating the right foundation) will cost 3-5 times more than pouring concrete or laying asphalt. Even when using inexpensive materials. If you choose expensive materials, laying the tiles will exceed the cost of creating a concrete or asphalt path by at least 10 times. The reason for this is the high cost of the material and the large volume of expensive manual work for which high qualifications are required.
Characteristics
The main characteristics of tiles include:
- abrasion resistance;
- frost resistance;
- size and shape;
- price.
Abrasion resistance
Abrasion resistance determines how long the tile will last under the influence external factors(shoes and car tires). The higher this parameter, the more loads the tile can withstand and the longer it will not need to be replaced.
The abrasion resistance of concrete paving slabs depends on the materials from which the concrete is made. The use of quartz or river sand, high-quality cement grade not lower than M-500 and hard crushed stone rocks(granite, marble, basalt and others) improve abrasion resistance.
This property is a conditional value, which is determined according to GOST 13087-81. To determine the value of this indicator, a sample of a concrete or reinforced concrete product is abraded using a special machine and an abrasive powder.
After a certain exposure time, the sample is cleaned and weighed. The difference between the weight of the original and the resulting sample is the abrasion resistance. It is indicated in grams per square centimeter (g / cm2). The lower the abrasion resistance value, the more difficult it is to destroy a product made of concrete or natural stone.
The best value for abrasion resistance in porcelain stoneware and natural stone paving stones. It is somewhat worse for polymer concrete made of granite (marble) chips and clinker bricks (tiles). In third place is a vibropressed paving slab made of concrete, which includes granite or marble crushed stone. Last cast concrete tiles and rubber paving slabs.
Frost resistance
Frost resistance is indicated either in the number of freeze-thaw cycles (based on GOST 10060-2012), or according to the concrete grade F100, F200, F300. The higher this value, the more frost the tile will withstand. F300 concrete is used to make products that can withstand temperatures below minus 45 degrees Celsius. F100 grade concrete is designed for operation at temperatures above minus 5 degrees.
Size and shape
The load that it can withstand depends on the thickness of the tile. Tiles 3-4 cm thick are used for pedestrian paths and other places where there is no transport. 4-7 cm thick used for areas where movement is possible passenger cars, over 7 cm are used for any areas.
The greater the length and width of the tiles, the better the base is needed. This is due to the fact that when the base subsides, the tile tilts with one or two edges towards the failure, the other side, on the contrary, rises above the surface of the bulk of the tiles, forming a kind of "hummock".
The choice of the laying scheme and the complexity of joining the extreme tiles and the border depend on the shape of the tiles. Tiles of a simple shape - four- and hexagonal are the easiest to install, but the choice of patterns is limited.
For a one-dimensional square shape, schemes are available " checkerboard order"And" shift by half a row ", so the pattern is created using tiles of different colors. For rectangular paving stones, checkerboard, circular and herringbone patterns are available, and the pattern is also created with a combination of colors.
Square tile offset by half a row
For a hexagon, the mosaic scheme is applicable. There is no stacking scheme for a wild stone, because all stones of various shapes and size. Therefore, instead of a diagram, lay out a drawing. Decorative (artistic) tiles are a pattern in themselves, so there is no installation scheme for them.
If you want to lay out a particular drawing or pattern, make a plan of the site in a convenient scale and create a drawing on it. This will help determine what color and shape tiles are needed.
If the stores do not have the necessary tiles, contact the manufacturer directly. Most of these firms undertake the manufacture of custom-made tiles, however, at a price 2-5 times more expensive than the one that is mass-produced.
Price
In 50 percent of cases, the price determines the choice of tiles. The more expensive the tiles are, the more expensive are the services of a worker for laying them. For the device of cheap cast tiles, which will last ten years at most, you can hire a team of guest workers, they do it quickly and cheaply. But this approach to laying expensive tiles will lead to the need overhaul blind areas after 3-5 years.
Laying the tiles is the final stage, before it requires a heavy and hard work for the preparation of the soil and the device of the underlying layers. If one of the operations is performed poorly or with errors, the blind area will not last long.
The cost of a tile depends on the price of raw materials, manufacturing technology, brand popularity, income of the manufacturing company and various transport and trade costs. Therefore, the range of prices for different models of one type of tile reaches 100 percent.
Do not rush to buy tiles in the first store. Look at the offers of other outlets, visit several companies that produce tiles. Chances are good that you will be able to find what you need, and at a lower price than asked in the store.
Remember, more expensive tiles are not necessarily better quality than cheaper ones. After all, the quality of tiles (within the same type or model) depends on the experience of workers and technologists. If the workers do not violate the technology, check and repair (adjust) the equipment on time, use the right ingredients, then this approach ensures high quality products.
Selection of tiles for paving sidewalks, garden paths or places of rest is not an easy task. Now you know what to look for when choosing a tile, what qualities and parameters are really important, and what exactly can be safely ignored. This will help you choose a tile that suits the price, quality and is ideal for your design.
The company "Cardinal" along with the sale of goods own production is engaged in the sale of products of partners in the workshop. Residents of the Moscow region are well aware of the reputation of one of the largest factories in this industry - the Vybor company. Today, on the pages of our catalog, we present a high-quality and durable finishing material, made using granite chips and other natural stones... This is Choice paving slabs - universal remedy improvement used in the decoration of pedestrian sidewalks and park paths, floor coverings of warehouses and parking lots.
Properties and characteristics of the selection tile
Tile "Vybor" is made by the method of semi-dry vibrocompression. High-quality dyes made in Germany are added to the mixture intended for the manufacture of tiles. This allows for a long-lasting and uniform color coating that retains saturation for at least 25 years. The mixture placed in the matrix is subjected to vibration compaction to obtain finished product... Finishing materials made in this way are distinguished by excellent performance characteristics:
- impact resistance;
- resistance to abrasion;
- low water absorption (up to 6%);
- excellent frost resistance (up to 200 cycles);
- resistance to aggressive chemical environment.
The quality of the tile surface allows it to be polished to obtain a glossy layer. If it is necessary to create an anti-slip coating, treatment with special compounds, the so-called bush hammering, is performed. The plant has a debugged system of quality control, conformity of shape and size to established standards. The manufacturer guarantees the service life of paving slabs for at least 30 years, even under high loads.
Favorable offer from the Cardinal company
Clients of our company are provided with unique opportunity, allowing to reduce the budget for the installation of paving slabs "Vybor". Purchase the finishing material produced by this company in large quantities to get good discounts. Save on the purchase of tiles in total over 15 m2 - 5% off total amount order. Customers purchasing more than 30 m2 of paving slabs will receive a 10% discount. Hurry up to take advantage of the pleasant offer of our company and pack flooring fast and inexpensive!
The situation is becoming more and more common when, for covering the soil surface in private households, about public buildings, on the territory of industrial enterprises and gas stations, paving slabs or paving stones are used. It is not by chance that this material has taken a dominant position in the volume of sales. Low price, attractive appearance, durability of operation, ease of installation, environmental and Fire safety few places else are so harmoniously combined in one product.
What parameters should be known when choosing paving slabs
Anyone who has decided to opt for it has to think about how to choose paving slabs. Which paving slabs are better and what you need to know so that the purchased products will serve for a long time and without spending extra money?
The overwhelming percentage of all paving slabs is:
- polymer sand (made from sand, polymer, dye);
- concrete (made from sand, cement, dyes, crushed stone or granite screening).
Polymer sandy products are more resistant to moisture and abrasion, but they are more expensive. In addition, the production of this type is several times less than that of concrete tiles. The reason for this is more complex technological process... Therefore, almost all such products on the market are manufactured by professional enterprises and have full compliance with standards.
Another thing is concrete tiles. It is produced not only by handicraft workshops in almost every settlement, but also just individuals at home without the use of special equipment.
Concrete tiles are divided into:
- vibrocast (produced by molding liquid concrete into molds and subsequent drying;
- vibropressed (the same concrete, but less wet, is pressed into molds using vibration);
- vibropressed (semi-dry mixture is pressed using pressure and vibration, and moistened after preliminary drying).
How less water was used initially in production, the more durable and the more expensive the product will be. Consequently, the most expensive concrete slab is vibropressed.
How to choose high-quality paving slabs yourself
With the acquisition of large industrial enterprises problems with the purchase of quality products should not arise. Products from such companies are certified and checked for compliance with standards. The release of each batch of concrete is controlled by a specialized laboratory, which checks the dustiness of the fractions, the brand of cement, and the water ratio of the mixture. It is enough to study the reviews about the manufacturing plant, study the range of its products, and you can add up the first idea of the compliance of the products of these companies with their requirements. It remains only to pay attention to the selection of color and configuration of the form.
However, the purchase of factory products is sometimes quite costly. Not every city or district has its own concrete structures. And it has always been expensive to transport concrete products from afar and strongly affect the final price of the goods.
Small tile businesses should not be ignored. Most of them have been in business for a long time and have a good reputation, but here you need to show some care and competence. Here are some tips for what to look for when done independent choice paving slabs.
- The concrete grade for such products is defined as 300 units. It is recommended to use cement M-500 for production. But when using plasticizers, it is permissible to use M-400 cement, the main thing is that it should be Portland cement. Any salesperson will most likely swear that the cement in the product is the best and the concrete is the strongest. It's easy to check in a simple way... M-300 concrete is stronger than iron. That is, you can sharpen a coin or a knife about him. In this case, nothing should fall from the product. If, when scratching on concrete with metal, deep marks remain on the concrete product, then the concrete grade is less than 280 and it is not worth buying such a tile.
- The next thing to pay attention to during visual inspection is the geometry of the products. All elements must have smooth edges, the same thickness and a uniform bottom (draft) side. There should not be large pieces of rubble sticking out on its surface. Itself back surface should not be smeared with lime.
- The front side of the paving slabs must be smooth, without air bubbles in the dried concrete structure;
- If it is possible to determine the density of concrete by weighing and measuring the volume of the product (this can only be done on rectangular elements), then the density of concrete should be 2.2 kg per liter.
- If all these indicators are normal, and the price is low, then you can buy such a tile. But if there is a possibility of acquiring exactly the same type from competitors, it is better to buy the entire batch at once. The fact is that the weak strength of the tile can manifest itself in the process of laying or cutting. In this case, it will be possible to purchase better quality products at the most important places (for a car check-in and for paths with heavy traffic).
A good paving slab, the choice of which was made by a competent person, will serve for many years. The main thing to remember is that the materials used for its production were not fire and acid resistant. Therefore, you should not wash the car with a non-contact car wash or scorch leaves on surfaces with such a coating. This can lead to the destruction of FEM and the need to replace them, which is not a very simple process.
History
Rotary tiles were made for the first time in Holland in the nineteenth century, they were used for paving roads. Then there was a shortage of stone materials in the country, and therefore paving slabs began to be used.
In Russia, paving stones appeared in the 1970s-1980s. In the beginning there were slabs of iron and concrete square and rectangular shape... The production of shaped paving slabs began in the 90s of the nineteenth century. Now it is the most demanded construction product.
The choice of materials for paving usually arises at the final stage of the arrangement of the territory.
Production:
Paving slabs in industry it is made from a mixture of cement, aggregate and water. At the moment, all paving slabs are made in two ways: vibrocompression and vibrocasting.
Vibration casting is beautiful, but short-lived !!!
The concrete mix is placed in a plastic mold, then placed on a vibrating table (a table with a constantly vibrating surface) for a while. After compacting the concrete mixture in the mold (this can be seen by the protruding cement milk on the concrete surface), the mold is removed from the vibrating table, placed on racks and sent to special chambers with high humidity and high temperature for curing. The tile gains strength during the day at a temperature environment 20-25 ℃, at temperatures above 60 ℃, the strength gain is accelerated up to 8 hours, the final strength at 80-85 ℃ is reached by concrete in 72 hours, after which the tiles can be transported and laid.
The advantages of vibrated tiles:
Smooth surface that can be easily cleaned from dirt or snow. The tile is juicy and bright colours... Cast tiles bring bold design solutions, laid out both in public places (squares, parks) and in private land plots... Unlimited choice of tile shapes.
Disadvantages of vibrated tiles:
- It is produced by hand, which affects its quality. Used for production cheap plastic molds the geometric parameters do not always correspond to the declared ones, because, over time, the shape is deformed, and the tile turns out to be of an irregular geometric shape, which further complicates the laying process
- Fragility.
Paving slabs with a thickness of no more than 6 cm are made by vibration casting.
In the photo we see the state of vibrocast tiles after two severe Russian winters.
Seeing your plot well-groomed and beautiful is the dream of every owner. Comfortable park paths, modern parking, recreation areas, clean adjoining territory- all this can be done with paving slabs. This strong and durable coating has recently been increasingly used in the improvement of personal plots and city squares.
Paved paths, sidewalks and areas with tiles, any site can give an original, unique and well-groomed look.
Large selection of shapes and sizes, patterns and color palette, affordable price makes this material even more attractive.
When planning the paving of their territory, each owner thinks about how to choose paving slabs?
Paving selection options
Preparation method
This factor has great importance in the characteristics of this road surface... Any one is made in one of two ways:
- Vibratory casting method.
The technology for the production of paving stones by the method of vibratory casting consists in casting tile elements from concrete mixtures into special plastic molds using special seals and subsequent compaction on a vibrating table.
Products manufactured at such a production facility are intended for paving park paths and those places where a large weight load is not planned. Vibration casting is not a mass production method, but a manual one. For this reason, the geometry of the paving stones is not always of high quality. But in terms of aesthetic characteristics, clarity of patterns and designs, she has no equal. In this way, a glossy surface of paving slabs is obtained. The color of the products can be very different: blue, light green, pink, purple, etc. garden plots it is recommended to choose this particular paving stone.
- Vibrocompression method.
The production of paving stones by vibrocompression is an in-line production method aimed at fulfilling large orders.
These products are intended for paving roads, parking lots, sidewalks, which are allowed to enter cars. They are produced using a vibrating press, due to which they have high strength and resistance to mechanical damage. This manufacturing method is in-line production aimed at fulfilling large orders. Therefore, the equipment is expensive for him.
The paving stones produced by such factories are several times less attractive than the previous one, and in the overwhelming majority of cases has simple forms: square, rectangle, rhombus, etc. But her undoubted advantage in the clarity of these forms and a significantly lower price. The color of such items is mostly unsightly: dirty gray. If you need paving stones for parking, then heed the advice of professionals: it makes sense to choose a large tile, since it will deteriorate much faster than small tiles.
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Geometric shapes and sizes
The paving stones on the market differ in a huge variety of shapes. Here you can choose not only simple and familiar forms of paving stones, but also products that imitate elements of the old cobblestone pavement or elements in the form of wedges, which can be laid in the form of a circle, an arc or "fish scales".
If the tiles are the same size and clear correct forms, then its installation is much faster and easier. If the goal is to pave the territory as quickly as possible, then vibropressed products - optimal choice... Cast paving stones often have significant differences in the thickness of the products, which significantly complicates the work of laying it. But the aesthetic appeal of the track pavement will reward any expectation.
Paving slabs with a patterned edge are even more difficult to install. Before starting work, not far from the place from which it was decided to start performing them, it is recommended to lay out small area according to the intended drawing. This will make it easier to adhere to the correct masonry. The corners of the curly edges of the tiles are often slightly chipped. But behind the general impression of the paved surface, this drawback is not so noticeable.
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Frost resistance, quality certificate, load
It is imperative to ask the seller how many thawing / freezing cycles the paving stone you want to withstand can withstand. High-quality paving slabs must withstand at least 150 such cycles. Some manufacturers produce products with a high degree of resistance to cold: they are designed for 200 cycles. When buying, you need to inquire about the presence of a quality certificate. If the seller does not have one, there is a high degree of probability that the technological process has been disrupted.
As for the weight load, the 4 cm thick paving stones are intended for hiking trails. For bicycle paths, choose products that are more durable - at least 6 cm thick. Paving stones with a height of 7-8 cm will withstand the load of heavy traffic. And the thickest 10 cm tiles are able to provide a reliable road surface for trucks.
