First decorative concrete began to be used in the middle of the last century by American builders. Its development began because it was necessary to reduce the construction time of US military airfields. Then beauty was given a secondary place. First of all, such concrete had to be wear-resistant and durable. Then high performance characteristics And decorative properties began to contribute to the growth of its popularity. Now decorative concrete is used for exterior finishing buildings, pouring floors in garages or in the corridors of residential premises.
Distinctive features of decorative concrete
Colored fillers are used for decorative purposes. These include marble chips different colors or ground glass. There is also colored cement that can give the concrete the desired shade. Such concrete is used for finishing not only floors, but also walls of buildings without restrictions on shape and size.
For the manufacture of massive concrete products, reinforcement is necessary. There is also a concrete solution into which air can be added. Thanks to such manipulations, the concrete product is given additional strength before thawing or freezing.
If air has been added to the concrete, it will not crumble when thawed. This is very important in case of unfavorable climatic conditions. For this purpose, special cement and air additives are used.
A distinctive feature of decorative concrete is its rich range of colors and variety of finishes. In addition, it is able to withstand a load 2-3 times greater than that of paving slabs. This type of concrete is resistant to chemicals, fats and acids, petroleum products.
He is able to withstand ultraviolet radiation and 300 freezing cycles. The properties of concrete are maintained at temperatures from -40 o to +40 o C. It is slightly subject to deformation. Decorative concrete can imitate a stone surface ( natural stones, cobblestones, marble).
- water – 160 l;
- cement – 400 kg;
- fine filler (10 cm) – 465 kg;
- large filler (20 cm) – 700 kg;
- dye - the amount depends on what shade you want to get. See the manufacturer's recommendations on the packaging;
- plasticizer – 2.4 l.
DIY production technology
You can also make decorative concrete with your own hands. In this case, it is possible to lay out the path in the garden as if it were natural stone.
They start by making the mold. To do this, buy tiles (1 piece) in the store that imitate the stone you like. Use silicone sealant With acetic acid, grease for lubrication, knife, plywood sheet. First, a box is made from plywood, the depth of which is 15 cm. This box is filled to the middle with sealant. The tile from the store is greased with grease and its face is pressed into the silicone. The excess protruding along the edges must be cleaned off. After 3 days, you can use the mold you made yourself.
If repairs to the walls of a house are necessary, sprayed concrete technology is used. In this case, the surface is first cleaned and a layer of polymer-cement mixture is applied. After the mixture has dried, a plastic stencil is attached to the surface and a colored layer is sprayed. When the surface is dry, the stencil can be removed. At the end, the wall must be cleaned and coated with a protective compound.
Decorative concrete technology is the work with concrete, including the procedure of reinforcement, coating, molding and sealing.
First, crushed stone and sand are laid on the surface, and then concrete is poured onto them. The surface needs to be smoothed. Next, a colored hardener is applied, which consists of stable pigments, binder and ground filler from quartz sand and granite. After this, the undried soft surface is pressed with special forms that imitate natural materials, and when the surface dries, a protective layer is applied.
Every year the surface must be treated with a water-repellent solution. In this case, the surface will retain its appearance for several years.
It is possible to draw various designs on concrete thanks to modern technologies and chemical composition. With its help you can make pilasters, stands, figured columns, flowerpots and other architectural decorations.
Decorative concrete is used not only in the above cases, but also for finishing garden paths, platforms, parking lots, and driveways. This feature is ensured by its resistance to grease and oil. The complex shape of small architectural solutions is given by formwork, which is reinforced with rebar wire and supplied with the necessary details.
In this case, a site or alley will not need a border as a fence, which will reduce the cost of materials.
By the way, the choice of finishing color does not affect the price, so the scope for imagination is enormous, because the shapes are distinguished by their diversity and allow you to choose the option that best suits the architecture and style.
Video
We invite you to watch these videos related to the topic of our conversation.
The article was prepared with the participation of specialists DOMASK CONCRETE company
Paving stones, paving slabs, clinker, natural stone – finishing materials enough, but there is no limit to perfection, and today all these surfaces can be realistically imitated using concrete. This technology allows you to accurately recreate any texture, while the physical characteristics of the coating are not inferior, but in a number of points they are superior to the simulated surface. With the basics of technology and important nuances DOMASK BETON specialists will help you figure it out, and they will answer the most pressing questions from FORUMHOUSE users.
- The history of printed concrete.
- Scope of application, advantages and disadvantages of printed concrete.
- Printed concrete technology.
- Professional answers to user questions.
The history of printed concrete
Printed concrete began to be used in the middle of the last century in the USA. Enterprising Americans have developed a technology for maximum hardening concrete surface and giving it special properties so that military aviation runways last as long as possible. But the invention was quickly appreciated by urban planning contractors, and with minor improvements, they introduced the concept of decorative printed concrete for use on almost any site.
Printed concrete, otherwise called stamped concrete (concrete is produced using stamps) or pressed concrete, differs from ordinary concrete by decorative relief embossing applied to the surface. In this case, the pattern can repeat the natural or artificial material, be it stone, wood, paving stones or cracked soil. In addition to visual appeal, printed concrete characterized by increased wear resistance, since special materials are used in the printing process, as well as protective impregnations and varnishes for concrete.
Scope of application, advantages and disadvantages of coating
This material is universal - it can be laid on various grounds, use outdoors and indoors. In the private sphere, the most common paving with printed concrete is garden paths, patios, recreation areas, blind areas, stairs, gazebos and terraces. It is practically indispensable during restoration, as it allows you to imitate all styles and materials that cannot be found today.
The coating has no limitations, as it can withstand mechanical stress, vehicle loads and temperature changes from – 50 to + 50⁰С.
But only if the technology of the device is followed, so we’ll figure it out.
Fedor MeshkorudnikovDirector of the company DOMASK BETON
There is no alternative to printed concrete in decorating horizontal surfaces on the street (paths, parking lots, blind areas, sidewalks, platforms). This monolithic slab– no failures, variety of textures and colors, speed of installation, strength, durability, frost resistance.
The advantages of the coating include the following properties:
- Solidity - due to the absence of adhesive seams resulting from paving piece materials, the canvas does not require regular restoration.
- Environmental friendliness - no matter how hackneyed this concept is, concrete does not contain chemical components, capable of being released into environment, as happens with asphalt derivatives and similar coatings.
- Decorativeness - how the path or steps will look depends only on personal preferences, big choice forms invites flights of fancy.
- Durability - monolithic fabric does not absorb moisture, therefore, does not crack when frozen, the dyes are resistant to abrasion and direct sunlight. Properly installed stamped concrete will last at least 15 years, and if cared for, even more.
Stamped concrete is resistant to wear and weather, but like stone, tile or pavers, it scratches easily when it comes in contact with metal.
If the car has studded wheels, characteristic marks may remain.
IlyaIvanov
About printed concrete. The quality of the paths is very good, but the parking lot is a problem. Everything is fine with the stove, but I drive under a canopy with a turn, exit is the same, and both cars are on spikes in winter. In the place where the front wheels turn every day, the entire surface is covered with scratches. It is clear that in the option natural stone or paving stones it would be the same, but the fact remains a fact. Please note that if you will be turning the steering wheel and riding on spikes on the site, you need to choose some kind of coating such as fine gravel with an adhesive base.
Professionals offer another solution to the problem if you really want just such a parking lot.
Fedor Meshkorudnikov
The only solution is to pour strips 70-80 cm wide under the wheels, which can later be dismantled and new ones poured.
And on paths, and in parking lots, and in any other place, the coating is also sensitive to chemical reagents, which should also not be forgotten.
Printed concrete technology
Despite some nuances, the manufacturing technology of decorative printed concrete itself is not particularly complicated. However, only strict adherence to work technology and high-quality materials that meet the specific application will allow you to obtain an attractive, strong and durable coating.
Preparing the base
The first stage is standard - sampling the soil layer, leveling, compacting, creating a slope, adding a drainage layer of crushed stone of a fraction of 20-40 mm with leveling and compaction. Then waterproofing is carried out, since saturation with moisture from the soil is contraindicated for printed concrete. For this purpose, a plastic film is laid on top of the crushed stone. The final stage of preparation is the installation of formwork and reinforcement of the base (taking into account the minimum protective layer), the diameter of the reinforcement and the mesh cell depend on the expected loads. On sandy soils, a layer of geotextile under the crushed stone may be required.
Requirements for mortar and installation
Preferred concrete of a grade no less than M300-350 is preferred; if you make concrete yourself on site, then use Portland cement (400-500) with the addition of fiber and plasticizers. Concrete laying is standard; the surface must be leveled, compacted, crushed stone deposited and smoothed with concrete trowels.
Decoration
When there is no excess moisture on the surface, a colored fixative is applied (by scattering method) in 2-3 layers to harden the surface and give desired color. Each layer is rubbed into freshly laid concrete with trowels until the surface becomes one color, strictly observing the consumption of 2.5 kg/m² dark colors, 3.5 kg/m² light colors. Next, a colored hydrophobic release agent is sprayed on so that the form does not stick to the concrete and gives a second color to the surface, which remains in the seams and recesses. Using the stamping method, impressions are made using forms until the concrete can be pressed with a finger, gradually moving the forms over the entire area of the canvas.
After two days, excess disconnector is removed from the concrete by washing plain water from a hose and using a brush.
Protective coatings are applied after the concrete has dried, but work is not allowed when high temperatures and below +5⁰.
Operating mode
As already noted, updating the protective layer takes 2 years, but there are a couple of nuances:
- The coating can withstand pedestrian loads after 4 days, large mass only after 14 days.
- Do not remove snow or dirt with a metal tool.
- Reinforcement (anti-crack)
- Base (concrete M350)
- Color fixative
- Hybrophobic release agent (to prevent the form from sticking, it additionally gives color to the seams and recesses)
- Texture shape/stamp
- Protective covering(impregnation and varnish for waterproofing, richer color and wet stone effect)
Answers from professionals
Portal participants are interested in various situations: the installation of expansion joints or the original use of a fixative.
hmk2003
I’m interested in the technology for constructing expansion joints, and whether it is possible to simply create a flat concrete surface, an entrance to a garage, etc., using fixing agents.
Fedor Meshkorudnikov
To avoid cracks, to relieve stress, cut expansion joints using a joint cutter or grinder with a diamond disc to a depth of 1/3 of the concrete thickness, 3x3 m cards, with a layer thickness of 8-12 cm, paths are cut every one and a half meters. You can get a smooth colored surface; some people do this by simply rubbing the colored fixer into freshly laid concrete.
The majority of users who are just looking at the technology or who have already tried it and were dissatisfied with the result are concerned about the reasons for the destruction of printed concrete. According to Fedor, there may be several of them.
Violation of device technology:
- Lack of waterproofing (film and impregnation). Regardless of the type of surface, when laying decorative concrete outdoors, it must be protected by a layer of insulation both below and above.
- Working in bad weather weather conditions(cold, hot, damp).
- Untimely application of the fixer: if the concrete has “set”, the composition does not penetrate into the deep layers, binding only the surface, which leads to peeling after the first winter.
- Insufficient slope - water stagnates, spoils the view, and in places of accumulation it gradually seeps into upper layer and as it becomes saturated, it begins to destroy concrete. The technology requires a slope of 1.5 cm for each linear meter canvases.
- Absence or insufficient reinforcement - the concrete slab will begin to deform.
Decorative concrete in modern construction very popular. They fill garden paths with it and use it to decorate street facades and floors in production premises. He is an excellent replacement natural materials. Concrete products are manufactured for different purposes. The durability and strength of decorative concrete far exceeds that of conventional concrete.
Description of the decorative product
When hearing the word concrete, many people begin to imagine a gray, shapeless mass. But modern concrete is not what it used to be. Now it plays not only the role of a building material. One of its main functions is its decorative and artistic purpose. The main difference between these materials is their composition. Previously, concrete consisted of water and cement.
Today it is complex composition, thanks to which it has several undeniable advantages.
Mixture composition
Decorative concrete - composite composition. In terms of strength, durability and abrasion resistance, it has no equal. That is why its popularity is growing every day. All components of concrete are completely safe for human health.
Components of decorative concrete:
It can be used to make any shape; it is even used in stucco.
Main types
Thanks to new technologies, each person can make the mixture independently. There is nothing difficult about this, the main thing is to follow the manufacturing technology. Then the result will be unique finish with your own hands.
There are several types of concrete. Each of them is widely used for specific purposes.
- Colored concrete. It is used in the design of street facades and sidewalk paths.
- Artistic concrete. Various materials are made from this material architectural forms small sizes. It is also used for exterior finishing facades.
- Stamped or printed. For decoration of facades.
Manufacturing technology
You can make decorative concrete with your own hands. The technology must be followed according to certain methods. To achieve the texture of stone or brick, you need to use special mixtures. For example: sprayed mixture, stencil mixture, stamped solution. To choose a technique, you need to familiarize yourself with the production of each method in more detail.
Methods for making the mixture:
Unlike others building materials, this mixture is significantly lower in cost.
In addition, according to their physical properties it surpasses many of them. Concrete can withstand about 300 winters, and defrosting and freezing will not affect its quality. It is able to withstand huge temperature changes without problems. When frozen, concrete does not burn out under straight lines. sun rays and does not slip underfoot in winter.
Printed concrete
Making concrete yourself requires some preparation. In addition to the fact that when producing this material, it is necessary to follow the technology, before production you should purchase some tools.
Required tool:
Quality paving slabs directly depends on the cement, or more precisely, on its quality. It is necessary to purchase cement of a grade higher than 300. In addition, it is desirable that a plasticizer be added to the cement. You need to work with concrete only in dry weather, the air temperature should be +5.
To make paving slabs, you first need to prepare the path. Using pegs or a simple rope, you need to make markings for it.
Having marked the path, you need to remove the top layer of soil. Here you should immediately decide for what purpose the path is intended. If you plan to use it for hiking, the top layer of soil will need to be removed 150 mm thick. If a car will drive along the path, the soil must be removed to a thickness of 200 mm.
After the soil is removed, you need to place the formwork along the entire length of the path. The bottom must be filled with a mixture of crushed stone and sand, 150 mm thick. After which the crushed stone must be compacted well. Next, lay plastic film along the entire length. If the film is applied with joints, the overlap should be at least 100 mm. The last layer reinforced fabric is laid.
- 1 part PC grade 400;
- 3 parts crushed granite fraction 5/20;
- 3 parts sand;
- plasticizer for water based C - 3 - 0.5%;
- propylene fiber 0.6 kg per 1 sq. m.
Mix all ingredients thoroughly and pour the formwork. Compact the mixture using a vibrating screed. Then roll the mixture well with a roller. In this case, the large filler settles down, and the fine filler remains at the top. Use an aluminum trowel to smooth the surface well. After that, walk with a steel trowel along the perimeter of the path.
Once the surface has become perfectly smooth, the colored fixative must be scattered by hand scattering. Then smooth it well using an aluminum smoothing iron. At this point, 70% of the color fixative should be dispersed. When the first coat of sealer is well smoothed onto the surface, the remaining 30% of the colored sealer must be applied. Then smooth it out with a steel smoothing iron.
It should not be forgotten that before applying the colored fixer, a thin layer of release agent must be applied to the concrete.
At this stage, you can apply the design to the concrete before it completely hardens. The design can be free-form or made using a stamp.
After 2 days, which is exactly how long it takes until the mixture dries completely, you should get rid of the remnants of the disconnector. This can be done using water and a stiff bristle brush. You need to wash the entire track. Let it dry thoroughly. Then apply a thin layer of acrylic impregnation to the surface. It will serve as a protective layer.
Decorative concrete is easy to make. Anyone can make any design from this material on their own.
– a material that is many times stronger and chemically resistant than conventional concrete mixtures. He can very skillfully convey the appearance of all kinds of natural and artificial surfaces, from marble and paving stones to tree bark and laminate.
Today we will consider the technology for the production of decorative concrete, stone from them and other important nuances.
To obtain this material, high-quality cement is used (for example, M 400), which is often reinforced with fiberglass.
- For the production of tiles, the vibration pressing method and fine aggregate are used.
- The textured surface is obtained using vibration casting using granite or marble chips.
If you plan to get clean and bright colors, it is advisable to use white Portland cement.
- To enhance the decorative effect, sand of a certain shade is used - light or dark.
- When a pronounced structure is required, pieces of glass and ceramics, limestone, marble, granite, anthracite, and basalt are used.
- To enhance the texture, use additives that slow down the hardening of the mixture, treat the surface with hydrochloric acid or a special tool.
Let us note that decorative concrete acquires its main qualities thanks to a special surface finishing, which gives an original pattern and structure. In this case, dyes are used chemical compositions, having good adhesion and giving products not only aesthetics, but also excellent characteristics. Surface finishing can be done in several ways. Next - about each of them.
About some types decorative design concrete, as well as its production, the following video will tell you:
Sputtering
This method is used on vertical planes. To use it you need a spray bottle and an acid dye.
Paint coming into chemical reaction With concrete mortar, apply in layers until the desired shade is achieved. This way you can depict, for example, the appearance of brick or natural stone masonry.
Screen painting
In this case, special stencils are used that are fixed to the concrete surface. A decorative coloring mixture is applied to them, so that the surface takes on the appearance it was intended to have.
There is a wide variety of inexpensive plastic stencils on sale - they are reusable. But they are easy to make yourself - even from paper. The final stage work - applying special impregnation for additional protection of the material.
Now let's talk about polyurethane stamps for decorative concrete and plaster.
Stamping
This is one of the most popular ways production of decorative concrete, which is even often called stamped (or printed) concrete. Stamps are usually made of rubber, silicone or polyurethane. They are pressed into the still soft concrete surface (previously coated with a mixture of colored pigment, fixative and moisture-resistant additives), and after it hardens, they are removed and a protective impregnation is applied. Printing method can be used both on horizontal and vertical planes.
One of the types of stamping has become the Graphito technology, which is very popular today. That's what they call unique plaster mixture, which is based on white cement High Quality. Also, the composition of decorative printed concrete using Grafito technology includes about ten other components: sand, plasticizers, and other elements.
Manufacturers keep the exact recipe of the mixture a secret. And it turns out viscous, plastic and has excellent adhesion to any surface. When hardened, a wear-resistant coating is obtained, which is not exposed to ultraviolet radiation or chemical influences.
The Graphite mixture, without requiring surface preparation at all, penetrates into the smallest pores, just as it does on metal cold welding. It allows you to create any surface on concrete: tree bark, ceramic tiles, any stone, laminate, cobblestone. In this case, a three-dimensional volume effect appears, giving the complete illusion that in front of us, for example, is masonry, porcelain stoneware or a wooden product.
Equipment for the production of
Basics
- As with any cement-based composition, you will need concrete mixer with electric drive . Its price will depend on production volumes - on average about 22-23 thousand rubles.
- Will also need vibrating table, allowing the concrete to be leveled and preventing the formation of voids inside. It will cost approximately 15 thousand rubles.
- If you plan to produce large products, you should think about forklift.
- The next expense item is molds for decorative concrete products(about 50 pieces) into which the concrete mixture will be poured. The materials used to make them are varied: metal, wood, fiberglass, ABS plastic, polyethylene. The cost, accordingly, can also vary widely: from 500 to 15 thousand rubles.
It is quite possible to make simple forms yourself, knocking them together from boards or chipboard, for example.
Stamps
Finally, let's move on to what without which our material has no right to be called decorative. These are stamps that can be hard plastic or soft polyurethane (or silicone).
The former are used to make paving stones or paving slabs; they are cheaper - about 1.5 thousand rubles per piece. Flexible dies are used to create more complex shapes for decorative concrete products, price from 7 to 20 thousand rubles. A homemade stamp for decorative printed concrete will cost you free.
To save money, many craftsmen want to learn how to make stamps themselves. There are a lot of videos about this on the Internet - you can watch detailed process. The easiest way to make a metal printed stencil is by welding. If you want something more complex and interesting than paving stones or ordinary stonework, it is possible to cast molds from polymer. But this is more difficult, and it is not always possible to achieve a result of the same quality as that of ready-made soft stamps.
The following video talks about making a decorative stamp for printed concrete with your own hands:
The next section will tell you how to make decorative printed concrete for your interior with your own hands.
Do it yourself
To start making decorative concrete, you need to decide on the choice of a suitable site. The best location is located in an industrial area or even outside the city. Areas of 50 (70) square meters will be sufficient. Heating and well-established ventilation system – the necessary conditions(this is necessary for the concrete to dry well).
Now we’ll tell you how to make the most popular printed concrete, which is actively used to create beautiful and durable garden paths. It does not slip at all and can easily withstand changes from plus fifty to minus fifty, which is why it is loved by home owners and summer residents.
So, to do this garden path, we will stock up on high-quality concrete mixture (from cement grade no lower than M300). Plasticizer additives are required. We carry out work at plus five degrees and above.
- Pour in the mixture, compacting it with a vibrating screed and rolling it with a roller and smoothing it. Mixture composition:
- Then we remove the top layer of soil (from 15 to 20 cm), put formwork along the edges, pour a mixture of crushed stone and sand, tamp it, lay polyethylene, reinforce it with polypropylene fiber (600 g per square meter).
- First, let's make the markings by taking wooden pegs and stretching a rope between them.
- granite crushed stone fractions from 5 to 20 – 3 parts;
- Portland cement grade 400 – 1 part;
- river sand – 3 parts;
- plasticizer C3 in aqueous solution – 0.5 percent.
- Before the next stage - applying the decorative layer - it is necessary to coat it with a disconnector.
- Then apply a mixture of colored sealer (does not include adhesive filler, granite dust, quartz sand and color pigment). Press the stamps evenly onto the surface, moistening them with water.
Time from kneading concrete mixture before stamping 0 from 40 to 70 minutes. We do not hesitate, not allowing the concrete to set ahead of time. The optimal consistency is plasticine.
Remove the stamp from the dried products carefully using a special knocker. After two days, use a long-hair brush to remove the remaining disconnector, wash the surface, dry it, and cover it with acrylic-based impregnation. The stylish and durable path is ready.
The video below will tell you how to make decorative concrete with your own hands:
Artistic concrete is plastic, like clay or plasticine, so both specialists and DIYers show great interest in it for their works.
- Application. Main characteristics. Functions of the components of the concrete mixture.
- Why you can’t use a universal composition and what conditions affect its change.
- A few words from theory.
- Conclusion.
Artistic concrete also has a number of other synonymous names: architectural, sculptural, polymer, decorative, plastic and others.
Application, main characteristics and functions of the components of the concrete mixture
Due to its plasticity, artistic concrete has a very wide range of applications. It can be made into any size, and much more.
For clarity, to understand the principle of filling, here are a few examples with the grain sizes of these components.
The grain of ordinary cement has an average value of 40-80 microns, dolomite flour - 30 microns, marshalite - 50...100 microns, microtalc (MITAL) - 5...20 microns, microcalcite - 100 microns, ash - 12...25 microns, microtalc TRPN - up to 90 microns, microsilica – 2…10 microns.
Experts use formulas to determine optimal ratio between the components of the mixture. It is necessary to obtain a mass in which there will be minimal voids between the components of the mixture. In addition, one must take into account specific gravity components and their chemical activity. It’s good when they contain more SiO2.
A few more words about polymers. To increase the stickiness of the solution, as previously noted, various redispersible powders (RPPs) are used; cellulose ethers are used to retain water (if it is not possible to cover the concrete layer with plastic film). We have already briefly discussed the rest. There are many other components, but you can’t tell about everything at once in one article. That's all from theory for now. In the future, we will study it in more detail as we conduct practical classes at home and in the countryside.
We have already used some of the components listed above and presented them quantitative composition when making an angel for a fountain and a concrete vase.
Conclusion
This amazing plastic material – artistic concrete – has enormous possibilities with the correct preparation of recipes and its further use. Enthusiasts who want to master technologies without stupidly repeating known approaches, and have a desire to somehow modernize them, especially in their application, will undoubtedly succeed.