Currently, paving slabs are mainly produced by small private enterprises. Therefore, a homeowner who wants to improve his site using this material needs to know the criteria for its selection.
How to choose the right paving stones?
The first thing you need to ask the paving slab seller is how these products are made. There are two main methods: vibration casting and vibration pressing. The first is more preferable, since it does not involve continuous production, but is actually manual. Therefore, tiles made by vibration casting have a gloss and have no equal in the quality of the pattern. But the geometry of its forms is not ideal. If the aesthetic appeal of paving stones is of primary importance to the homeowner, it is recommended to choose these products.
The tile obtained as a result of vibration pressing is less beautiful in appearance than the previous one. But each product has clear shapes, is resistant to mechanical stress, and is highly durable. These paving stones can withstand heavy weight loads, so they can be laid in areas with heavy traffic. If cars, including trucks, often drive into the local area, it is better to buy paving stones made using this particular method.
When choosing paving slabs, you need to pay attention to their color. You should know that being too bright and saturated is not an advantage, but a disadvantage. He reports that the technology was violated during the production process: an excessive amount of pigment was added. Such paving stones will quickly crack and begin to crumble.
To make sure the quality of the paving slabs, you need to take two of them and knock them against each other. If the sound produced is dull, it means that the drying technology of the products was violated. If it is loud enough, the paving stones contain a minimum of water, therefore, they have the proper quality.
What else should you pay attention to when buying paving slabs?
If the paving stones have the correct shape and all products same size, it will be easier to install. If the edge of the tiles is carved, you need to make sure that there are no chips on the products. It is important to find out from the seller how many freeze-thaw cycles the selected paving stones can withstand. Quality product must be designed for at least 150 cycles.
If the adjacent area is planned to be used as a parking lot, you need to choose products with a thickness of at least 6 cm. If the vehicle is a truck - 7-8 cm. In other cases, it is enough to lay paving stones 2.5-4 cm thick in the courtyard of the house. If you lay the tiles on concrete base, it will last much longer.
Every homeowner with a private area adjacent to the house wants to equip it with a beautiful and easy-to-maintain coating. Paving slabs are ideal for arranging paths, blind areas and platforms. It has good technical qualities that provide long term service and beauty. Let's consider the options for choosing the right tiles for sidewalks.
Selection of quality material
The main parameter in choosing paving slabs is quality. This indicator is not assessed by appearance, shine and smoothness. To a greater extent, they influence the amount of added plasticizers and water. In addition, the high moisture content in the solution does not give the tiles proper strength. To check the quality of vibrocast tiles, you should hit the products against each other. If you hear a ringing knock, it means it is a high-quality and durable material that can withstand high operating loads. If the sound is dull and indicates poor quality, such tiles are not worth buying. This material is weak to wear and sub-zero temperatures. After several seasons, the product may become unusable and installation will have to be done again.
To obtain a truly durable material, you should adhere to manufacturing technology. Many little-known manufacturers do not comply with this, citing low cost; the quality will accordingly be similar. Raw materials must meet the proper production requirements, only premium grades will ensure proper quality. 
Good paving slabs are not cheap. This justifies adherence to technology, which will ensure wear resistance and long service life.
By the way, price is not always the main indicator; simply too low a cost gives reason to doubt the quality of the coating.
It is also worth paying attention to the color saturation; if the tile is overly bright, then there is a chance of falling for a fake. In the production of high-quality material, expensive pigments are used, which give the product a balanced color without much saturation.
Most unscrupulous manufacturers try to attract the attention of consumers with beauty, not quality. They replace dyes with cheap analogues, which saves money. This leads to rapid fading and washing out, resulting in the formation of pores that destroy the structure of the product. If moisture penetrates into the structure of the material, then during frost and thawing it will cause the destruction of the paving slabs.
When purchasing a material, you should research it carefully. Inspect all sides of the tile; in some cases, stains may be found on the back side yellow, this indicates violations and non-compliance with production technology. 
The use of clay sand leads to rapid wear and short service life of the product.
By following these tips, you can determine the quality of paving slabs by eye. If you approach the issue with particular seriousness, then you can eliminate the purchase of tiles with weak strength. High-quality tiles will last for many years and will withstand heavy loads. It’s better to pay for quality once than to re-install it a few years later.
selection of paving slabs photo of paving slabs landscape
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Currently, the building materials market offers a wide range floor coverings for finishing. But linoleum is still not inferior to all competitors and holds high positions. It is actively used by most consumers. Sometimes a situation occurs when a fallen object breaks not only itself, but also ceramic tiles. Probably similar situations have happened to many who read this article. Grouting the joints of porcelain stoneware tiles and other types of materials is done as a last resort, when all installation work has been completed and the base has firmly set. Filling the tile joints with grout gives the surface a final, finished look. In modern construction one cannot do without a monolith. New materials and improved technologies only make concrete better. Special additives affect not only technical specifications concrete, but also on a number of other important factors. Porcelain stoneware is considered a solid and durable building material. It has great abrasive resistance. You need to choose the right porcelain tiles, quality material able to serve for many years. The construction market offers a large selection of good tiles from the most famous manufacturers.
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verdos.ru
How to choose paving slabs for the yard, characteristics and production technology
When constructing a private or country house sooner or later the question arises of how to choose coverage on the territory. You can concrete the paths or lay asphalt, but the best option would be to use paving stones or paving slabs. Although this option is not cheap.
Arrangement of the courtyard area of a country house with paving stones To add sophistication house area when designing sidewalks and paths, it is better to use porcelain stoneware or stone cladding natural origin. To create an antique and antique design, look to cast wild or natural products for paths.
In this article we will look at which paving slabs are better and how to determine their quality.
Production and quality characteristics of tiles
To create paving slabs, various raw materials are used: concrete, stone, wood and rubber.
Important! Popular are tiles made from stone of natural origin and clay, which can be fired at high temperatures. temperature indicators.
Clay tiles for arranging sidewalks near a country house Considering cost, practicality and durability, many people prefer products based on concrete mortar. This is some kind of golden mean"for the budget builder, "cheap and cheerful." Due to its low cost, such a product can be subject to significant mechanical loads.
Concrete slabs for lining sidewalk paths To decide how to choose paving slabs, it is recommended to pay attention to the purpose of the surface. For a parking space near a country house, pay attention to products that are abrasion-resistant and resistant to heavy loads. IN in this case A good option would be paving stones created by pressing. Such tiles are made from cement and crushed granite with the addition of plasticizer and pigments.
This technological process makes it possible to produce tiles various shapes and sizes. The advantage of the technology is the accuracy of the geometry of individual fragments. And this makes it possible to build a coating of special density and hardness. The result is a monolithic surface.
If you plan to create small garden paths, pay attention to vibration casting technology. In this case, there is no need for special depreciation and precision of geometric shapes. Why pay more? And the picture will turn out interesting. Since this manufacturing method involves a wide range of colors, including the application of ornaments and designs to the coating.
Arrangement of garden paths from paving stones Marking and classification of paving slabs and paving stones
The shape and dimensions of paving products can be identified by markings.
Types of tiles by shape:
- K - products in the shape of a square;
High quality paving slabs square shape - P - rectangular shape tiles;
Rectangle shaped patio tiles - Ш - hexagon - paving stones;
Decorating the sidewalk for a home with hexagonal paving stones - D - used in conjunction with hexagonal border products;
- F - figured products;
Figured tiles for a private home - EDD - decorative elements for roads.
EDD tiles for roads Now you can try to decipher the abbreviation, for example: the packaging says 3K-6. This means that the fragment is square in shape of the third standard size with a unit thickness of 6 mm.
What documents do you require from the seller when purchasing paving products?
When choosing products, you should ask the seller for quality certificates for tiles for sidewalks and paths.
The certificate of conformity will guarantee that the production process complied with current standards.
Certificate of conformity for paving slabs Important! The Certificate of Conformity is not all you need to look at. It is necessary to request a test report on the building material. This document regulates technical parameters, for example: frost resistance, strength, etc.
Characteristics of paving slabs
You should not buy expensive porcelain stoneware paving stones for roads when making garden paths. You can buy something simpler.
Decorative paths made of rubber paving stones near the house Wipe resistance
The durability and safety of paths during operation completely depends on the durability of paving stones. And the higher the indicator, the more reliable the building material is to mechanical loads.
If we talk about concrete tiles, then the durability corresponds to the brand of concrete from which it was made.
Porcelain stoneware paving stones in the local area The best characteristics Products made of porcelain stoneware and stone of natural origin are susceptible to abrasion. Polymer concrete and clinker products are slightly inferior. Then how does he close the top three? concrete tiles, created by vibrocompression. Moreover, its composition should include crushed stone from granite or marble.
Frost resistance
Frost resistance corresponds to the characteristics of the product to lower temperatures and freeze-thaw cycles. Since this type of coverage is outdoors, the indicator is important. Especially for areas where frosty winters are observed. For example: concrete grade F-300 can withstand temperatures up to 45 degrees Celsius below zero. Whereas the F-100 will not withstand minus five degrees.
Resistance of paving tiles to harsh winters Dimensions and shape
Resistance to mechanical loads depends on the thickness of the paving stones. Practice shows that products with a thickness of 30-40 mm are suitable for arranging garden paths. Whereas a tile thickness of 40-70 mm will ensure the movement of automobile passenger transport. In this case, the coating will remain intact and retain its original appearance.
Important! The relationship between the thickness and dimensions of the tile fragments and the need to prepare the base for laying can be traced. It is best to make the base perfect. But if this is not possible, give preference to products small sizes. If the tiles are large and thick, the surface for laying should be smooth and free of defects. Otherwise, the building material will sag or, conversely, a certain edge will rise above the tiled surface. In any case, the coating will be of poor quality and unsightly.
Arrangement of a sidewalk made of small paving stones The complexity of installation and the solidity of the coating depend on the shape of the paving stones.
Price range
Research has shown that pricing policy affects half the purchase of this or that material for the local area.
Tiles from natural stone for centuries If you choose budget products, then in five years you will need to reconstruct the paths. Whereas products made from natural stone and porcelain stoneware will last for your descendants. But the cost of such a product is significant. And not everyone can afford such pleasure.
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laminatepol.ru
How to choose paving slabs for the local area - Encyclopedia of Construction and Repair
IN recent years paving slabs are actively used in the improvement of not only squares and neighborhoods, but also private houses. It is used to lay out greenhouses, terraces, garden paths, courtyards, and recreation areas. Thanks to the wide variety of shapes, sizes and colors, tiles can be used to realize the most daring design ideas. In addition, it is easy to install and maintain, reliable, and can withstand temperature changes and high humidity.
Use paving slabs from various materials. The most affordable is concrete. She is also the most in demand. Polymer sand is more expensive, and at the top of the price iceberg is clinker.
Concrete paving slabs are produced in industrial quantities by large factories with production capacities and lines that differ from each other. There are enterprises that use the most modern imported technologies and materials, the whole process is automated and computerized. Nevertheless, the level of production equipment does not seriously affect the price level. For example, the gray vibro-pressed paving “Brick” (60x200x100 mm), which is very popular among the population, costs from 290 to 350 rubles / sq. m. m. More complex shapes such as "Coil", "Wave" or " Old town", do not affect the price, which cannot be said about color. Gray tiles have a natural color, while special pigments are used for red, black or yellow ones. But the color and shape of concrete tiles do not in any way affect its durability, which, first of all, should worry the consumer.
When choosing concrete tiles, first of all you need to pay attention to the brand of the product. Regardless of the area in which the tiles will be laid, in our weather conditions I advise you to take them with a grade of at least 400. When the concrete grade is high, you don’t need to worry about frost resistance and water absorption. If installed correctly, these tiles will last for decades. The higher the brand, the more expensive the product, but you shouldn’t skimp here. Second important point Something worth paying attention to is the thickness of the tiles. If this is a path for pedestrians, then you can take a tile 6 cm thick, if the parking area for cars is 6-8 cm, but if heavy trucks drive along it, then 8-10 cm. This will cause the price of the product to rise, because it will take more to manufacture raw materials. So, a “Brick” tile 6 cm thick will cost 300 rubles, 8 cm thick - 400 rubles, 10 cm - 500-550 rubles. Otherwise, the tiles will quickly become unusable.
Often sellers do not tell buyers about such nuances, do not show them certificates for products, and the most favorable price offer for the lowest grade of concrete.
Another important indicator on which the service life of paving slabs depends is frost resistance. In our weather conditions, frost resistance should be at least F 150.
This is a guarantee that the tiles will not begin to burst during the thaw after cold winter. An ideal concrete tile should have a frost resistance of F 150 and a grade of M 400. It will not be cheap. However, in our region they mainly produce tiles with grade 300. If the frost resistance index is high, then it will last a long time.
The most expensive penny is paving clinker. Taking into account his quality characteristics There is simply nothing better for paving a local area, say professionals. Clinker paving bricks, and these tiles only have this classic shape, cost from 1,500 rubles/sq. m. Some may think that clinker is not economically feasible and that it would be more profitable to replace it with a cheaper material, for example, concrete. Of course, the cost of this product is much higher than many analogues, but its service life is several times higher than that of concrete. And this means saving on material, dismantling old tiles and laying new tiles. And, of course, this is time-tested quality and environmental friendliness.
There are paving clinkers different shades and colors - red, yellow, brown, black. But these are all natural colors that are obtained by high-temperature firing of clay. There are no pigments here. The strength of paving clinker is achieved during the baking process of clay - its molecules bind together so tightly that it becomes like stone.
When laying tiles, all the work will go down the drain if it is done poorly. The tile may burst if a cavity has formed under it due to poor compaction of the sand. That's why it's so important to follow technology.
To begin with, the specialists will ask the customer to decide for what purposes the territory will be used. Will there be traffic on it or will it be a pedestrian area where heavy weight loads are not expected. Not only the choice of tiles, but also the parameters of the side stone for creating borders and curbs depend on this. Once all the materials are in place, workers will determine the area to be paved and choose the direction of the slope to avoid puddles. The next stage is preparing the soil for further work or dismantling old road surfaces. At the same time, old asphalt or tiles are removed. Why is the plant part of the soil removed and a cushion for paving slabs is created? The site is covered with sand and crushed stone and compacted thoroughly. If necessary, reinforcement with road mesh is carried out, and only after that the installation of paving slabs, curbs, and gutters begins.
As for the cost of installation, it is calculated individually and depends on the type of soil, whether the old coating needs to be dismantled, whether land reclamation is required, what the terrain is like, where the object is located and what the weather conditions are, as well as the urgency of the work. Laying paving slabs will cost from 300 rubles/sq.m. m. installation of 1 line m of border - from 200 rub. and 1 linear meter of curb - from 150 rubles.
stroymanual.com
Types of paving slabs and paving stones: photos, names and shapes
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Since time immemorial, paving of roads, squares, sidewalks, streets and private properties with small-sized elements has been carried out on all continents except Antarctica. In ancient times, granite paving stones, basalt, marble, and sandstone were mainly used.
IN ancient Rome and Greece, Byzantium and China, Egypt and South America small and large spaces, on which paving stones have been serving for thousands of years.
Nowadays, thanks to the emergence of new technologies in construction, a modern developer has almost unlimited possibilities in beautifying the territory, giving an avant-garde, modern or, conversely, a classic look to private houses, dachas, parks, summer areas of restaurants and cafes, sidewalks, using all the available diversity shapes, colors and textures.
In our article we will look at the types of paving slabs and paving stones for various areas, their names, shapes and sizes, and also present photos of the main types of coatings.
Advantages
All materials used for paving areas can be divided into two main groups - artificial coatings and coatings made from natural materials.
When making a decision in favor of one of these categories, the following factors should be taken into account: the purpose of the coating, intensity of use, weather and climatic operating conditions, cultural and aesthetic requirements and, as an important factor, financial capabilities.
All FEM (shaped paving elements) have common advantages:
- strength;
- ease of installation - no need to use heavy construction equipment;
- ease of storage, transportation and unloading;
- environmental friendliness;
- maintainability - if necessary, installation or repair underground communications can be easily dismantled and reassembled; replacement of individual elements is carried out quickly and without special costs;
- water does not stagnate on the surface, since the tile joints allow it to quickly seep into the underlying layers.
Each type of coating has its own unique advantages and disadvantages.
Varieties
Let's take a closer look at the classification:
- Artificial surfaces:
- paving slabs made of concrete (vibro-cast and vibro-pressed);
- polymer-sand paving slabs;
- tiles made using Granilit technology;
- coatings based on rubber and rubber crumbs.
- Coatings for roads and sidewalks made from natural materials:
- granite paving stones;
- flat sandstone (“wild stone”) and products made from it;
- filling with crushed stone, gravel, pebbles.
Manufacturing from concrete
The secret of the popularity of concrete paving slabs lies not only in the attractive appearance that city streets and private households paved with this type of product acquire. The undoubted advantages of this type of coating include high performance characteristics and relative low cost. For example, strength, low abrasion, frost resistance and resistance to many chemicals provide multi-year term service of such paving even in modern conditions large city. And the ease of installation and environmental friendliness make paving slabs the optimal way to improve the territory.
Concrete paving slabs are made using two technologies - vibration casting and vibration pressing. Both of these technologies equally have the right to life. Thanks to the dense placement of the concrete mixture using mechanical impact(vibration or vibrocompression) and low water content in the initial composition of concrete, a modern, strong and reliable coating is produced.
According to vibration casting technology, a liquid solution is poured into plastic or rubber molds and vibrated on vibrating tables for several minutes, then the molds are dried for at least 24 hours (depending on the ambient temperature), after which the FEMs are removed from the molds. The pattern that was on the tile is copied onto the outer surface of the tile. inside forms. Such products are lighter and smoother, have great variety configurations.
Vibration-pressed tiles are stamped by machine in steel molds under high pressure with vibration. The surface of vibro-pressed tiles is smooth and, as a rule, rough, the color is darker than that of vibro-cast paving slabs, the number of standard sizes is small.
Vibro-cast and vibro-pressed tiles differ in appearance, but they are the same in quality, since regulatory documentation(GOST) to this species products are subject to the same technical requirements and general instructions for use are given.
The standard applies to concrete paving slabs made from heavy and fine-grained (sand) concrete in accordance with GOST 26633 and intended for the construction of prefabricated pavements, pedestrian and garden paths, pedestrian squares and public transport landing areas.
One of the disadvantages of concrete paving slabs is that cement dust is formed during operation. In addition, its surface is porous, so during prolonged use various contaminants can become embedded in the paving slabs.
In order to enjoy the beauty of a path or area for a long time, it is worth remembering that it is necessary to carefully care for it and, if possible, remove debris, stains, dirt and weed out sprouted plants in a timely manner.
Polymer-sand products
Polymer-sand paving slabs are made from the following raw materials: medium-grain sand, polyethylene-based polymers, special additives and dyes (dry pigments) are used as a base. All components are thoroughly mixed and heated to more than 250°C.
The method of manufacturing polymer-sand paving slabs is vibrocompression. For its production, both low-capacity manual machines and modern automated lines are used. Use of equipment that provides high blood pressure during the pressing process, it allows you to obtain products of strict geometric shapes with the absence of pores and with clear design lines. In many respects, such paving slabs significantly exceed those of concrete.
The resulting polymer-sand paving slabs are characterized by high density, uniformity, strength and bright color. There are no external or internal voids or cracks throughout the entire massif; water is practically not absorbed (water absorption is only 0.03%).
The disadvantage may be the price, which is 10-20% higher than that of concrete FEM. Also, the manufacturer must strictly adhere to all requirements during production: raw materials must only be high quality(use of secondary polymers no more than 20% is allowed, do not mix various types polymers, sand must be sifted, washed and dried in special ovens), otherwise the service life of such polymer-sand paving slabs will be very short.
Granilit technology
“Granilite” is a unique technology based on the vibration casting method.
Concrete products made using Granilit technology have increased tensile strength in bending, wear and frost resistance (more than 500 cycles). Wide Application Such products are explained by the fact that it is possible to produce figured paving elements (FEMs) of various shapes. Good aesthetic properties allow it to be used as decorative elements in the design of territories of private residences and public buildings, on sites, in gazebos, and public transport stops.
Regardless of the size of the cast elements, you can obtain color scheme of varying complexity, imitating the surface of any artificial or natural material, including complex patterns of natural stone.
The essence of this technology is that air from a concrete mixture prepared according to a special recipe using special additives and pigments begins to be removed in a special concrete mixer, and the prepared composition ends up on the vibrating table in an already solid, compacted state, as free as possible from air. A vibrating table is only necessary to evenly distribute the mixture among the molds and to further compact the resulting product.
Coatings based on rubber and rubber crumbs
Safety coatings made on the basis of rubber (black) or rubber (colored) crumbs are intended for equipment for children's and sports grounds, areas adjacent to swimming pools, recreation areas.
The coating has a thickness of 10 to 20 mm, can be one- or two-layer (to increase strength and adhesion, quartz sand is sometimes added to the top layer). In unguarded areas, the coating is made in a vandal-proof version, but if necessary, repairs can be carried out in a short time at low cost.
This coating does not require specialized care - rain washes away dirt and, due to porosity, water goes into the ground in a short time. To clean this coating, simply sweep away debris and rinse with water from a hose. Coating based crumb rubber does not accumulate dirt, is very durable and wear-resistant. Can be stacked on difficult terrain, comes in different colors even within the same site. There are coatings that allow you to build a skating rink on top in winter.
All work on installation of FEM must be carried out under strict quality control.
When constructing a coating, very high demands are placed on the base. The surface should not have unevenness exceeding 25% of the coating thickness, and cannot be subject to deformation from precipitation or ambient temperature, otherwise rupture may occur. To drain water, it is necessary to make a “slope” from the center of the site to the edges or to places where rainwater is received.
Kitchen floor tiles or laminate, which is better?
Recently, more and more attention has been paid to improving the area adjacent to the house, be it a dacha or a cottage. Moreover, preference is given to the arrangement of paths. And this is not surprising, because with the help of paths you can divide the entire site into certain zones intended for growing flowers, beds, building a pool, and a gazebo.
As a modern material focused on the construction of paths, paving slabs are most widely used, which have many advantages relative to asphalt or concrete covering. However, the service life of tiles directly depends on a competent approach to product selection and installation.
Advantages and disadvantages of paving slabs
- A wide range of colors and a variety of geometric sizes allow you to create original designs during the installation process;
- Installation is carried out in such a way that the seams between the tiles form their own drainage system, ensuring the absence of puddles on the paths;
- The tiles are made from environmentally friendly pure materials, therefore in hot weather there is no release of harmful substances into the atmosphere;
- Manual laying eliminates the need for special equipment, so installing paving slabs for a summer residence is inexpensive;
- Damage to one tile during operation does not require replacement of the entire road surface, but only the element requiring replacement;
- Durability (25-30 years);
- Relatively high cost.
However, the cost of the tile depends on the upcoming load on the path, the brightness of the color, and the relief of the tile, so choosing an option suitable for certain conditions of use will not be difficult.
How to choose the right paving slabs?
Of course, cost is of paramount importance, since cheap tiles are unlikely to last more than 1-2 years. In addition, high-quality paving slabs for a summer residence must meet the following criteria:
- The shape of the tile must have the correct geometric proportions.
- The coloring should affect not only the top layer of the front tile, but also the entire thickness of the tile without any inclusions.
- Uniform structure - no air pockets or cracks.
- When hitting each other, the tiles should produce a ringing sound, indicating compliance with the technological process.
When choosing a tile, you should also pay attention to its dimensions:
- Tiles of small shapes, but with a thickness of over 6 cm, ideally withstand high loads, therefore they are most suitable for arranging automobile and garage areas;
- Tiles up to 6 cm are used for pedestrian paths not intended for vehicle access.
And, lastly, it is necessary to purchase paving slabs with a 5% reserve for unforeseen circumstances.
Types of paving slabs, their advantages
Innovative technologies do not stand still, so every year the variety of tiles is expanding, differing in the composition of the components used, production method, various geometric dimensions, scope, and, of course, cost. Today, the most popular types of paving slabs for summer cottages include:
1. Cement-sand tiles produced in 2 ways:
Vibrocompression of semi-dry mixtures occurs in an automated way. Tile thickness from 6 cm.
Pros and cons:
- Dimensional accuracy of all tiles;
- High strength of the product;
- Frost resistance;
- Low water absorption;
- Excellent wear resistance;
- Chemical resistance;
- Long service life;
- Limited color spectrum (gray, red);
- Rough flat surface without any ornament;
- High cost.
Vibration casting is carried out almost manually. The thickness of the produced tiles is 3-6 cm.
Pros and cons:
- Smooth surface;
- Availability of various ornaments;
- Wide range of colors;
- Possibility of violation of geometric parameters;
- Low frost resistance;
- Fragility;
- Low strength;
- The price is slightly lower than vibro-pressed tiles.
2. Clinker tiles obtained by firing special types of clay at high temperatures. The thickness of the tiles varies between 1-2.5 cm
Pros and cons:
- Frost resistance;
- High mechanical strength;
- Uniformity of structure and color;
- Excellent wear resistance;
- Long-term preservation of the original color;
- Wide color range;
- Resistance to chemical elements;
- Durability;
- The cost is several times higher than the price of cement-sand tiles.
3. Rubber tiles- a combination of rubber mass, EPDM filler and polyurethane.
Pros and cons:
- Various color solutions;
- Excellent noise insulation characteristics;
- Frost resistance;
- Low cost;
- Violation of the integrity of the tile when exposed to sharp objects.
4. Polymer-sand (plastic) tiles are made by melting sand, polymers, and dyes at temperatures above 250°C, and then pressing.
Pros and cons:
- Plastic;
- High density;
- Uniformity of structure, color;
- Resistance to mechanical and chemical influences;
- Decorative;
- High frost resistance;
- Impact resistance;
- Increased UV resistance.
- Durability;
- Average price range relative to other types of paving slabs.
5. Granite - tiles made of natural stone.
Pros and cons:
- Durability;
- Wear resistance;
- Frost resistance;
- Impact resistance;
- High cost, significantly higher than the cost of cement-sand and clinker tiles.
Thus, vibro-pressed, clinker, plastic, granite tiles are ideal for paving paths and areas designed to withstand high loads.
Make the path attractive appearance It’s quite possible using vibro-cast or polymer-sand paving slabs.
Rubber tiles are ideal for arranging the space near the pool, or the area in front of the entrance to the house.
Based on the above, the most acceptable option, both in terms of cost and quality characteristics, for landscaping any part of the local area is plastic paving slabs for a summer residence.
Tools required for installing tiles
The following set will be useful:
- manual rammer;
- curb stone;
- cement-sand mixture;
- crushed stone;
- dry plaster;
- geotextiles;
- sand;
- channel;
- broom;
- rake;
- watering can with diffuser;
- rubber hammer;
- trowel;
- building level;
- cord;
- paving slabs.
Preparatory work before laying tiles
The quality of the installation depends on the correctness of the preliminary work, so you should approach this stage responsibly. Necessary: 
At this stage preliminary work for laying paving slabs + at the dacha are running out.
Laying tiles
Guided by this small instructions, laying paving slabs in a dacha is not difficult even for an untrained person. Of course, special attention should be paid to the choice required tiles and the quality of the preparatory work, since they have a greater influence on the finished appearance of the laid paving slabs with your own hands.
Extremely simple technology laying paving slabs in the courtyard of a private house allows the work to be completed by an individual developer without the involvement of specialists. It is enough to organize the slopes of the pavement, install a storm drain, choose a rational layout scheme and the material to be used for paving, depending on the operational loads.
Before you start decorating your yard with FEM shaped paving elements, you need to learn how to properly plan the topography of the site and reduce the budget for landscaping the area. FEM are budget option finishes compared to asphalt concrete pavement, allow you to level out unevenness by terracing and making slopes of 4 - 7 degrees, necessary for gravity removal of rain and melt runoff.
To lay paving slabs evenly and ensure maximum coverage life, the following operating nuances should be taken into account:
Important! Storm drainage (point or linear) is necessary in any case, since FEMs are made of concrete, rubber or polymer concrete, and all these materials retain moisture on the surface.
Paving the yard with paving slabs
Laying tiles in the yard should take into account the technology features:
Advice! It is better to calculate the number of paving slabs after marking the yard, taking into account the layout scheme, the presence of curved sections and retaining walls for terracing the area.
Yard marking
At this stage it is necessary to beat off a single horizontal level yard, create slopes and outline the paving area with cords. To lay paving slabs on loose mixtures, you need a rigid base, preferably from soils with a minimum clay content. In practice, the developer faces the following problems:
The latter option automatically adds steps to transition between terraces. It is better to make them from FEM elements in order to maintain the unity of the landscape design style.
Therefore, marking the yard is necessary to outline the paving area, from the surface of which the fertile layer will be removed and replaced with non-metallic material. To do this, pegs or cast-offs are used, the cord is pulled along the outer edge of the curbs or storm drain trays.
Base requirements
If there is clay in the soil, it will swell in winter and destroy the coating. On a fresh embankment, on the contrary, the soil will subside over time. Therefore, in the first case, part of the soil (upper 40 cm) is replaced inert material, in which there is no clay and swelling is minimized.
In the second option, the black soil is also removed, but to a depth of 0.6 m, a 15-20 cm layer of crushed stone is poured and a 10 cm footing is cast over the entire yard surface. Figured paving elements are laid on a layer of sand with a minimum thickness of 15 cm or paving (1/6 cement, sand, respectively) with a thickness of 10 cm minimum. All layers in mandatory compacted with a vibrating plate.
Preparing the mixture
The road surface can be laid on a mortar, a dry mixture, or clean sand. The first option is expensive, the coating has zero repairability and is extremely sensitive to movements of the base. Gartsovka does not provide any special advantages in comparison with pure sand, since for normal formation cement stone What is needed is at least a minimum water-cement ratio, and not moisture accidentally penetrating into the lower level.
Preparation of prancing from cement and sand.
Curbs and storm drains
The resource and quality of paving directly depend on the technology for installing storm drains and garden borders. These elements are higher than paving slabs; for them, trenches will have to be deepened along the perimeter of the paving area. When laying them on the base, you should follow the following technology:
The laid curb is covered from the outside with soil, from the inside with non-metallic material (sand or crushed stone) at the same level with the surface of the underlying layer. Storm drainage trays and storm water inlets are installed at the lowest points of the paving area. To reduce the landscaping budget, storm drainage trays can replace curbs on one side of the yard.
Laying solid tiles
The paving stones are laid on the manufactured base using the following technology:
Rice. 8 Alignment of the prancing rule
- paving - according to the selected pattern and layout of the shaped paving elements, paving slabs are mounted on leveled bulk material close to each other.
The rule is made from flat, dry edged boards, in the lower part on both sides of which rectangular cuts are created with a hacksaw. Unlike tiles laid with glue, paving stones can be walked on immediately, so the work more convenient weight in front of you. This makes it possible to level the entire paving surface along the beacons and lay the FEM elements in one go, which dramatically increases productivity.
Tool-free laying of paving stones on leveled and compacted sand
Advice! At quality leveling along the beacons of prancing or sand, the paving slabs do not even need to be upset with a rubber mallet. After filling the seams, the entire surface of the FEM is leveled and compacted with a vibrating plate, eliminating home handyman from manual labor.
Trimming and filling seams
It is possible to avoid cutting figured paving elements only in areas of correct geometric shape, and even then, not for all FEM collections. Trimming of paving slabs is necessary at junction points:
- at curbs, foundations, plinths;
- near storm drains and at intersections;
- on radial, winding sections.
FEM cutting is carried out diamond blade or using an angle grinder for stone. Unlike some curbs, paving slabs do not have reinforcement and are quite easy to cut.
For some modifications of FEM, manufacturers produce halves, which allows you to do without trimming.
On last stage laid facing material must be additionally protected from displacement during operation. To do this, the seams should be filled with quartz or washed quarry sand. Particles of these materials have a torn edge, so they self-weed inside the seams under their own weight, are not washed out by rain and are not blown away by the wind.
Backfilling of joints with FEM.
Sand is poured in heaps over the paving area before compacting the lining with a vibrating plate, and swept with a brush over the entire surface of the yard. The bulk material penetrates the seams on its own; after treating the surface with a vibrating plate, the remaining bulk material is swept away.
Interface with blind area
If you plan to pave the entire courtyard area with paving slabs, then the blind area is also decorated with this material by default. Therefore, it is necessary to take into account the nuances:
- the width of the blind area should be 15–20 cm greater than the projection of the roof onto the ground;
- the slope of the blind area should be from the walls outwards within 4 - 7 degrees;
- the topography of the courtyard area, in turn, may have a slope towards the cottage.
Therefore, a linear storm drain from surface trays should be installed along the perimeter of the blind area. Or, ensure the drainage of runoff from the waterproof surface of the concrete pavement into point storm water inlets installed at the lowest points of the yard, and arrange the slopes of the paving stones in their direction.
Interface unit for the blind area and paving of the yard with storm drainage elements.
Important! At the stage of manufacturing the underlying layer, drainage pipes are laid from storm water inlets towards the underground reservoir to receive and accumulate wastewater.
Thus, paving the yard with paving slabs on our own does not pose any difficulties for an individual developer, even on uneven terrain. It is necessary to take into account the composition of the soil and its bearing capacity depending on the operational loads on this decorative coating.
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It is especially important for owners of private houses to know the basic characteristics of such a covering as paving slabs, how to choose it and in what ways it can be laid. After all, this coating will constantly be subject to heavy loads, since garden furniture and tubs with plants are placed on the areas near the house, cars can be parked here, building materials. The surface of garden paths becomes very hot from the sun in the summer, is flooded with rain in the fall, and freezes and thaws again in the winter. Therefore, the material for paths and platforms must withstand any adverse impacts and the most intense use. How to choose paving slabs so that they meet such high requirements?
Production method, source material and quality characteristics
Paving slabs can be made from various materials. For example, wood and rubber coatings have appeared on the market relatively recently. However, for now such varieties remain exotic. Coatings made of baked clay and natural stone have become widespread. But concrete tiles are considered the most affordable, durable and practical. This is a classic option, the main advantages of which are considered to be relatively low production costs and the ability to withstand heavy loads.
In order to choose the right coating, you need to consider its purpose. For example, if you want to buy quality tiles For paving a parking space or laying a driveway, you need a more durable coating. It is better to purchase tiles produced by vibration pressing. This coating is made from cement and crushed granite, adding plasticizers and pigments to the initial mass.
Using this technology, paving slabs are produced different sizes. However, for a parking space or driveway, you should choose small tiles, since large specimens can crack faster under such loads. The advantage of this technology is the precise geometry of the individual elements, which allows for the formation of a more durable hard coating during installation.
But for small garden paths it is better to choose tiles made by vibration casting. This technology does not imply high degree automation, therefore, from the point of view of geometry accuracy, tiles are inferior to vibrocompression. It looks more impressive because this method allows for a greater variety of shades. In addition, with vibratory casting it is possible to apply patterns to the surface of the tile.
Choice of design and size
Both methods of tile production (vibratory casting and vibration pressing) allow you to obtain a variety of shapes.
Manufacturers' catalogs present classic paving stones, hexagons, and more interesting varieties, conventionally called “racket”, “coil” or “wave”.
The choice of paving slabs depends on what installation method you are going to use.
Paving stones, which are an ordinary rectangle, are considered the most universal option. After all, when laying it can be used in various combinations. The most simple options are "columns" and imitation brickwork, but patterns with a pairwise arrangement can be used: “herringbone”, “checkerboard”, “ladder”, etc. These schemes look more interesting, but require a more careful approach.
Choosing tiles more complex shape, be prepared for the fact that to install it you will need at least the simplest design project so that the coating looks harmonious.
In catalogs you can find tiles of different colors. Although only natural raw materials are used to produce this material, they still add coloring pigments to make the shades softer. If you used to make the coating white cement, then you can get more bright colors, for example green or yellow.
But they don’t always look good on garden paths. It is worth choosing tiles of such tones only when the area of the site is large enough.
Which tile to choose: small or large? In addition to the nuances described above, it should be noted that the size also depends on the overall design of your site. There is another important point: the smaller individual elements, the more seams are made between them. This means that they better distribute the loads that occur during intensive use, which is important for a parking space, but for straight garden paths it is practically irrelevant, since they can be paved with elements of any shape and size.
For terraces with irregular geometric shapes or arched paths, it is better to choose small paving stones, since this material allows you to create curves of any radius. There are, however, certain types of tiles that are designed specifically for circular shapes, but they are expensive.
Some nuances of quality
A beautiful design does not mean that these paving slabs have high performance characteristics, so it is safest to choose products that have been certified. This means that its quality is confirmed by relevant certificates. Products from small enterprises do not always have such documents, although they are cheaper. If you want to find high-quality tiles, you should choose them according to the main criteria: frost resistance (this means that the product tolerates not only freezing, but also thawing), strength, moisture capacity, and concrete density. All this data must be reflected in the documentation.
However, some indicators can be assessed independently. How to do it right? For example, if you want to know how strong a paving slab is, you can try breaking off a piece of a sample using special tool. Note the break. Durable tiles made from quality concrete high density and with low moisture holding capacity, it will look smooth when broken. If the fracture is uneven, with protruding grains, this indicates that the product is made from a mixture with a heterogeneous structure and low density, and high moisture capacity. Over time, these pavers may crack. The fracture must be painted evenly - this is important, and on the surface of the product itself there should be no chips, no bubbles, or any irregularities.
It is important to pay attention to the color of the tiles.
It will not be possible to see all the elements of the party. But even the samples should not have pronounced dark or light stripes. Such bands usually indicate that the original components were poorly mixed. But it should be remembered that sometimes a light limescale deposit appears on the paving stones.
Unlike stripes, it is considered normal. Plaque is the result of natural chemical processes that occur during the hardening of the mixture, and it does not affect the quality of the product. This plaque can be easily cleaned by special means, which are sold in stores selling home and garden products. A slight difference in shades of different tile elements should also not confuse buyers. This difference arises due to the fact that natural components with different characteristics are used in the manufacture of the mixture.
Too much bright shade tiles may indicate that an excessive amount of pigment was added to it. This reduces the strength of the product.
There are a few more important nuances. So, if you hear a ringing sound when two elements hit each other, this means that the tiles have dried and you can start laying them.
