Proportions for the preparation of concrete at home. How to prepare a concrete mortar for a foundation How to mix a concrete mortar for a foundation

The need for proportion

It is in the process of preparing the solution that a huge number of errors are made. Moreover, they are most often associated not with incorrect preparation of the mortar, but with non-compliance with the necessary proportions of sand and cement, which is precisely what leads to a result that the master did not expect to see. It is worth remembering that the quality of the final coating depends on the ratio of ingredients.

The composition of the mortar for screed

If you decide to prepare a solution for floor screed, its proportions must be studied in advance. The mixture consists of sand, fiber, plasticizer, and cement. The first ingredient must be sieved before use, which allows you to remove debris, foreign elements, small stones. Among other things, only dry aggregate should be used. Most often, the M400 is used for work. The plasticizer is used, as a rule, by professionals. However, home craftsmen should also pay attention to this component, which can improve quality characteristics monolith. When you are preparing for a floor screed, the proportions of the composition must be observed, as this is an important component. Quite often, fiber is also added. It represents If you plan to make repairs some time later, it is recommended to abandon the advance purchase of cement. This is due to the fact that during storage it loses its qualities. That is why experts advise using only cement that has been stored correctly and was made recently.

Solution proportions

If you want to make a floor screed mortar, the proportions must be studied in advance. It is from them, as well as from the brand of cement, that the final one will depend. Thus, in order to get it, you need to add one part of M600 cement, as well as 3 parts of sand.

For mortar M200, it is necessary to use one part of M600 cement and 4 parts of sand. M300 is obtained by adding one part of M500 cement and 2 parts of sand. It should be noted that to obtain all subsequent grades of concrete, 1 part of cement of different grades is used. For M150, you should also use 3 parts of sand. Before making a floor screed mortar, the proportions must be considered by the master. It should be remembered that it is impossible to fill the floor with a solution that has a brand below M50. Most often, the M200 is used to carry out such work.

Mixing Features

If you decide to prepare a solution for floor screed, you can find out the proportions by reading this article. However, it is also important to know how the ingredients are mixed. It should be noted that dry and liquid components should be mixed in different containers. Initially, it is necessary to combine all dry components, including fiber, cement and sand. Use a mortar of cement grade M 400, mixing it with sand, while using a ratio of 1 to 3. Thus, 16.7 kg of cement will be needed for 50 kilograms of sand. Dry elements must be mixed for 5 minutes. Next, you should move on to another container in which a plasticizer and water are added. Approximately 190 grams of plasticizer should be added to a 50-kilogram bag of cement. Water should be added in the amount of 1/3 of the mass of cement.

For a third of a bag of cement, you will need to add 5.6 liters of water. When kneading the floor screed mortar (the proportion of each brand is indicated above), it must be taken into account that the plasticizer will have 0.6 liters. If you decide to prepare a floor screed solution yourself, the proportions for it are presented in this article. After completing all the above steps, you can begin to mix the liquid components, for this, you need to gradually add the dry mixture to the liquid container, while stirring it well. If you pour the liquid into a dry mixture, then lumps will form, it will be very difficult to get rid of them after.

If you decide to prepare your own floor screed solution, the proportion presented in the article will help you carry out the process without errors. It should be remembered that it is very difficult to perform manual mixing work, among other things, such manipulations take a very long time. Therefore, it is recommended to use either a drill that is equipped with special nozzle. You must remember that the use of a power tool will allow you to carry out these works in much more short time and also better quality. On this we can assume that the preparation of the mixture is completed. It should be remembered that working with a viscous solution is much more difficult, but there will be much less cracks on the base after solidification. It is possible to eliminate or minimize the number of cracks on the surface after hardening in a way that involves spraying the floor with water during the drying stage.

Determining the amount of mortar for forming a screed

If you will independently prepare a solution for a rough floor screed, you need to study the proportions in advance. However, it is also important to calculate the amount of mortar to form the floor. First you need to determine the volume building material, for this, the coverage area should be multiplied by the thickness of the proposed screed. For example, if the surface area of ​​the floor is 40 square meters, while the layer thickness is equivalent to 5 centimeters, then 40 must be multiplied by 0.05. This will allow you to get the number 2. That is how many cubic meters of solution will be needed to form the floor in the described room.

But it is necessary to study, before preparing a solution for floor screed, the proportions of the composition. The next step is to calculate how much cement and sand will be needed. For the reason that the solution is made on the basis of a ratio of 1 to 3, 1.5 cubic meters of sand and 0.5 cubic meters of cement will be needed. A cubic meter of cement has a mass equal to 1300 kilograms. This indicates that 650 kilograms of cement will be needed for work, this figure is calculated by multiplying 0.5 by 1.3. The above method allows you to calculate the consumption of the solution that goes to the formation of the floor screed certain area. The master will be able to prepare in advance all the necessary amount of building material.

Features of pouring the screed

If you are thinking about how to make a floor screed mortar, the proportions should be well studied by you. Among other things, it is important to familiarize yourself with the technology of work. Initially, the surface is treated with a primer, then beacons are installed, at the next stage, mixing and pouring are carried out. Priming is necessary in order to provide the substrate with excellent adhesion characteristics. This approach allows you to normalize the structure of the draft plate. If the surface has a porous base, then it is best to use a primer, while for a denser base it is necessary to use an undiluted composition.

Conclusion

If you are thinking about how to prepare a floor screed solution, the proportions were indicated above. They will help you get the job done right. It is important not only to keep the ratio, but also to install beacons. They will ensure the evenness of the screed. The solution is prepared immediately before pouring.

For their installation, it is necessary to prepare gypsum mixture, which is laid on a rough base with small tubercles. The solution for underfloor screed, the proportions of which were indicated above, should be prepared immediately before pouring. This will allow you to do the work slowly.

Self-preparation of concrete mortar for pouring the foundation is a very responsible and time-consuming process. In many ways, the quality of construction depends on the foundation.

In order to obtain a high-quality solution mixture, it is necessary to use the right materials and make the right proportion. If the construction uses the most common strip foundation, increased requirements must be imposed on the quality of concrete.

When preparing concrete, it is necessary to take into account the following factors that affect its strength:

- the amount of cement contained in the mixture;
- the level of reaction with other substances (the higher the level of cement reaction (activity), the larger the structure can be installed on it);
- the ratio of water and cement in the composition of the substance (the lower, the better);
— the quality of aggregates (the use of fine-grained fillers reduces the strength of the composition);
- degree of compaction.

Necessary materials

The main component for the preparation of the solution is cement. When choosing it, you need to pay attention to the main indicators. AT this moment the construction market has a wide range of types of cement, so it is important to choose quality material. Quality assurance is the material class with an error level of 13.5% (coefficient of variation).

for the foundation it is better to use cement grades 400 or 500

Strength is indicated on the package with the letter “M” and numbers in the range from 400 to 1000. This indicator indicates how much weight the concrete can withstand per 1 cm after hardening. It is best to use cement grade M400-M500 (depending on the density of the soil and the load on foundation). Before making a purchase, it is advisable to find out the name of the manufacturer, reviews about the manufacturer, as well as in what packaging the products are packaged. On the packaging, you need to pay attention to the series and number, they should not be duplicated. These simple precautions will help you avoid buying fakes.

Also, for the preparation of concrete, you will need sand, water and crushed stone (gravel). When choosing these materials, it is also necessary to take into account their properties. Sand for concrete must first of all be clean. Sticks, leaves and debris are not allowed in it. Also, it should not contain clay, the permissible error is no more than 5% of total weight.

ideal crushed stone for concrete - granite

The presence of crushed stone or gravel is allowed if, as a percentage of the total mass, it does not exceed 0.5. In addition, it is necessary to take into account the fineness (fraction) of sand. Not every building material is suitable for this parameter. Perfect option fractions - in the range of 2-2.5. When preparing a mortar for the foundation, the sand must be dry. If the sand used is wet, it must be dried, or less water should be used when preparing the concrete.

Gravel or crushed stone is better to use a fine fraction. Crushed stone must be clean, without impurities. The most durable crushed stone is granite, but it is more expensive than the others and has an increased radiation background. It is better to choose lime or gravel material. In no case should you use river pebbles.

The exact proportions of the solution

Before preparing the solution, you first need to calculate how much concrete will be needed. The calculation is carried out according to a simple formula: the product of the length of the tape, width and height. You can also use ours to calculate. Having decided on the volume and materials for pouring the foundation, it is necessary to observe the correct proportion of the mixture. The process of drawing up the proportion must be strictly observed, otherwise the foundation will be unreliable.

As a rule, the ratio of sand and cement in concrete is 1:2, and the amount of crushed stone is 4 parts. Based on this proportion, you can easily prepare a concrete mixture. If the solution is too dense, it must be diluted with water. The resulting consistency should be stirred with a shovel with little effort. In this case, the solution should not quickly drain from the shovel.

Components can be mixed different ways. but if possible. it is better to do this with a concrete mixer.

with the help of such a device, the mixture is better mixed

Pouring concrete - instructions

After the concrete has been prepared, it must be poured into reinforced formwork. The ideal temperature for pouring is from +5° to +15° C. If the air temperature is below 0° C, the poured foundation must be covered with foil. Do not remove the formwork until the concrete is completely dry.

If the street is above +15° C, the foundation must be watered once a day and also covered with foil to avoid cracking. Formwork can be removed the next day.

pouring the foundation can be done in warm weather

Complete drying occurs within 2 days. The pouring should take place calmly, in layers of 25 cm. The time between pouring the layers should be from 30 minutes to 1.5 hours, depending on the brand of cement in the concrete.

Air must be released from each filled layer. To do this, you can use conventional reinforcement, lowering its parts into concrete at a short distance from each other.

Also, each layer must be aligned. If the filling takes place in one layer, then it is necessary to use a vibro-shrink tool. If everything is done according to the instructions and you do not save on materials, then the house built on such a foundation will delight its owners for many years.

The choice of concrete proportions used for the foundation is influenced by many factors: soil parameters, expected loads, type of foundation. The basis of the cement mortar is cement, sand, crushed stone or gravel and water, its properties directly depend on the quality and uniformity of the mixing of the components. Changing the regulated ratios is unacceptable, the slightest errors lead to a decrease in the strength of the foundation and, as a result, the risk of destruction load-bearing structures building.

1. Required brand
2. Proportions for the preparation of the solution
3. What are the requirements for the components?
4. Description of the concrete preparation process

Choice of brand of concrete

The main criteria include the geological conditions of the site (relief, level and partial pressure ground water foundation elements, climate, freezing depth), type of foundation, presence or absence of a basement, building height and other weight loads. The limiting factor is the budget of the work, it is not economically feasible to use high-quality concrete grades for the construction of light buildings in suburban areas. The recommended minimum is:

• M400 - for houses over 3 floors.
• M200-M250 - for frame and panel buildings.
• M250-M300 - for buildings made of wooden beams.
• M300 - for low-rise buildings from expanded clay, gas silicate or cellular blocks.
• M350-M300 - during brick construction or pouring bearing walls from monolithic concrete.

These gradations are relevant for the construction of one or two-storey houses, when adding another floor, it is advisable to choose a higher grade. The same applies to ready-made purchased solutions, especially if it is purchased from an unverified manufacturer. In general, the minimum allowable strength when concreting the foundation residential buildings on weakly heaving soils is M200; during construction on less stable soils, it increases.

When preparing solutions, the working measure is the mass or volume fraction of the binder, the most common and convenient ratios include 1:3:5 (cement, sand, gravel, respectively). The regulated proportions, depending on the required strength of concrete, are:

The strength of concrete is primarily affected by the ratio of sand and cement, but in addition to strict control over the proportion of dry components, the amount of water introduced is monitored. When using Portland cement, the W / C proportions are:

When building a foundation on dry soils, it is allowed to introduce lime or clay into the cement mortar, these components increase its plasticity. The recommended proportions when using Portland cement M400 are:

In private construction, it is inconvenient to separately determine the mass of all the ingredients to be poured; a bucket is usually used as a measuring tool. In this case, all fillers are pre-weighed in a dry state. The W / C ratio largely depends on the moisture content of the sand, experienced developers introduce no more than 80% of the recommended proportion of water during mixing and then, if necessary (not enough plastic consistency), pour it in portions. Fiber, PAD and other plasticizers are added to concrete at the very end along with liquid, their share usually does not exceed 75 g per 1 m3.

Component Requirements

For the preparation of cement mortar for pouring the foundation, the following are used:

• Fresh Portland cement, ideally no more than 2 months old by the start of concreting. The recommended brand is M400 or M500.
• River sand with particle sizes in the range of 1.2-3.5 mm with impurities of silt or clay not more than 5%. It is advised to check its purity (fill it with water and track the change in color and sediment), sift, rinse and dry if necessary.
• Pure crushed stone or gravel with fraction sizes from 1 to 8 cm, with a flakiness within 20%. When preparing concrete for the foundation, screenings are used hard rock, limestone is not suitable due to low strength.
• Water: tap water, free of impurities and foreign particles.
• Additives: antifreeze, plasticizing, reinforcing fiber. The introduction of such impurities is carried out with strict observance of proportions.

It is important to understand the principle: coarse-grained filler is introduced into the solution not only to replace a more expensive binder, it is he who gives the necessary rigidity. The minimum compressive strength of gravel or granite screenings is 800 kgf / cm2; in its absence, concrete simply cannot withstand the weight load. A mixture for a foundation without crushed stone is prepared only when it is erected from separate blocks or slabs, sometimes for quick pouring of pile supports.

Recommended proportions of cement and sand for masonry mortars– 1:3 or 1:2. The first ratio is considered universal, the second is chosen when building foundations on unstable soils. In practice, this means that 2 or 3 sifted quartz sand and no more than 0.8 parts of water are taken per bucket of cement with a grade of at least M400 (M500 at increased loads). Properly prepared mixture in consistency resembles toothpaste, to increase the workability per 1 m3, 75-100 g of plasticizers are introduced ( liquid soap or other PADs).

How to make a cement mortar for the foundation?

The process begins with the preparation of components and a concrete mixer, the presence of the latter is mandatory when mixing concrete for underground structures. The number of building materials is calculated in advance according to the volume of the foundation and is purchased with a small margin. It is extremely important to carry out the filling in one day, with self-cooking solution, all components are washed and dried in advance. Then they are poured in buckets into a concrete mixer in the following sequence: part of the water → sand and cement → dry additives and fiber (if necessary) → coarse filler → the remaining liquid in small portions. After adding the new ingredient, the drum is turned on for 2-3 minutes, after no more than 15 minutes the finished solution is unloaded.

There is a time-tested way to select the correct proportions, chosen in the absence of data on the size of crushed stone. In this case, the bucket is filled with coarse filler, shaken several times and completely covered with water. The resulting volume of water corresponds to the required proportion of sand in the solution. After that, sand is poured into the bucket, again filled with water to determine the proportion of cement. But this approach is considered by some to be complicated and outdated; standard way recalculation mass fraction into the bulk and pouring the components into the concrete mixer.

In order to independently prepare a cement mortar for pouring the foundation, it is important to choose the right components, observe the necessary proportions of materials and take into account some of the nuances of kneading and pouring.

The quality and durability of the foundation depends on how correctly and in what proportions the components for the foundation solution are selected.

Materials for the mixture

In order to make concrete for the foundation, you will need:

• water;
• sand;
• cement;
• crushed stone;
• additives (if necessary).

Water for the preparation of cement mortar, if possible, should not contain chemical substances(fuel oil, gasoline, etc.). Plain running water- what you need.

Sand should not be silty or clayey. Fatty substances create films that prevent the components from adhering to each other. Ideally, washed sand goes into the solution, the cleaner the better.

Cement is distinguished by its brand. The most common are M300, M400 and M500. The higher the brand of cement, the higher the quality of the resulting solution, that is, such specifications as compressive and fracture strength.

According to the goals of construction, the size of the foundation, a specific brand of cement is selected.

In order to prepare a mortar for the foundation, you will need water, sand, cement, crushed stone, and, if necessary, various additives.

Crushed stone should not be limestone. Gravel should also not be added as a filler for cement mortar. It is better to take crushed stone. His sharp corners, uneven edges cling to each other and thereby increase the strength of concrete for the foundation. Cement-sand, as well as a solution based on gravel, expanded clay, and other fillers will be less durable and therefore are not used in the manufacture of concrete for the foundation.

Additives are needed if you want to make a solution in special conditions. For example, when you need to make a solution in frosty weather, or the finished foundation will be partially or entirely in water, exposed to aggressive environment. Additives are mixed with water according to the instructions on the package. It is worth remembering that any additives lower the brand of concrete.

Cooking methods

There are 2 main mixing methods: mechanical (using an electric concrete mixer) and manual. Let's consider each separately.

mechanical method

This method involves the purchase of a rather expensive tool - an electric concrete mixer. Since pouring the foundation is usually the very beginning of construction, the purchase of a concrete mixer at this stage is economically justified. So, the object should have:

Device diagram monolithic foundation on a sand and gravel pad

• buckets;
• shovels;
• water barrel or hose;
• concrete mixer;
• extension cord (carry).

It is convenient to carry sand and gravel in buckets, load cement into a concrete mixer. In addition, it is easy to measure the right amount of each of the components with buckets and at the same time maintain the correct proportions. Shovels throw materials into buckets.

The capacity of the concrete mixer depends on the size of the building under construction and varies between 50-300 liters. To build a private house, a 220-volt single-phase concrete mixer will suffice. Larger projects, as well as industrial facilities, may require 380 volt three-phase. To operate the concrete mixer itself, you may need an extension cord to supply electricity to it.

All prepared components (water, cement, sand, gravel) in the right quantities loaded into the bowl of the concrete mixer and turn on the machine. The mass is brought to a homogeneous creamy state. The mortar for pouring the foundation is ready.

Manual way

For kneading by hand you will need:

• buckets;
• shovels shovels and bayonet;
• capacity;
• water barrel or hose;
• hoe.

Pour water into the container for mixing the components (already with additives, if necessary), then pour sand and cement. It is convenient to manually knead the solution in a trough or old bath with a chopper or bayonet shovel. The mass must be made homogeneous, similar to sour cream. At the very end, it remains only to add crushed stone and mix everything again. The solution is ready.

Well, if it is possible to pour the foundation directly from a concrete mixer or trough - this way you can save a huge amount of time and effort. If this is not possible, then the finished cement mortar is poured into buckets with the help of a shovel and the foundation is already poured from them.

Proportions

Cement and sand are mixed in a ratio of 1:3. The amount of crushed stone is not strictly standardized, but usually it is taken as much as sand was taken. Thus, for 1 bucket of cement there are 3 buckets of sand and 3 buckets of crushed stone.

The amount of water is selected each time experimentally, as it depends on many factors. For example, from the humidity of sand and air. It is important to achieve the desired consistency (like sour cream) and not overdo it with water. The thinner the solution, the lower the brand, and, accordingly, the worse the strength of the resulting concrete.

fill

Concrete does not set well at temperatures below +8 degrees Celsius (if frost-resistant additives were not included in it), so it is better not to pour in cold weather. The quality of such concrete will be worse than that of ordinary concrete, and, alas, nothing can be done about it.

The curing process of concrete has nothing to do with drying! If the pouring falls on hot, sunny, dry weather, then additional water should not be added to the solution. In this case, the only right decision there will be watering the foundation for a few days just from a hose, from above, to prevent the concrete from drying out. If it dries out, it starts to burst and crack.

Being engaged in the construction of a house or gazebo on suburban area, each owner is faced with the need to lay the foundation. This process is complex and responsible, because you need to choose the right material and calculate the ratio of components. Therefore, before starting work, you should carefully study the stages of building the foundation.

Due to its low cost and exceptional durability, concrete is considered the most popular material for pouring foundations. In this article, we will consider in detail the intricacies of working with it, so that even a novice master can independently build a base.

The composition is prepared taking into account certain proportions of crushed stone (or gravel), sand and cement. What ratio of components is required depends on the result to be obtained. Crushed stone and sand serve as fillers, cement is needed as a binder that holds the components together into a single block. If too much is formed a large number of cavities between sand and gravel, the need for cement increases. To minimize them, it is important to use crushed stone different sizes: small particles will fill the cavities between large ones, and sand - between small ones.

Concrete hardens in a month, but this process is most intensive during the first week.

Types of concrete for pouring the base

Sand is suitable for preparing a mortar for the foundation, the particle size of which varies from 1.2 to 3.5 mm. Use loose material without foreign impurities. A five percent clay and silt content is allowed, but this makes the concrete less durable.

The following experiment will help determine the quality of the composition: pour sand into a container, dilute with water and shake the resulting solution thoroughly. If the water remains clear or loses transparency a little, then the raw material High Quality, and if it becomes very cloudy, it contains impurities. You can also leave the container to stand for a while. If, as a result, a sediment of clay appears above the sand, it is better not to use such bulk material for construction.

Thematic material:

• Proportions of concrete for the foundation in buckets
• Foundation Concrete Recipe

The composition of crushed stone should also not contain impurities. The particle size is 1-8 cm.

In the construction industry, there are the following types cement:

1. Portland cement (the most common option, which is used in the construction of various structures).
2. Portland slag cement (it has high moisture resistance and frost resistance, but hardens more slowly).
3. Pozzolanic Portland cement (used for the construction of structures under water and underground due to its exceptional moisture-resistant properties; in conditions air environment shrinks and loses strength).
4. Fast-hardening cement (hardens in about 2 weeks; it is necessary to work with such a material without delay, as it seizes instantly, so it is not the most good option for beginner builders).

Thus, Portland cement is the most suitable material for self-pouring a monolithic foundation of a house or other structure.

The following brands of cement are distinguished: ... PC 500, PC 500 D20, PC 400 D20, PC 400, etc. In accordance with the brand, the value of its compressive strength changes, which is determined for a concrete cube with edges of 20 cm and is measured in kg / cm2 .

We prepare the right solution

To obtain the composition of the desired viscosity, certain proportions are observed during its preparation. The ratio is 1/3/5, where 1 is cement, 3 is sand, 5 is crushed stone.

The use of additives will provide certain kind cement slurry: fast setting, hydrophobic, pozzolanic, colored, sulphate-resistant, plasticized, etc. this case different grades are used from M 100 to M 600. But in order to obtain, for example, a mixture of M 400, it is not necessary to use cement of the same brand.

Below is a table of ratios that will help in the calculations:

If you dilute cement M 400 with four buckets of water in a ratio of 1: 4, you get a mixture of M 100, and to prepare a solution of M 100 from M 500 add five buckets, that is, 1: 5.

To prepare concrete grades M 300 and M 400, the weight of the components must exceed the mass of water by half.

If you want to get 1 cube of concrete (this is V cube, each side of which is 1 m), then the ratio should be as follows: half a cube of sand, 0.8 crushed stone and filler. The amount of the latter depends on the purpose for which concrete is required. Please note that the less the solution contains cement, the more mobile it will turn out. It is important to know that more than 350 kg of cement (these are 7 bags) cannot be laid on one cube, an increase in the rate can provoke destruction.

The price per cube of cement is different, the higher the brand, the greater the cost.

For the manufacture of concrete, a concrete mixer, a wooden box, an iron bath or wood flooring are used. It is important to ensure that debris and other impurities do not get into the solution. To begin with, dry ingredients are poured - sand, crushed stone, cement, they are thoroughly stirred to obtain a homogeneous composition. Then slowly add water, while stirring until evenly moistened. And only after that they start filling.

Keep in mind that cement is stored for a short time, over time, under the influence of moisture, its grade decreases. After the first month, about 10% of the strength is lost, after 3 - 20%, in six months this figure reaches 30-40%.

For pouring the foundation, the bucket becomes the most popular unit of measure, so few people observe the correct proportions with accuracy. It is not recommended to stir the composition with a shovel, as the concrete will turn out to be heterogeneous. Thus, losses may occur and, as a result, the M 100 brand will be released. But even this will be enough for construction small house or gazebos.

Even if you have deviated greatly from the foundation pouring standards, it will still be durable and withstand heavy loads, so it is suitable for building a house. But, according to official standards, cement M 300 or M 400 should be taken to get a grade of 200 or more.

Pour the foundation at warm weather, the negative temperature provokes some difficulties. For example, you will have to heat the water and the composition itself, as they can freeze even before the start of hardening. And when solidification begins, without heating, the concrete will begin to freeze due to the water it contains, and the resulting ice crystals will begin to destroy the foundation from the inside.

If you follow the proportions and prepare the composition according to the standards, even at home the solution will turn out to be homogeneous and as close as possible to correct option so don't worry about its durability.

Now you know what ratio of components is needed to prepare 1 cube of concrete. The main thing is to accurately calculate the proportions and try to follow the technology. Concrete is an easy-to-prepare composition, so the knowledge gained will help even a novice builder to easily build a foundation for a house or gazebo.

You will need

• To mix cement or mortar you will need: cement, sand, clay, water, large metal container or a mechanical concrete mixer, a shovel, a garden chopper.

Instruction

Consider the most commonly used type of binder - cement. It is the main element mortars and varied concrete mixtures. The positive qualities of cement are its strength and speed of drying. Cement is divided into two varieties: aluminous and Portland cement. To characteristic features aluminous cement include: heat resistance, fast drying and high water resistance. This group is mainly used in industrial construction. For private construction, various grades of Portland cement are used. The classification of cement grades occurs according to the strength during solidification and can be: low-grade - below 300, the so-called ordinary - 300-400. Brand 500 belongs to the category of increased strength, and 500-600 to high strength. It is not difficult to visually determine the strength of cement. The darker it is, the stronger it is. AT Everyday life all brands of cement are called - cement, and cement is called Portland cement high brand(500-600). Features of cement marking: PC or M - Portland cement;
D 0 - cement without additives;
D 20 - cement containing 20% ​​additives;
B - fast-hardening cement;
H - cement based on clinker of normalized composition (normalized cement);
ShPTs - slag Portland cement;
PL - plasticization of cement.

To prepare cement, you need to find out for what purposes it will be used: for laying bricks, for pouring paths near the house, for plastering walls. For laying bricks, you will need a mortar in a ratio of 1 to 4, that is, you need to take and pour 1 bucket of cement and 4 buckets of sand into a container. Take a garden chopper and dry mix the ingredients in layers, stirring the mixture with a chopper every 5 centimeters. Stir until a homogeneous mixture is obtained. Then add some water, stir, add water until the solution becomes viscous and sticky. Its consistency should be like a thick semolina. Now you can safely fasten bricks with them.

To prepare the filling solution garden path make a solution with a ratio of 1 to 3, that is, 1 bucket of cement and 3 buckets of sand. Stir dry with a chopper, then add water until the solution becomes liquid like cream. Pour this solution into a pre-prepared formwork, breaking it into squares with thin boards. If you fill the track with one monolith, it will soon crack. After about 2 hours, prepare the laitance. To do this, take cement, add water to it until it becomes like milk. Pour this milk onto the path and smear with a brush. This process is called "iron ironing", the track will become grey-green and very hard on the surface. To plaster the walls, it is enough to make a solution of 1 to 5 in the consistency of liquid semolina.

If you want to change your design suburban area original garden path or a path, and the products offered in the supermarket do not suit you for any reason, take a chance and create a tile yourself, literally from improvised materials. To do this, you need to purchase special plastic molds and learn how to prepare mortar for garden paths. Add a little imagination, building skills, patience - and your path will turn out not only durable, but also strikingly beautiful.

Now it’s easy to find everything to do individual creativity. In stores, you can buy convenient plastic stencil molds for making tiles. You prepare a cement mortar, pour it into a mold - and in a few days you get a tile of a given color that imitates the factory counterpart for the sidewalk.

Solid, colored, colorful paths look great in the garden, between flowering trees and flower beds, and on a green, neatly trimmed lawn, and among garden beds

Tracks made of strong concrete tiles, are able to serve for decades - in terms of their strength they are not inferior to the foundation of a building or the overlap of a small bridge. They are comfortable and functional - and all thanks to a properly prepared cement mortar.

A solid solid form costs about 1200 rubles, and a lightweight version is a stencil with cells various shapes- much cheaper. Depending on the material, its price ranges from 50 to 250 rubles.

Many craftsmen purchase option prefer their own creations, so they make their own forms using wooden bars or a metal profile.

From short planed bars, you can put together a rectangle, square, lattice or a small hexagon, which will serve as a form for pouring cement mortar

How to make a cement mortar?

The ability to independently prepare a cement mortar at home is useful to anyone who plans to do construction or repair work. A sticky mass that hardens over time is necessary for laying bricks, and for creating stone decorative compositions, and even for filling a hole in a wall.

For the construction of garden paths, you need a regular solution that you can prepare yourself. However, its functional qualities largely depend on the preparation of the material and proportions, so let's take a closer look at how to fill molds for garden paths so that it serves for many years.

What needs to be prepared?

It is possible that someone in a country estate will have a mobile concrete mixer (in this case, the process of preparing the mass will take place more efficiently and quickly), but it is unlikely that this useful unit can be found in the average garden, so we will collect an arsenal from what is constantly located at hand.

It is very important to choose the right container, which would be suitable both in size and in the convenience of working with it. Ideally, the volume of the tank should correspond to the portion of the solution that you want to prepare in one go. Too small capacity will force you to repeat the procedure - and this is an increase in the time spent on work by 2 times. In a large bowl, it is inconvenient to stir the components and create a homogeneous mass. Also important are the qualities of the tank, such as stability and strength of the walls.

For small volumes of cement (if you make tiles slowly, for example, on weekends), a small container made of durable plastic with low sides is suitable

If you have an old one in your country house cast iron bath, which is usually used to store rainwater, it can be an excellent temporary option for diluting cement mortar, or other large dishes that meet the listed requirements.

In addition to the container, a tool is needed to stir the mass until smooth. Wield a shovel or wooden block erroneously - the solution will clump into lumps, which will affect poor quality tiles.

The best equipment is construction mixer or, as it is also called, a hand mixer; in its absence, you can use a drill with a special nozzle

Try to put everything in one place so that during the cooking process you do not have to leave and delay the process.

Component Selection

For a standard, widely used cement slurry, 3 components are needed: cement, sand and water. It would seem that everything is simple - I mixed everything together and got an excellent material for pouring into molds. However, there are several important points, non-observance of which will immediately affect the quality of the tile. For example, sand. You can find several types of sand, which differ in particle size, weight, and composition.

Ordinary quarry or river sand is suitable for us, which has such characteristics as purity (for this it must be washed), uniformity, and the absence of impurities

Cement - a dry mix in paper bags - should be crumbly, fresh, not expired. If a couple of bags from a 10-year-old construction site are stored in your back room, it’s better to say goodbye to them, because you can’t get a good solution from such cement.

Here are some tips from professional builders to help you make a great mortar:

• If you notice small lumps in the dry mixture, it is better to sift the powder using a special sieve (10mm x 10mm cells are enough for working with stone, but for plastering works you will need a sieve with cells 5mm x 5mm).
• The best type of cement for street work- brand 300 or 400.
• Correctly determine the proportions of all three components. For paths, the traditional 1:3 ratio is ideal, where 1 part of cement accounts for 3 parts of sand. Bulk materials can be measured in buckets or other suitable containers.
• To give a certain shade or change some characteristics (viscosity, strength), modern components are added to the solution, for example, plasticizers or colored granules.

When preparing the solution, make sure that it does not become greasy, that is, containing a lot of binder. The greasy mass is plastic, easy to apply, but forms a composition that dries quickly and cracks over time - this is not suitable for garden paths. With a lack of a binder, we will get a lean cement that will harden for too long and also have unsuitable characteristics.

We need normal cement, after hardening it has excellent strength and wear resistance, and for this it is necessary to observe the proportions.

A bag of cement weighing 25 kg costs from 180 to 250 rubles. The price depends on the manufacturer, brand and quality of the dry mix

Water is added "by eye", at first a little, then topped up in small portions. The result should be a mass resembling thick sour cream in viscosity.

Preparation of cement mortar

Keep in mind that the ready-made mortar can be used for several hours, then it will be unsuitable for pouring, so pre-prepare the table, molds, stencils - everything that is needed for the production of road tiles.

Pour cement and sand into the container in thin layers - at least 5-6 layers should be obtained. This is necessary for high-quality, uniform mixing of the components. Stop when overall height The “pie” will reach 25-30 cm. Then take a shovel and try to gently but intensively mix the components of the mixture: the more actively you move the shovel, the better the future solution will turn out.

The uniformity of a dry cement slurry can be determined by eye. If there are doubts about the purity of the mass, pass through a sieve again.

Water can be added only after you are convinced that the dry mixture is completely ready, or rather, that it is homogeneous. It is better to take a small container and add in small portions so as not to overdo it and not make the solution too liquid. Pour in water slowly, stirring lightly.

The mistake of novice builders is to experiment with the temperature of the poured liquid. Some people think that hot water will speed up the breeding process, and specially heat it up, others pour ice liquid. Both are incorrect and can adversely affect the quality of the solution. The water must be the same temperature as the surrounding atmosphere - in our case, we are talking, of course, about the warm season.

Ready-to-use potting mix should be slightly thinner than brick-laying cement mortar.

Another nuance concerns the moisture content of the sand. Often use sand stored directly on the site. It is obvious that during the rain it could get wet. If you are using wet, heavier sand, add even less liquid. Is the solution ready? Start filling. Depending on the density and viscosity of the composition, you have 1-3 hours to pour the solution into molds.

Not everyone likes boring gray paths that resemble urban asphalt streets or concrete roads, so we bring to your attention the process of making tiles, conditionally called mosaic. Our tiles are far from the masterpieces of Spanish or Italian professional masters, however, beautiful even squares with ornaments of multi-colored stones against the backdrop of garden greenery look just great.

The size of the tile depends on your garden path project. Large, with a side of 50 cm, can be laid in one row - you get a narrow path, small (30-40 cm) - in two or three parallel rows or even out of order

Unlike ordinary tiles, consisting of one cement mortar, our option implies the presence of an additional "weighty" component - stones. They can be large or small, plain or multi-colored, round or flat. Stones can be replaced with fragments of ceramic or tiles, pebbles - the main thing is that they do not slip during the rain.

Multi-colored stones for tiles were taken on the banks of a nearby river. If you are unlucky with water bodies or just the banks of the river turned out to be sandy, do not worry - the stones required fraction can always be purchased from one of the construction companies

The basis for the tiles is a cement mortar prepared according to the standard scheme described above. We take the classic formula: for 1 part of cement 3 parts river sand. The mixture is prepared in large capacity using a small plastic measuring container.

It is also possible to dilute the solution in portions, separately for each tile, but this process will be very long and laborious, so we prepare the solution in an amount that is enough to fill 6-8 pre-prepared home-made forms.

Forms have simple design and are boxes with low walls formed by planks 30-50 cm long. The thickness of the prepared tiles can be from 5 cm to 15 cm

Carefully fill the molds covered with the solution plastic wrap, lubricated with oil (used machine will do). To ensure that the tiles are of the same thickness, we put an equal amount of cement mixture. For accuracy, you can draw lines along the edges of the boards indicating the height of the tile.

We carefully level the surface of the cement mortar - we prepare it for laying stones. It is important to maintain the required consistency of the mass, as the stones will fall into a too liquid solution

Without waiting for the solution to set, lay the stones on the surface. Even before preparing the solution, you can conduct a kind of rehearsal by laying out the stones in the box “dry” in order to find out approximate quantity stones needed for 1 tile.

It is necessary to start from the corners - so the tile will be stronger, and the stone pattern will be clearer and more correct. If you use stones different size, then try to lay larger ones around the perimeter

We continue to lay stones one by one, creating a natural or geometrically correct pattern. You can alternate elements of different sizes or different colors.

When laying out the perimeter, we try to ensure that the long side of the cobblestones lies along the edge. This will prevent the base from breaking off at the edges after long use and prolong the life of the garden path.

First, lay out larger stones, then fill in the empty spaces with small ones. The result is a beautiful multicolored tile, appearance not inferior to the factory counterpart.

On the sample, the stones are laid out in a natural order. There are other options - in a checkerboard pattern, in a spiral, in rows diagonally, herringbone, etc.

The elements protruding outwards are a shortened life of the tile and grief for those who will walk on it, so we carefully press all the stones inward so that their upper planes are even with the concrete base.

We also use improvised tools to level the surface and tamp stones. In this case, we needed a construction trowel left after plastering work.

So, all active work on creating tiles is completed, it remains to wait. So that the concrete does not become covered with cracks, it must be moistened 1-2 times a day. After 3-4 days, it will mature, the frozen material will move away from the walls of the formwork, and the tile can be removed, freeing the form for the next portion of the solution.

The finished tile can be immediately laid in place. Usually this is a prepared base - a sand and gravel "layer cake" leveled and fenced with curbs.

The tile is suitable for the construction of paths or areas of any size and shape.

Concrete mortar is useful not only for pouring into molds, but also for creating a solid coating from individual tiles - for this you need to fill cement mixture seams between tiles or use it as an adhesive

The path, on which a minimum of budget funds have been spent, looks amazing, especially if there are other structures created from stone and cement mortar on the site.

Gorgeous Forged gates and a high stone fence - a beautiful backdrop for a garden path of river stones. And note - everywhere an ordinary cement mortar prepared by oneself plays an important role

And finally - great video how to properly prepare the cement mortar and pour it into tile molds: