Heat-efficient blocks are a relatively young material in the construction industry. However, even today on the Internet you can find a lot of reviews from homeowners who built housing with their own hands using this building material.
From this article, you can find out what a heat block is, what characteristics and requirements it has, and what are the advantages and disadvantages of using this material.
Structure
The traditional warm block has a three-layer structure.
- The facade layer is made of concrete and has a relief surface. Usually the appearance of the material looks like a form of stone, marble, brick or other similar material. The composition of the layer includes cement, granite, water, several additives to ensure the moisture resistance of the heat block, as well as paint. Depending on the manufacturer, granite can be replaced with expanded clay, but such blocks are much cheaper.
- The second layer of the block for building houses is insulating, consisting of expanded polystyrene. Its thickness is about 16 cm, and the density should vary around 25 kg per cubic meter, but this indicator should always be checked when buying blocks. Often, manufacturers, trying to save money, change the composition of the material, as a result of which its density is less.
- The third layer of the block, regardless of its size and shape, will be load-bearing and is made of expanded clay concrete. This material allows to reduce the weight of the block, and also improves its thermal and sound insulation properties. The main function of this block layer for building houses with your own hands is to withstand heavy loads.
1.1 Requirements for thermal blocks
We figured out what a heat block is, now we propose to find out what requirements are placed on blocks during their production:
- first of all, blocks for building houses with your own hands should be as strong as possible;
- the ability to resist fire;
- one of the characteristics of the inner layer should be the ability to store heat;
- the thermal conductivity should be low;
- excellent soundproofing characteristics;
- little material consumption.
It should be noted that all these requirements must be met by heat-efficient blocks for the construction of houses, regardless of their size and shape.
They are clearly spelled out in the regulatory documentation and must be observed by domestic manufacturers in the manufacture of blocks.
1.2 Key features
If you decide to build houses with your own hands, then before you do this, It is desirable to understand the characteristics of the blocks. Again, these characteristics are relevant for building a house from blocks of any shape and size:
- the density index of the outer layer is 2,300 kg / m³;
- in the case of inner layers, this coefficient is 1,700 kg/m³;
- the strength index of the outer layer is 590 kg / m³ and the remaining layers - 140;
- the thermal conductivity index is 0.038 W / m²;
- water absorption coefficient is 0.5%;
- if you are wondering how much the weight of the material is, then on average it should be no more than 26 kg;
- the thermal resistance of the block with a thickness of 18 cm should be about 4.7 m² kW.
1.3 Advantages and disadvantages
Any type of blocks, be it Superstone heat blocks or material for building a house with your own hands from another manufacturer, has certain advantages and disadvantages.
The pros and cons are listed below. If you decide to build real estate, then before you do this, you need to familiarize yourself with all the indicators of the material. Let's start with the pros:
- the block itself is environmentally friendly and non-toxic;
- the facade layer is waterproof, so a building built from such blocks will not become covered with fungus over time;
- in a house built from heat blocks, it will always be warm;
- the resource of operation of blocks with the preservation of all properties can be up to one hundred years;
- according to the reviews of the owners who built houses with their own hands, as a result of construction, the building has heavy-duty walls;
- the shrinkage rate is 9%;
- depending on preferences, which is confirmed by reviews on the network, if necessary, you can choose any configuration, shape or size, today this is not a problem;
- since during the construction of a house from heat blocks there is already a facade, they themselves construction time is significantly reduced;
- the ability to choose almost any color and texture;
- excellent soundproofing characteristics of the blocks;
- fire resistance, which we wrote about above, is also a definite plus.
Consider the cons. The information provided below is based on feedback from consumers and construction industry professionals, so we strongly recommend that you familiarize yourself with this data before construction.
As you know, there are no ideal building materials, but having familiarized yourself with all the shortcomings in advance, you can make the right decision.
The information below is also relevant for all types of heat blocks with any characteristics, sizes and shapes:
- a reduced rate of vapor permeability of the material, as a result of which it can periodically be stuffy inside the built house, in order to avoid this, we recommend that you think over the installation of forced ventilation in advance;
- if there are gaps between the blocks, problems may subsequently arise, therefore, when laying, it is necessary to take into account that the fit of the materials should be as strong as possible;
- as the reviews show, a lot depends on the manufacturer: people often complain that heat blocks have an uneven surface or geometry;
- in any case, a wall built from this material must be finished, although this is not a minus, but rather the need to spend money on finishing;
- due to the large weight, it is not very convenient to work with heat blocks on your own.
2 Construction technology
Heatblocks are a high-tech high-availability material used for the construction of various structures of residential, government, industrial or agricultural buildings.
The building process is essentially the same. from the construction of buildings using foam concrete or expanded clay concrete. Only heat blocks are laid on a layer of specialized glue with a layer thickness of about 2-4 mm. This is achieved as a result of high precision in the production of building materials.
Regardless of the shape, the use of lightweight expanded clay concrete and expanded polystyrene allows for a small weight of the structure itself. For example, if we compare the weight of houses that are identical in design, made of bricks and heat blocks, then the latter will be about three times lighter.
Actually, therefore, the load on the foundation of the house is significantly reduced, so the requirements for the strength of the building can be reduced. If you are planning to build a one-story house, then according to experts, it is quite possible to use a pile foundation with a hanging grillage.
In practice, this approach even allows you to save on construction as a whole.
2.1 Laying heat blocks
Installation of heat blocks is carried out in one row using glue, which must be diluted with plain water before use. In general, the laying process is carried out quite quickly, if several aspects are taken into account in advance:
- correctly calculate the external linear dimensions of the entire building;
- calculate the order.
The process itself can be accelerated by the use of glue, which is kneaded quickly and right before laying. Moreover, the consumption of adhesive material is not particularly large.
The only point: only the bottom row of heat blocks should be installed on a cement mortar on top of several layers of roofing material laid on the foundation.
Then laying is carried out using glue.
To apply the adhesive, it is recommended to use a notched trowel, which is also used for gluing ceramic tiles. If during the laying process the heat block became uneven, it can be leveled relative to the row, while using a rubber mallet.
During the alignment process, outward may stand out adhesive residue, they must be wiped off immediately, without waiting for the material to dry. We hope that the information in this article was useful to you and will help you decide on the choice of building material.
2.2 Making foam blocks with your own hands (video)
Video 1. The process of manufacturing a heat block.
To make a heat block, you must prepare in advance:
- Textured layer (produced by vibrocasting in a plastic mold).
- Foam liner with fiberglass reinforcement frame.
- Semi-dry cement-sand mixture.
The machine is available in Irkutsk
Heat blocks the only one building material that can be made independently from readily available, cheap local material (polystyrene, sand, cement, fiberglass reinforcement).
Rice. 1. Ready-made heat block with a textured layer "Ragged Stone" measuring 19x40x40 cm and a foam insert of 20 cm.
Raw material cost of a heat block (foam insert 20 cm) with a textured layer (19x20x40 cm) own production with fiberglass reinforcement 67 rubles/pc.
Rice. 2. Industrial vibrator IV-98B (Krasny Mayak plant) for 220 or 380 Volts.
The walls of a standard house (12x12m and a height of 3m) at a raw material cost of 67 rubles / pc. x 1.800 pcs. = You will be charged120.600 R.
Rice. 3. Plastic molds measuring 19x40 cm from 3 different manufacturers; fiberglass reinforcement 4 mm; foam insert measuring 19x20x40 cm with a fiberglass frame.
You keep 3 profits for yourself:
1. directly from the heat block manufacturer;
2. block carrier;
3 . hired bricklayer.
The undeniable advantages of heat blocks:
The heat block retains heat better than any other wall material. Heating costs are two times less than in a brick house.
Rice. 5. Appearance of the machine for 2 heat blocks.
The low weight of the heat block of 22 kg and large dimensions make it possible to do without the services of a bricklayer and significantly increase the speed of laying on a chain system.
Video 2. Chain system for laying heat blocks (taken from Dmitry Vasenin's channel).
Fully finished facade and finished interior walls. No need to do facade work and align the walls inside the house.
15% more usable area in the house with the same building spot, and with a building spot of 10x10 - this is an additional room of 15 sq.m.
A heat block wall is 2.5 times lighter than a brick wall, so the requirements for the foundation are lower and it is cheaper.
You yourself make a heat block on a concreted area (you can do it around the future house with a width of 1.5 m). You don’t need to physically drag the blocks far away - right into the wall. No crane needed (see video).
Video 3. Lifting the heat block with a lift(taken from Dmitry Vasenin's channel).
Call me personally on my mobile.
Here is my phone number:
8-950-117-35-28 , Konstantin
Call to designate the time when it will be convenient for you to come (11 km of the Baikal tract, ISHI, garage cooperative) and see the manufacturing process and the finished 4-layer heat block live. [email protected] , and I will send you all the information (photos, videos, concrete mixes for the construction ofheat blocks, etc.).
The variety of materials on the construction market allows consumers to choose the best raw materials for the construction of residential and industrial facilities. And many large enterprises began to expand the range of products in order to offer customers new technologies. One of these developments was the manufacture of heat blocks with their own hands. Every novice entrepreneur can bring an idea to life. To start a business, you can do without expensive equipment and hiring qualified personnel!
Our business valuation:
Starting investments - from 150,000 rubles.
Market saturation is low.
The complexity of starting a business is 5/10.
The technology for the production of heat blocks was developed in Russia. This is a unique material in its properties that can be used for civil low-rise construction. The heatblock is a three-layer system of expanded polystyrene and expanded clay concrete with an external finish of concrete.
Analyze the construction market in your and neighboring regions. If there are few construction enterprises here, then there is every chance for a successful start of the business, since consumers (private and legal entities) will be interested in purchasing cheaper products from a local factory - they will not have to spend money on the delivery of raw materials.
Make a detailed business plan for the production of heat blocks so that every step is thought out. Already at this stage, you will determine the budget that will be required to start the plant.
What are the business prospects?
It is quite risky to organize a large-scale enterprise right away. In addition, not every novice entrepreneur will be able to get money for the implementation of a large project. Even experienced businessmen do not take such risks. In this regard, the best option would be the production of heat blocks at home - based on your own garage or suburban area.
Business profitability in the presence of high consumer demand will be high. And it will definitely be if you tell potential buyers about the benefits of the material. Feedback from builders is only positive:
- Excellent decorative qualities of the blocks due to the external concrete finish.
- High rates of thermal insulation.
- Increased sound insulation.
- Wear resistance.
- Reliability.
- Low transportation costs due to the relatively low weight of the blocks.
- Reducing the overall labor intensity of the building construction process.
You can open a mini plant for the production of heat blocks in several "formats" - to sell material to consumers or, together with the manufacture of products, also provide construction services. The second option is much more promising, but then get ready for additional costs, since you will need to purchase additional equipment and machinery, hire a team of workers.
Technology for the production of heat blocks
It won't take long to master the release technology. If you have any doubts, you can contact the specialists from whom you buy equipment. For an additional fee, they will set up the machines and select the optimal composition of the mixture. But many entrepreneurs create the recipe themselves, acting by trial and error.
The manufacturing technology of heat blocks with decorative cladding is based on the vibrocasting method:
- Bulk components (dry cement, sand, expanded clay gravel) are fed into the mixer for mixing. Liquid raw materials - water, chemical additives - also come here.
- The mixed mixture is dosed and poured into textured molds. In parallel, the fittings are installed and the insulation is laid. The procedure is carried out on a vibrating table.
- Forms with a mixture are fed into the thermal chamber. Mini installation, heating "semi-finished products", gives them strength and the necessary quality characteristics. The process takes 4 hours. Without the use of special equipment, the time increases to 8 hours.
- Demoulding is carried out manually or with the help of a special apparatus. Forms for heat blocks are released from building materials and go to the sink.
- Finished products are stored on pallets and wrapped with stretch film.
If you make heat blocks at home, without using a vibrating table and other automatic equipment, the release rate will be minimal. In the equipped workshops, many operations are carried out by machines, which will allow the production of large quantities of goods.
In order to offer heat blocks to large construction companies, it does not hurt to obtain licenses and quality certificates for manufactured products. To do this, it is necessary to hand over samples of the material for testing to the laboratory. The certification process is lengthy and will require additional financial investments.
Purchase of technological equipment
The line for the production of heat blocks is the most impressive expense item. Consider offers from suppliers, compare prices, analyze specifications. It is much more convenient to buy a ready-made line than each machine separately. If you are running a full-fledged enterprise, then you cannot do without a set of equipment:
- dispenser bins,
- concrete mixer,
- vipropress,
- forms,
- formwork,
- machine for stripping finished products,
- steam chamber,
- table for cutting heat blocks.
Order several types of forms at once, designed for different sizes of heat blocks.
The price of the installation for the production of heat blocks will depend on the capacity. Lines with a capacity of up to 5 m 3 cost within 500,000 rubles. The average price range for equipment with a capacity of up to 15 m 3 is within 1,500,000 rubles. A line with a capacity of 20 m 3 will cost 2,000,000 rubles. Mini plant for the production of heat blocks is the best solution for start-up entrepreneurs. It is advisable to install high-performance units at the enterprise only when the demand for manufactured products is stable.
Some automatic and semi-automatic vibropresses for the production of heat blocks can be used for the production of other building materials - for example, sand blocks.
Do-it-yourself production of heat blocks does not require large investments from entrepreneurs - you only need to buy some devices. This list can include a vibrating table (from 50,000 rubles) and forms with 6-12 cells (from 10,000 rubles / piece). In this case, the solution will have to be kneaded by hand, and the finished products should be dried in the open air. Really save money when buying used equipment. But make sure you buy quality machines.
Premises and staff
A semi-automatic installation for the production of heat blocks with your own hands will not require large areas. 50-100 m 2 is enough to accommodate everything you need. If we talk about a full-fledged enterprise, where at least 15 m 3 of finished products are produced per day, you will have to look for a room much larger - up to 500 m 2.
In addition to the main workshop, where equipment for the production of heat blocks with cladding will be installed, it is necessary to allocate free space for the storage of raw materials and finished products.
The semi-automatic machine for the production of heat blocks will be able to serve 4-7 workers. If you are running a home business, then you will also need help - hire at least 2 people - for loading / unloading, mixing components.
Profitability of the planned business
To buy equipment for the production of heat blocks with a capacity of up to 5 m 3, prepare a room for work, purchase raw materials and draw up all documents, you will need at least 1,000,000 rubles. If you buy a second-hand unit for the production of heat blocks, the costs can be reduced to 700,000 rubles. Planning a big project? Then in the section of the business plan devoted to investment costs, a more impressive figure will appear - up to 3,000,000 rubles.
Since the price of equipment for the production of heat blocks with your own hands is much lower, it will take no more than 150,000 rubles to start a home business.
All investments will begin to pay off as soon as customers are found. And here you should not underestimate the importance of advertising - popularize your products among the inhabitants of your region. You can use different tools - ads in newspapers, the Internet and on the radio, commercial offers to large developers, participation in exhibitions. It doesn't hurt to create your own website, where visitors can explore the range of products and contact you to order.
Realistically assess the capabilities of your workshop. It is not worth promising customers large daily deliveries of finished products if a low-power machine for heat blocks is installed at the mini-enterprise, which cannot “pull” such volumes. This level should be reached later.
The wholesale sale of heat blocks today is at least 130 rubles per piece. Its cost price is 50-80 rubles / piece.
The heat block has all the characteristics in order to remain in demand and popular material among builders.
Its main advantages are:
- in the presence of the power part of the heat block, which makes it a durable and reliable material. As a rule, this part is made of concrete or expanded clay;
- in the presence of an insulated part, which is made of foam;
- in the presence of the facing side of the heat block, which is made using any pattern or ornament.
In the production of heat blocks, it is possible to obtain not only wall material, but also material that already has a part of the insulated and facing side.
How is the production of a heat block?
At the moment, the production takes place according to a new method. The method consists in vibrocompression. Previously, it was produced using vibrocasting. This method was less technologically productive and therefore, thanks to modern mechanization of production, installations for the manufacture of heat blocks have reached a new, modern level.
As a result, productivity on such equipment has increased by 5-7 times, and the quality of manufactured products has increased by 4-6 times.
Video: vibropress VP-600.
Vibropresses for the production of heat blocks can be equipped with various concrete mixers, as well as supplemented with various elements in order to improve the quality and quantity of heat blocks in one installation. If you change the equipment that produces the form, then the device will produce bricks, curbs, garden tiles.
Depending on the volume of production, the equipment of such an installation may be different. Depending on this, the price of such equipment also varies, which can cost from 350,000 to 2,000,000 rubles.
Benefits of automated equipment
The production of heat blocks on automated equipment has a lot of advantages, including:
- The time for which one heat block is produced is 1 minute.
- Energy savings, as the heat block dries at a temperature of 15-18 degrees, so a drying chamber is not required.
- The area required to house the equipment. On average, 50-70 sq / m of area will be required with a ceiling height of 3 meters.
The main components of the device for the production of heat blocks
Equipment that produces heat blocks must be equipped with a minimum list of devices that will make this production possible. This list should include:
- vibropress.
- Vibrating chair, for the manufacture of additional heat blocks.
- A table, but which can be used to cut polystyrene.
- Plastic molds for pressing various shapes.
- Plastic molds for the production of half heat blocks.
- Formwork, thanks to which it is possible to produce corner heat blocks.
- Metal plate for openings.
- Formwork puller.
- Container for vibropress made of chipboard.
Such equipment will cost about 800,000 rubles. You will also need additional equipment, including:
- Styrofoam cutting machine.
- Shelves.
- Steam generator.
- Loader.
- Steaming chamber.
Additional equipment will also amount to about 500,000 rubles. It is much more profitable to purchase such a device separately for component parts.
Is it possible to make a device for the production of heat blocks yourself?
It is impossible to manufacture completely all the equipment on your own due to the complexity of some devices from a technological point of view. For example, such elements include a vibrating press and a vibrating chair, a loader, formwork and its remover.
But more simple elements, you can do it yourself. It can be a table, forms, racks. However, in order for the heat blocks to be of the highest quality, it is advisable to buy the entire device from the manufacturer.
Video: equipment for the manufacture of heat blocks.
Far from the simplest production of heat blocks requires the use of a carefully verified recipe for the concrete base of the blocks and the technology of forming polyblocks. Nevertheless, it is quite possible to make heat blocks with your own hands in semi-handicraft conditions, if you do not save on equipment and consumables.
Technology for the manufacture of heat blocks
The main difference in the production of heat blocks lies in the method of obtaining a concrete bearing base or a durable layer. For home-made three-layer blocks, three process options are used:
- Vibrocompression of concrete mix;
- Formation of heat blocks by ordinary casting of concrete into a prepared form;
- Manual gluing of heat blocks from separate layers.
Note! All three methods differ in cost, quality, accuracy of geometric dimensions and strength of the resulting blocks.
Therefore, the choice of technology for the production of heat blocks directly depends on their further use and the availability of equipment.
For example, for a small one-story house, a polyblock made on a rented vibrating press is suitable. Full-fledged two-three-story cottages are built from cast sand-cement heat blocks. To finish the facade with an expensive type of tile, tiles made of natural stone or porcelain stoneware, the technology of manual gluing of blocks is used.
Features of the production of heat blocks with their own hands
There are many expert opinions that defend the advantages of one or another method for the production of three-layer polyblocks with polystyrene foam insulation. Their statements should be treated with a certain degree of skepticism, since most judgments are made on the basis of the quality of the received single handicraft products, without taking into account and analyzing the compliance of handicraftsmen with all the requirements of the technological process.
Important! If the technology is strictly observed, without adjustments for local features, then with any manufacturing method, the heat blocks are strong and durable.
This was proved both by Finnish technologists and European experience in the construction of residential low-rise buildings from a three-layer material.
Equipment for the production of heat blocks
It makes sense to engage in the production of composite concrete blocks only if it is possible to rent or buy high-quality equipment for the production of thermal blocks. On average, the payback of a line for stone is at least six months with 80% of the machine park.
It is possible to produce solid heat blocks with your own hands only in single copies, no more than 3-5 pieces per day. With such an organization of production, the cost of a block will not be 260-270 rubles. per stone, and all 300 rubles. with significantly lower mechanical characteristics.
For mass production of heat blocks, vibrocompression technology is used. This is the best option. The Monolit line shown in the photo is capable of producing several thousand high quality polystyrene blocks.
For handicraft production, hydraulic vibropresses or the simplest manual machines with a mechanical drive are used. In this case, the technology for the production of heat blocks does not change, only the method of creating force is different - with the help of an electric motor or by hand.
The injection method of production provides for automatic preparation of the mixture and pouring molds with a foam insert laid inside. Forms with filled heatblocks harden and stand in heat at a temperature ranging from +5 to +45 o C. Forms for pouring are standardly assembled in packages of three pieces in a row.
In addition to molds and press equipment, you will need a machine for making foam inserts, or you will have to cut polystyrene bricks with hot wire.
Production of heat blocks on a vibropress
Most of the claims are made against heat blocks made by vibration pressing. The main list of claims is as follows:
- Low mechanical strength of expanded clay concrete;
- Poor adhesion of decorative stone or concrete with a foam insert, which causes delamination and accumulation of moisture inside the polyblock;
- Large error in the geometric dimensions of the heat block.
The strength of a heat block with an expanded clay concrete layer is indeed lower than that of a block with a cast sand-cement mixture. In the latter, the strength of the concrete casting reaches class B12 or M150. When using expanded clay, the heat block loses up to 60% of its original strength, but still the material is twice as strong as the same aerated concrete.
Problems with poor adhesion or polyblock geometry only occur when the foam liner is not prepared or the vibrocompression is done by hand.
Note! To compact the form of a heat block with expanded clay concrete, much more time and a higher frequency of the vibrator are required.
The process of manufacturing a heat block on a machine with an electric or hydraulic drive consists of the following steps:
The process of manufacturing heat blocks is highly dependent on compliance with the conditions of hardening. Expanded clay polyblocks with foam insulation withstand two days in a warm and humid atmosphere, only in this case there will be no cracks or chips on the surface. Cement-sand heat blocks withstand up to 20 days at a positive temperature and regular surface moistening. Sometimes in the process of home production, the conditions for holding the material are neglected, as a result of which cracks appear in the concrete.
Production of a cast heat block
The technology for manufacturing blocks by casting practically does not differ from the manufacture of reinforced concrete slabs, with the only difference being that the compaction of the cement-sand mixture in the metal form of the heat block is significantly higher than that of expanded clay concrete models.
The form with the installed foam insert and fittings is mounted on a vibrating table and poured with concrete. The secret of the high strength of cement-sand heat blocks is the use of special plasticizers that ensure the removal of air bubbles.
In contrast to the vibropress technology, when concrete is poured into the mold simultaneously from both sides of the liner, in the casting scheme, the layers are laid sequentially. The mass is in the form until the set of residual strength. It is not very convenient, since it is possible to release the equipment without damage to the structure of the polyblock only on the second day.
Accordingly, if you plan production in artisanal conditions, you will need to stock up on plastic molds in a double set, but still, the daily output usually barely exceeds 50 blocks.
It is possible to make three-layer stones even in conditions where it is not possible to purchase or buy suitable equipment for heat blocks. The poured mixture is compacted with a manual tamper, or fabric liners are placed in the mold, and the solution is kneaded with an excess of 15% of water. If the casting of a three-layer block is kept not for 1-2 days, but for at least four days at a temperature of 10-12 ° C, then the strength of the polyblock will be no worse than after the vibrating table, however, with higher shrinkage.
glue blocks
In addition to foam plastic and concrete, mineral fiber, XPS, polyurethane foam and even foam glass are actively used in production. For mineral and basalt fibers, XPS can be cast without separation of layers, according to the usual scheme. But in this case, the polyblocks are not strong enough, so in piece production they are often glued with acrylic mixtures.
A similar method is used in situations where natural stone tiles are used for exterior decoration. In order not to risk the material, marble limestone, gabbro and even certain types of ceramics are most often glued onto an already finished stone.
Production of liners for heat blocks
For a small batch of polyblocks, embedded inserts can be made with a conventional wire cutter from nichrome wire. If we are talking about the production of several hundred three-layer blocks per day, then you will need a special slot machine, as in the video
Inside the double-walled box there is a wire profiled contour. The blank of the liner cut to size, passing through the hot template, receives the required profile of the grooves.
After passing through the hot wire, the surface of the foam does not melt, as when cutting with a hand tool, but acquires a dense and rough texture. If the liners have to be cut with a hand tool, then the foam surface is pre-treated with a primer before pouring.
Forms for heat blocks
A standard mold for a vibropress machine is made of metal according to a box-shaped scheme with a quick-detachable bottom. The box is fixed on the bed of the press and set under the dimensions of the movement of the punch. The loads on the walls of the form are relatively small, so the service life of the fixture can be hundreds of thousands of pieces of the heat block.
For vibrocasting, collapsible molds made of high-impact ABS plastic are used. The material easily withstands prolonged heating up to 75 ° C, so the polyblocks can be kept in the steaming chamber.
Vibropress for heat blocks
One of the most interesting equipment options for home production is the VP600 universal vibropress. With a mass of equipment with equipment of just over 180 kg, the press is able to form a full-fledged block weighing 30 kg in 30 seconds.
More powerful equipment, for example, vibropress VIPR1-2M, provides production at the level of 50-60 polyblocks per hour.
Machine for heat blocks
For home production of polyblocks, the use of vibropress equipment VP600 or VIPR turns out to be too energy-intensive and expensive to maintain. Simpler and cheaper fixtures and machines provide acceptable performance in terms of the number of polyblocks at a minimum price and energy consumption.
The simplest version of the machine for the production of blocks is shown in the photo.
The design is a vibrating table with a frame on which movable consoles with pressing punches are fixed. The table is driven by a 500 W electric motor, which is quite enough for vibrating compaction of heat blocks 600x300 mm in size.
For laying and removing the mold, the machine design uses a rolling trolley, while the equipment is designed for a load of 300 pieces of a block per day.
Business plan for the production of heat blocks
The selling price of a branded three-layer block is 260 rubles. To receive permanent orders, the cost of a block 40x30x20 cm should be no more than 250 rubles. with a thickness of insulation of 100 mm, a solid base - 150 mm, decorative cladding - 50 mm.
Accordingly, the cost of materials for the production of ten polyblocks will be:
- Cement-sand mixture - 170 l or 350 rubles, in the manufacture of the batch on their own;
- Expanded polystyrene insert 40x20x10. The cost of ten foam inserts will be equal to 150 rubles;
- A decorative stone for ten pieces will cost 100-120 rubles.
In total, the cost of materials for the manufacture of ten blocks will amount to 600-620 rubles.
In addition, the cost of a set of forms is another 10,000 rubles. The price of the simplest machine for heat blocks is 85 thousand rubles. In total, the cost of producing the first commercial batch of 500 pieces will amount to 30 thousand rubles. for materials and 95 thousand rubles. for equipment. The proceeds from production will amount to 125 thousand rubles.
Conclusion
The production of heat blocks, using high-quality equipment and materials, is considered a highly profitable business. It will take at least three months for the project to pay for itself, after which the production will bring a steady profit, provided that at least a thousand polyblocks are sold per month.
