For the construction of cottages, country houses, cottages, garages, you can use inexpensive wood concrete. The technology of its production differs depending on the conditions in which the material is located. Arbolite is made both at the factory and with their own hands. When self-manufacturing, certain proportions of raw materials must be observed in order to achieve its high strength. Wood concrete has a number of advantages, among which it is worth highlighting low cost, minimal thermal conductivity, ease of production, natural ingredients. From such a building material it will be possible to build a block, panels and slabs of the required shapes. By pouring the mixture into the formwork, you will get a monolithic wood concrete, which is used for the construction of external load-bearing walls of low houses in two or three floors and partitions, as well as heat and sound insulating building materials.
In this short review, we will consider the nuances of the production and use of wood concrete blocks at home.
Sawdust concrete is made from three main components:
1. portland cement or sulfate-resistant mixture (its pozzolanic appearance cannot be added);
2. modifying additives and organic filler supplied by the timber industry. These can be sawdust, small chips, needles, wood chips, crushed bark and hard stems of agricultural crops;
3. chemical additives that regulate the porosity of wood concrete, accelerate hardening, increase bactericidal properties and make the material more durable.
Advantages
Do-it-yourself arbolite is easy to make at home, just fill the mold with a pre-made mixture. The technology is simple, it is enough to know the proportions of the components. This procedure can be performed independently at the facility, saving money on the transportation of building materials. Among the shortcomings that characterize wood concrete, only high moisture absorption in the range of 50-80% is called. Due to low moisture resistance in areas with high humidity, waterproofing and a high concrete foundation will be required. But the arbolite block has a lot of advantages:
1. multifunctionality - suitable for various construction works, you can give the necessary shape yourself by sawing.
2. economy - this building material is made from waste, and high thermal insulation allows you to spend less on heating;
3. heat resistance, despite the content of wood waste;
4. when properly processed is not affected by microorganisms;
5. provides sound insulation;
6. homogeneous lightweight material, indispensable on problematic soils and in seismically active zones;
7. Perfectly holds fasteners and light fittings for finishing.
It should be noted that not all types of wood are suitable for adding to wood concrete: coniferous and hardwood waste, except for beech, is suitable for these purposes. The use of the latter is not allowed.
What will be needed for work?
Manufacturing technology involves a choice among two options: with large financial investments and budget. The first involves the purchase or rental of special equipment, including wood chips for the manufacture of wood concrete, mixers, rammers, molds and ovens for drying finished products.
The second option will be useful to those who are interested in making wood concrete at home for a private household. Of the equipment you only need a concrete mixer. The technological scheme, according to which the wood concrete is created, at the first stage involves the preparation of the filler. To do this, it is necessary to take only dry woodworking waste, because wet wood takes on water and swells, and this can cause uneven drying, in which the wood block can be deformed and destroyed.
To protect yourself from decay processes, clean the filler from microorganisms. The first stage at which wood concrete blocks are produced will be the processing of the mixture with a solution of lime. For each cubic meter, 2.5 kg of cement and 150-200 liters of water are required. After that, wood waste is kept for three days, stirring regularly.
Hydrated lime, calcium chloride or aluminum sulphate in the ratio of 2-4% of the amount of cement can be used as chemical additives. For such purposes, liquid glass is also used in the proportion of 9-10 kg per cubic meter of wood concrete.
The second stage involves the manufacture of a mold where the wood concrete block will be stored. Of the necessary tools and raw materials, we need:
- boards and bars;
- hacksaw;
- to choose from: plywood, steel or linoleum;
- nails and hammer;
- pencil and ruler.
The form for sawdust concrete consists of a bottom and side walls, which we realize from boards of the required size. It is better to make collapsible containers to facilitate stripping. It is convenient to make a long form with bridges, where the wood block can be produced in large quantities at the same time. Finished products for storing material must be sheathed on the inside with plywood, a thin sheet of iron or steel. There are also factory fixtures with which it will be possible to build an arbolite block of complex design, but if you are making building materials only for yourself, this is an extra cost.
Proportions and manufacturing technology
The instruction, according to which wood concrete is produced in 1 cubic meter, assumes the following proportions of materials: 250-300 kg of filler, the same amount of Portland cement and 400 liters of water. The ratio of components is regulated depending on specific tasks: for example, less cement can be taken for insulation and partitions in houses. If you add more, the wood concrete will become stronger, but heavier. With the introduction of liquid glass, the block will be harder, but also brittle. The proportions of chemical additives are discussed above.
When the preparatory work is over, we proceed directly to the process of mixing wood concrete. According to technology, first we pour the filler cleared of earth, leaves and other impurities into the concrete mixer, and then fill it with a solution of water with chemical additives. The arbolite mixture must be pre-mixed, and only after that Portland cement can be poured in a small amount. The instruction will help you to follow the technological process. It is better to mix the ingredients gradually, rather than all at once, to avoid lumps.
The form where the wood concrete will be stored must first be lubricated with a solution of lime. Next, you need to put the mixture there, thoroughly tamping the layers. To make a lightweight block, you can insert a block of wood into the mold to create voids. If necessary, it is easy to do it yourself and its weighted version for load-bearing walls by adding reinforcement.
If desired, it will come out to independently make a decorated block of wood concrete. To do this, you need to lay stones at the bottom of the mold and pour them with a concrete solution about 2 cm thick. Then the arbolite mixture is made in the classical way. In this process, it is important that the wood concrete block remains in shape for at least 24 hours, and then stored under a canopy for drying, which, depending on the temperature, can last about two weeks. In order for the block to acquire maximum strength, it is recommended to put it under a film for final hydration at a temperature of 15 ° C for 10 days while still wet. To ensure a long service life, try not to let the fresh block cool down below 0°C. Sawdust concrete in the summer in the heat will not dry out and crack during drying, if it is periodically sprayed with water.
If time permits, it is better to make the first entry small in order to check the ratio of ingredients, the properties of the wood concrete block and determine suitability for specific purposes. The finished block of the trial batch is checked for reliability. For this purpose, a testing scheme is being developed, during which it is tested for the possibility of sawing with different tools, perforating, gluing, and bearing weights. When observing some inconsistency of the blocks with the tasks set, it is necessary to correct the proportions of the composition.
Having prepared a sufficient number of forms, it is possible to organize the production of wood concrete at home with a volume of about a hundred blocks per day. This is enough for you to ensure an uninterrupted construction process. The guide will help to maintain the proportions of the components if the arbolite mixture is made by hand for the implementation of private building plans.
Room.
Staff.
Marketing research
.
Advertising.
Sales of products.
Investments
Payback.
Arbolite production technology.
Arbolit or, as the people say, “sawdust concrete” is made from cement, sawdust (wood chips or straw), sand by mixing them into a solution and naturally drying the material in special forms. To increase the strength of the manufactured blocks / bricks, they are subjected to shrinkage on a special vibrating machine.
It is thanks to its operational qualities that Arbolit has gained such popularity as an affordable, inexpensive building material. At first glance, the simple manufacturing technology of such a building material is tempting from the point of view of starting a business. However, you should always remember that any business consists of many little things, without which it is impossible to achieve a successful result. Therefore, the selection of raw materials in this production plays an important role. For example, the sand must not be “washed” so that the blocks do not shrink during production.
Cement is purchased last and stored in sealed packaging until the very beginning of production, because it is very hygroscopic and even being in a dry room without moisture, it will absorb it from the air and will not be suitable for production if it stays a little time in the open air. And finally, wood chips (straw, sawdust). Rather, its condition and size. If the plant component is wet, then in such a “brick” such negative processes as rotting, decomposition, the appearance of insects, etc. will develop.
About the size, it should be said that the smaller the size of sawdust (chips, straw), the stronger such a brick can be after drying. By the way, this is its positive feature - it slightly restores its shape after a mechanical shock, and also does not crack. After all, the smaller the particle sizes in such a material, the more of them will fall into the volume of such a brick, and thereby the area of the seized surface between the components will increase. To summarize the above a little, it turns out that the size of such particles should be as fine and small as possible, and they should be very dry.
An alternative option to reduce the moisture content of the organic component is to use lime. Organics are kept in solution for several days. This option is economically justified only in small-scale production, or in production “for oneself”, and does not allow reducing costs and overheads. For serial production of wood concrete blocks, it is necessary to additionally have a special machine for the production of chips and drying.
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location for production.
A huge role in choosing a place for production is played by the location of sources of raw materials and their availability. Such production belongs to the class of raw materials and energy-intensive, therefore, for a successful start on the market, such components as sand, wood chips (sawdust, straw) ideally should not have a “shoulder” of delivery, or the “shoulder” should be very small. Be free whenever possible. Free sand mining in district centers or near villages is not uncommon.
And you can take ready-made sawdust from a sawmill, where they are production waste. If some of the components are missing or difficult to access, then you need to take a more balanced approach to choosing a place for future production. When choosing, an ideal place should be considered a small regional center (where there is cheap labor) located on a forest terrace (where there are deposits of ordinary free sand), or next to a sand pit and a working sawmill (for access to sawdust), a convenient transport interchange (for delivering blocks and transportation of cement with lime). If the construction of a microdistrict is planned nearby, the construction of private houses is underway, then there is every chance for a successful business project.
If you have decided on the choice of the future place of production, you should think about the very organization of the technological process.
Organization of business - workshops for mini-production of wood concrete.
Attention! We recommend starting your own business for the production of wood concrete blocks, not on your own, but under a franchise! Since there are many pitfalls in this business, on which you will leave more finances and psychological fatigue than with the support of professionals with a promoted brand!
If the business is planned not as a one-time business, but as a long-term business, a production facility should be considered. From its construction ideology, the placement of the production line, the supply, storage of raw materials, storage of finished products will be built. The requirements for the production premises are as follows: insulated non-residential premises up to 5-6 meters high and 25 by 10 meters in size. The bunding of the room can be made with mineral wool or foam plastic to maintain the optimum temperature (up to 15-20 degrees Celsius) in the winter. This is necessary for uniform drying of the finished brick blocks.
Glazing of the room should be at the level of 5-7% of the area of the fence (the total area of all walls). Must have at least two lock chambers: for receiving raw materials and shipping finished blocks and one entrance / exit for personnel. An easily assembled hangar, an old brick shed, a cowshed can be adapted for production, as long as they meet the above requirements.
The room must have a protected (grounded) 380 volt power supply line that can “withstand” several three-phase electric motors that operate simultaneously. This requires laying the appropriate section of electrical wiring for at least three / four consumers (electric motor). Due to the increased fire hazard (the presence of drying, dry chips or sawdust with straw), the premises must comply with the fire safety category of type A or B. That is, be equipped with special sensors against ignition, automatic fire extinguishing.
It is recommendatory in nature to place a button to call the fire brigade of the Ministry of Emergency Situations in case of fire. Also, in especially dangerous places, the room is equipped with fire hydrants and fire extinguishers (foam and acid). In the work area of the personnel, the room is equipped with a special vestibule lock, which, in the event of a fire, cuts off the open flame and allows the personnel to leave the room.
Each machine, as well as in general, the entire production line is responsible for one production task. Each machine can be made by hand to reduce the cost of the production process and facilitate operation. However, for large series, such a line is not suitable due to low production capacity.
Let's dwell on each in more detail.
Chip cutter.
A chipper or an industrial chipper (straw, sawdust) is a drum chipper, in the drum of which several tool steel knives and so-called hammers are installed on the axis for automatic supply of raw materials for grinding (old boards, branches, wooden slabs, etc. ).
The knives and hammers themselves are surrounded around the perimeter by a special perforated inner drum, through which the finished chips are spilled. The outer drum made of sheet steel serves as protection against spillage and scattering of wood chips. The drum is mounted on a frame with a three-phase electric motor and a belt drive with a starting device (start button and a set of capacitors). After the initial preparation, the chips are dried either naturally or in a special dryer.
Dryer for wood chips.
Drying is the second operation after the chipper to prepare the chips for the finished condition. The high performance characteristics of the wood concrete block depend on its quality. Visually, drying is a double drum with a diameter of about 2 meters. The outer drum is perforated and warm air is supplied through it for drying from a heat gun through a flexible non-flammable sleeve or asbestos pipe. The inner drum rotates and mixes the chips, and also prevents ignition from the flow of warm air. The volume of drying allows for one day shift to prepare (dry wood chips) for 90-100 blocks of wood concrete. The higher the consumption of the heat gun (optimally up to 3 kW), the faster the drying process will take place.
Mortar mixer.
The mortar mixer is next in the production cycle. The mortar mixer for the production mixture of arbolite is a cylindrical vat with a lateral vertical loading system for the components of the arbolite solution and a lower system for unloading the prepared mixture.
An engine up to 5 kW is located vertically above the mortar mixer with a gearbox with a small reduction ratio (optimally 20:3, 10:1.5) and a system of blades (vanes) mounted on them for mixing the mixture. The volume of the vat is calculated based on the required production capacity of the day shift. Mini production means batches of up to 500-1000 pieces. finished wood concrete blocks in one shift. For such a volume, a vat of up to 5 cubic meters is required.
Depending on the density (brand) of wood concrete blocks, the raw mixture is prepared in the following proportions. Wood concrete density grade 5 (density 300-400 kg / cubic meters). By volume, the composition of the mixture: one part of cement, sand is not added, sawdust - 15 parts by volume, lime 1.5 parts. Wood concrete density grade 10 (density 600-700 kg / cubic meters). By volume, the composition of the mixture: one part of cement, one part of lime, 1.5 parts of sand, 12 parts of wood chips. Wood concrete density grade 15 (density 900-1100 kg / cubic meters).
By volume, the composition of the mixture: one part of cement, 0.5 lime, 2.5 parts of sand, 9 volume parts of sawdust. Wood concrete density grade 25 (density 1200-1300 kg / cubic meters). By volume, the composition of the mixture: one part of cement, lime is not needed, 3 parts of sand, 6 volume parts of sawdust. In all brands of finished wood concrete, water is added in such a way that the consistency of the solution is brought to the level of "sour cream", as the people say. Therefore, for each case, the volume of water is first selected experimentally on an experimental series, and then measured according to the finished volume.
Forms.
The molding dispenser of arbolite bricks is a replaceable form for filling the volume of such a "brick". The form itself is made of steel with handles on the sides and upholstery inside the form (film, linoleum at worst) and removable top and bottom covers. The form may look like several “bricks” in several rows, and their number in the form directly depends on the volume of production.
Vibrating table.
The size of the vibrating table also depends on the size of the molding dispenser.
The vibrating table is a steel table commensurate with the dimensions of the dispenser, which is spring-loaded and connected to the frame (the main heavy table). A three-vane motor up to 1.5 kW is mounted on the frame, on the axis of which an eccentric is mounted (a load with a displaced center of gravity). When turned on, systematic vibrations of the upper part of the table occur. Such manipulations are necessary for better shrinkage of arbolite blocks in the solution molds and the exclusion of mechanical and external shortcomings of the blocks after removal of the mold. Drying blocks.
Drying for finished blocks of wood concrete is necessary for the speedy drying of the blocks and their presentation. The dryer itself should be located after the dryer for chips, from which hot exhaust air would come. In summer, it is enough to use an open area for drying near the working room under a roof or a canopy from the rain.
Bunker for cement and sand.
Bunkers for cement and sand are made of cold-rolled sheet in the form of conical square or rectangular containers with a narrowing at the bottom for supplying raw materials to the supply lines.
Raw material supply lines are needed for the convenience of work and are a conveyor with a rubber belt. The length of the tape overhang is set based on the conditions and dimensions of the production line.
Staff.
Recruitment of personnel to work with the production line. One unskilled specialist is capable of producing 90-100 raw blocks per day shift on the production line. Therefore, if a small volume of production is expected, then it is enough to hire one hired worker. Which will sequentially perform production operations. If the production volume is more than 100 blocks per day, three to five hired workers should be hired. All employees are required to take firefighting training courses and know how to behave in case of fire in a hazardous workplace.
Marketing research.
Marketing research starts before production. Market research for finished products begins with the selection of the so-called target audience. Or in other words - to whom we will sell.
Wood concrete is not suitable as a material for large construction sites due to the low compression characteristics of this product, as well as due to the small amount of products produced. Arbolit and its production are carried out on the basis of the corresponding GOST. However, GOST can be modified to meet your higher requirements for finished products in order to gain a competitive advantage.
To gain an advantage over competitors, you should think about the production of wood concrete blocks that do not require plastering. And immediately lay in the blocks raw materials for production along with plaster or a special block around the entire perimeter, which will prevent the penetration of moisture. The second direction can be the simultaneous coloring of blocks in the form of multi-colored paint at the request of the customer, or to make several special forms with an ornament and simultaneous coloring. A promising direction for the use of wood concrete can be winter greenhouses.
Wood concrete will perfectly fit into load-bearing walls, floors, arched structures of greenhouses. Due to its excellent thermal insulation properties and low price, wood concrete can easily compete with traditional building materials.
The main target audience for which such blocks can be offered are private traders who build their own houses, small contractors that carry out the construction of cottage villages and eco-houses. Not limited to the target audience of residential buildings, the production of SAFs (small architectural forms), quickly erected shops, sheds, farms, etc. should also be present in marketing research.
As a rule, such people are very well versed in the intricacies of construction, and private traders are quite well-read and informed from construction forums. Therefore, a person who will offer such a specialized material should be able to explain the advantages of wood concrete blocks, their benefits over other materials (high mechanical performance properties, heat resistance), and most importantly, the price.
It is the price, along with quality, that sometimes plays a paramount role, especially if you take into account the target audience of buyers, which belongs to the economy class. The price should be at least 15-20% (and preferably more up to 35-40%) lower than the same class of building material. To achieve this price, it is necessary to reduce overhead costs and the cost of finished products. Here, the prices and costs of raw materials, which were mentioned above, come to the fore.
When calculating the advantages of wood concrete, it is necessary to calculate the heat losses of a wall insulated with foam plastic, mineral wool or other insulation and a similar wall of wood concrete without additional costs for insulation. Skillfully and intelligibly explain to potential customers the difference and benefits between a wet and ventilated facade. Arbolite must be additionally plastered - this imposes additional operating costs.
Perhaps a good marketing ploy would be to sell such blocks at cost. The purpose of such sales is to recruit customers with ready-made houses from wood concrete.
The accumulation of finished wood concrete houses will lead to an increase in the popularity of such material. After all, a ready-made warm house and a good customer review sometimes cost more than the widest advertising. And "word of mouth", communication through specialized forums has not been canceled.
Advertising.
To date, there are several problematic issues related to advertising. And it is the right advertising company that can solve these issues. Firstly, wood concrete or wood concrete blocks still have a low ability to be recognized by the population. Therefore, the advertising campaign should start from scratch and be directed to the general public. It may be worth building a small advertising house/cottage on the territory of the exhibition or expo center. If funds allow, make several such houses and transport them from one place to another.
Send advertising booklets and product examples to all nearby supermarkets within a radius of at least 100-200 km and agree on the conditions for distributing your products. At first, trade even at zero. Come up with a catchy advertising slogan, for example: "arbolit is not an aibolit, I'm used to winning in everything." Conduct several demonstration performances with amateurs on advertising. It is worth considering a dealer network or using the services of local marketers throughout the country. Use standard dealer advertising and promotion programs in the field.
Separately, it is necessary to develop the direction of trade via the Internet. The online store opens up opportunities to trade with the whole country, even without local representation. Here, only the solution of the issue of transport logistics for the delivery of blocks directly to the construction site or to the place indicated by the client is important.
The second problematic issue is the impossibility of producing arbolite blocks in large volumes, at the beginning of the article an alternative way to reduce the cost of such blocks by reducing the cost of raw materials is indicated, a good advertising company can indirectly help in this matter.
The third issue is the low competitive supply in the production line market. It is precisely because of the small number of promotional offers and the undeveloped production base (namely, fully automatic lines without human intervention) that there is no possibility of a sharp reduction in the cost of blocks.
And finally, the fourth problem is a sufficient weighty initial investment to advertise this business project.
Sales of products.
At first, it is better to organize sales of products via the Internet on specialized sites, forums, or your personal specialized website. And do not start production until at least one order is received, otherwise it will be a waste of money and finished products will not be in demand. As orders are loaded, it is possible to organize a small warehouse of finished products and hire either a railway wagon for transportation (with a shoulder of more than 500 km) or a truck (with a shoulder of up to 500 km).
If it is initially planned to sell through a dealer network, then warehouses with finished products should be organized at each dealer. In order to promptly meet the needs of customers. However, this way significantly increases the size of investments in this kind of business project.
Investments and payback in mini production.
Investments.
Direct investment in the production of wood concrete, the lion's share is spent on the production line. The price of the middle line for the production of wood concrete ranges from 50 thousand rubles to 500 thousand. This price does not include adjustment, delivery and installation of this equipment, which will cost another 50 to 100 thousand rubles.
For the full operation of the production line, it is necessary to have a supply of raw materials for more than 1 month of operation, based on the requirements for products. Spending on raw materials at current prices is at least 600 thousand rubles. You can save on raw materials if you deliver it in the form of waste (sawdust, wood chips) or make it yourself.
Production technology of wood concrete blocks
For the construction of houses, builders use various types of blocks that ensure the stability and environmental cleanliness of buildings. Wanting to reduce the estimated cost of construction, developers produce some block materials on their own. One of these building materials is wood concrete blocks, which are based on wood waste and Portland cement. The technology for the production of wood concrete at home requires the preparation and observance of certain conditions to ensure the hydration of cement. Let us dwell in detail on the nuances of manufacturing.
Features of wood concrete blocks
The operational properties and scope of use of wood concrete are affected by:
- composition of the material;
- the recipe used;
- production technology.
Made from high-quality raw materials and in compliance with the technology, wood concrete has a set of serious advantages:
- strength. The strength characteristics of the material allow it to maintain integrity, perceiving the acting loads from the elements of the structure;
- frost resistance. Arbolite blocks are able to retain their properties after repeated freezing cycles with further settling;
Arbolite is a building material made from sawdust, shavings, Portland cement and chemical additives.
- reduced thermal conductivity. Walls made of wood concrete maintain a comfortable temperature in the living space, reduce heat loss;
- soundproofing characteristics. The arbolite array absorbs external noise, providing soundproofing of the room;
- ease. Due to the reduced weight, the load on the base of the building is reduced, which increases the duration of its operation;
- harmlessness to others. The building material is made from environmentally friendly raw materials, does not adversely affect people's health;
- long service life. Buildings can safely operate for 4-5 decades;
- ease of use. The building material is easily drilled, cut, and also plastered without the use of additional meshes, the proportion of reinforcement;
- cheapness. Lightweight blocks are made from inexpensive ingredients, can significantly save on pouring the base.
In addition, due to wood chips being the main ingredient, the material is easy to process. It is easy to screw screws and hammer nails into it. Due to these advantages, the material is popular with developers.
For a complete picture of the properties of building materials, consider the weaknesses. :
- significant size deviations. They are subject to higher tolerances. Manufacturers use molds that differ in size. Due to the different sizes of products, the consumption of the plaster mixture increases;
The material, thanks to the harmonious combination of the best properties of stone and wood, will serve faithfully for many years.
- structural failure at elevated temperatures. In the event of a fire hazardous situation, the wood concrete does not ignite for a limited time, but when heated, the wood chips smolder, and the material gradually loses its integrity;
- increased hygroscopicity. Unplastered wood concrete walls are quickly saturated with moisture. To use the blocks, it is necessary to carefully waterproof the base of the building, as well as to perform the exterior finish.
Violation of the composition and manufacturing technology of wood concrete affects the quality of products. With a reduced content of lime, microorganisms develop, and a decrease in the concentration of cement affects the strength. Builders also note the blowability of building materials, which require additional thermal insulation. The disadvantages include the possibility of a peculiar smell caused by mineralizers and chemical reagents that are part of the arbolite array.
Arbolite - composition and manufacturing technology
For self-manufacturing of products, you should choose the right composition, as well as carefully study the technology. Despite the availability of the ingredients used and the simplicity of the recipe, there are certain subtleties. Let's consider them in detail.
Applied filler
As the basis of the blocks, wood chips, shavings or sawdust, which are formed during the processing of wood, are used.
Wood concrete is perfect for the construction of residential buildings, baths, garages and other outbuildings. As you can see, the scope is quite wide.
The placeholder should be carefully prepared:
- clean from inclusions of foreign origin;
- grind to a size not exceeding 5x10x40 mm;
- dry thoroughly for three to four months;
- treated with lime mortar to prevent rotting.
Arbolit is a lightweight concrete used for the production of building blocks.
It consists of:
- Sulfate-resistant high-quality cement (Portland cement).
- Mineral binders.
- Wood waste - sawdust, shavings, wood chips, in connection with which the wood concrete received another name - wood concrete.
- Rice straw.
- Cellulose organic raw materials.
- Water.
- Chemical reagents.
The latter, in turn, have a significant impact on the quality characteristics of the material, such as porosity, hardening time, etc. Instead of Portland cement, liquid glass or ash can be used as an option.
The scope of application depends on the density parameter of the material. With a density of 500-800 kg / m 3 it is used for the construction of small buildings. If this indicator is lower, wood concrete is used as a heat insulator. In this case, it is issued in the form of sheets.
From this follow the main advantages of this material:
- Low thermal conductivity saves money in the cold season. 30 cm wall made of arbolite block perfectly retains heat.
- Strength depends directly on the density of the material. With an indicator of 600 kg / m3, wood concrete is not inferior to gas and foam concrete.
- Plasticity is due to the content of wood waste. Due to this, cracking does not occur, and a slight deformation does not destroy the material.
- For wood concrete walls, there is no need to fill the reinforcing belt, which greatly simplifies the construction process.
- Frost resistance allows to withstand up to 50 freezing cycles and thawing, increasing the service life of the building up to 50 years.
- Low carbonization shrinkage.
- Soundproofing properties are slightly higher, than any other building material.
- A light weight allows you to simplify the process of building a foundation.
- Environmental friendliness due to the presence of natural ingredients in the composition.
- Durability.
- Fire safety. Despite the fact that the composition includes wood materials, wood concrete does not support combustion.
- rot resistance, the formation of mold and fungi due to the lack of dampness. Arbolit not only absorbs moisture well, but also gives it away.
- Steam and breathability. Walls made of this material "breathe" providing natural ventilation.
- During construction, arbolite blocks are easy to process - they are well sawn, drilled. In addition, during the plastering process, there is no need for a reinforcing mesh.
- cheap cost determined by the cost of the constituent elements.
- wear resistance, resistance to mechanical damage.
Another undoubted advantage of this material is the ability to produce it yourself with your own hands. The dimensions can be adjusted.
Do-it-yourself block production
For the home production of wood concrete blocks, first of all, it is necessary to prepare the equipment:
- Mixture container.
- Falling table.
- Vibrating table for tamping mass.
- Forms demountable for molding blocks of required sizes.
- Metal pan.
- A concrete mixer is necessary for a faster and better solution.
- The machine for crushing wood chips.
- Drying chamber.
- Shovel.
It is also necessary to prepare all the material for production:
- Wood chips no more than 5 mm thick and 25 mm long.
- Sawdust.
- Cement.
- aluminum sulphate or calcium chloride.
- Hydrated lime, if the previous two reagents were not available.
- Water.
- Liquid glass.
In addition, a place for production should be provided. The area depends on how many blocks will be produced. For example, to produce 350-450 m3 of mortar, an area of 500 m2 will be required.
Forms can be made independently using wooden boxes with a removable bottom. So that later the block can be easily removed from the mold, it is recommended to upholster it with linoleum from the inside. The optimal dimensions are 25x25x50 cm. It is much more convenient to work with such parameters not only during the production process, but also during the construction of walls.
You can use boards 2-3.5 cm thick, sheathe them with plywood 5 mm thick from the inside. The latter, in turn, is pasted over with a film or linoleum.
Having thus prepared the equipment and all materials, you can get to work. At the first stage of work, wood waste is prepared - sawdust, shavings. Then cement or liquid glass and water are added. The solution is mixed thoroughly and placed in molds.
One of the conditions for obtaining high-quality wood concrete is strict adherence to production technology.
Production technology
First you need to prepare wood material, its share in the composition of wood concrete is up to 90%. To obtain its main component - wood chips - wood is processed on a special wood crushing machine. In order to reduce the cost of the process, chips and sawdust are added (up to 20%).
Wood contains sucrose, which negatively affects the strength of the material and can cause decay. To neutralize it, wood blanks must be treated with chemical reagents. They are calcium chloride or aluminum sulphate. Their volume should not exceed 4%. If these elements are not available, you can use slaked lime. In this case, a 15% solution is used in a ratio of 200 liters per 1 m3. The wood is soaked in this solution for 3-4 days, stirring from time to time.
You can get rid of sucrose in another way. To do this, wood blanks are dried in the fresh air for 4 months, constantly turning over. After drying, they must be sieved to remove debris.
The material thus prepared is then mixed with cement and water in a ratio of 4:3:3. It is more expedient to mix the solution with a concrete mixer. Doing this process manually to produce a large batch of blocks is a very time consuming task.
At the next stage, the mixture is poured into prepared molds. This process is carried out in several stages. After pouring a part of the solution into the mold, it is shaken and rammed. Then another portion of the mixture is poured and also rammed. So until the whole form is filled.
The filled forms are left for 2-3 days to dry. After the concrete has set a little, the molds are covered with a film. After this time, the forms are released, the blocks are laid under a canopy and dried until the final hardening of 3-4 weeks. They can be used in construction only after final drying.
Using Blocks
Wood concrete is widely used in the construction of low-rise buildings for both industrial and residential purposes. In private construction, it can be used for the construction of two-story buildings, outbuildings, garages. The main condition in this case is the absence of a structural load. The brand of wood concrete is important here.
It also finds its application in the construction of fences, any fences. But in this case, additional finishing will be required with some material that has good adhesion with wood concrete. 
Blocks measuring 30x20x50 cm are used for the construction of external walls. For internal it is better to use blocks of 20x20x50 cm.
The process of building from wood concrete blocks is much faster than from bricks. The first thing to decide is the construction of the foundation. Most often, with this type of building material, a tape type is used. The ideal option is a slab foundation, in which the consumption of cement mortar is slightly lower.
After the main work, providing for a layer of waterproofing, a plan for laying communications, the process of laying wood concrete blocks begins. First, they are laid out in the corners, aligning them vertically and horizontally with a building level. Then the rope is pulled from corner to corner, and then the laying is done. Blocks are laid down with a hole.
Each row is reinforced with a metal mesh.
For the solution, cement and sand are used in a ratio of 2: 1. By adding perlite to the solution, the formation of cold bridges can be avoided. This problem is solved with the help of polyethylene strips.
Cement mortar can be replaced with special glue or mounting foam. But this option is quite expensive, although very effective in terms of thermal insulation.
- Neutralization of the sugar contained in wood is a prerequisite for obtaining high-quality and durable wood concrete.
- The addition of slaked lime to the solution provides the wood concrete with antiseptic properties, and the liquid glass will give the material moisture resistance.
- To prevent the blocks from drying out, they need to be watered from time to time.
- Before proceeding with laying, the blocks must be sprinkled with water. Otherwise, they will absorb moisture from the solution.
- The arbolite mixture must be mixed very carefully. This will keep it from splitting.
The production of wood concrete blocks on your own with your own hands is a simple task. But at the same time, it is necessary to strictly follow all the recommendations, this will help to avoid negative consequences.
