What is included in textured concrete. Architectural concrete: definition, types, features, types of processing and protection

Architectural and graphic concrete and fiber-reinforced concrete - universal material, thanks to which you can create various decorative elements

Architectural concrete used to create decorative elements buildings, facade decoration, as well as landscape design and for outdoor furniture. The mixture itself consists of a cement solution with additives.

Architectural concrete can have several shades, mainly in white and gray tones. To give the mixture other shades and textures, crushed stone, sandstone and other components are added to the concrete. In the production of architectural concrete, it is possible to achieve completely different types surfaces, from fine-grained to coarse. Coloring of concrete is also possible during production, and the color does not fade in the sun and does not lose intensity for a long time.

In order to strengthen the structure of concrete, reinforcing fiber is added to it - various fibers. Fiber concrete may contain impurities from steel, glass and plastic fibers. With glass fiber reinforced concrete- it is very durable and relatively lightweight construction material, in the production of which two main components are used: fine-grained concrete and fiberglass fibers that strengthen it. The main advantages of fiber-reinforced concrete and glass fiber-reinforced concrete include high strength, increased resistance to weathering and cracking, and no shrinkage.

Advantages of architectural concrete:

Increased strength
Low temperature resistance
Low cost
Limitless possibilities for creating a variety of shapes
Possibility of imitation of natural stone
Wide range of applications
Great decorative possibilities
Manufacturability

Fiber-reinforced concrete and glass fiber-reinforced concrete make it possible to imitate the surface of natural stone; this effect is created thanks to additives: quartz sand and other components. At the same time, when creating artificial stone, increased quality requirements are imposed on the mixture. cement mixture, water, dyes used. Manufacturers often use special additives, which, for example, increase the frost resistance of architectural concrete or add strength to mechanical damage.

Artificial decorative rock has a long service life and is not inferior in strength to natural stone. At the same time, decorative stone is much easier to process, which makes it possible to produce decorative and corner elements.

Another feature of artificial decorative stone is a wide range of textures and shades, so it is a universal material that is suitable for buildings in classical and modern style. Decorative stones can imitate granite, marble, sandstone, slate, and brick.

In installation and selection, artificial decorative stone has its advantages; there is no need to lay it out before installation, since, unlike natural stone, artificial stone has the correct geometric shape. When purchasing natural stone, it is worth considering that the color of the rock from different batches may vary greatly, with artificial stone such problems will not arise, since the painting is done in production.

Architectural concrete- a general term describing all types of products or finishes made from cement-containing mixtures that carry decorative function. Glass fiber reinforced concrete is a special case of architectural concrete. In general, this “family” has the most different characteristics and purpose. So load-bearing walls made of concrete in modernist architecture, as a rule,

Architectural concrete(lat. Architectura from ancient Greek αρχι - senior, chief and other Greek τέκτων - builder; fr. Beton, from lat. bitumen - mineral resin, asphalt) - mortar based on a cement-sand composition with various mineral and inorganic additives. Architectural concrete carries both a supporting and structural load, and also performs a decorative and applied task that has artistic and aesthetic value. Word combinations: “polymer concrete”, “acrylic concrete”, “art concrete”, “art concrete”, “ decorative concrete"are synonymous with the concept of architectural concrete. The term "architectural concrete" was formed in professional environment architects to designate a building material from which complete architectural objects can be created.

Some examples of architectural concrete:

Types and purpose of architectural concrete

Architectural concrete - high-tech construction material which opens up a wide range of possibilities. There are three main areas of concrete use: to create structures, objects and foundations (monolithic, reinforced concrete, etc.); use of concrete in decorative purposes, as a material for finishing finished surfaces; creation of volumetric artistic objects - the third direction combines the constructive and decorative properties of architectural concrete: form is combined, in essence, with texture and texture.
By changing the composition of the mixture, you can obtain concrete with structural or decorative properties:

The predominance of the structural properties of concrete to create monolithic structures of various configurations using formwork ( geometric concrete);
The predominance of the decorative properties of the mixture: concrete used for finishing and decorating finished surfaces ( decorative concrete);
A combination of constructive and decorative properties to create voluminous artistic decorative items: sculptures, bas-reliefs and wild stone (sculptural concrete)

Concrete, with a predominance of geometric properties, has found wide use in Germany as a material that solves many problems in building physics; used in the construction of modern buildings, cladding and creation of new facades, interior decoration and changing the shape of premises. Durability concrete structures, high-strength structural characteristics, various configuration options have made architectural concrete the most popular material for the construction of large construction projects various geometric shapes cast using formwork.

Decorative concrete technologies were patented in the USA in the 60s of the 20th century. Stamped, sprayed and colored concrete is used for coatings. Decorative properties concrete are used to imitate natural masonry (finishing interior and external walls). Characteristic feature application of decorative concrete is the use of ready-made rubber and plastic molds with different textures - matrix finish. To make the surface of natural stone more realistic, concrete is painted with special dyes.

In Russia, architectural concrete has become widely used in construction for casting monolithic walls, for finishing surfaces, as well as for creating three-dimensional artistic and decorative products: sculptures, bas-reliefs and imitation of natural stone. Sculpted concrete is characterized by a hand-crafted method of creating shape and surface texture. Such products have aesthetic expressiveness, are the author's work and have artistic value - they belong to art, to the subject of sculpture.

Composition of architectural concrete

Depending on the tasks set, the composition of the concrete mixture can be changed through the use of various additives that either increase structural properties (stability, strength, hydrophobicity, etc.) or improve decorative qualities (texture, texture).

To impart plasticity to the mixture, additional chemical and mineral additives, polymers, and plasticizers are included in it. To improve the reinforcing properties, limestone, volcanic tuff, gravel, and sand are added. To improve other parameters, it is possible to use hardeners, setting and hardening regulators, anti-air entrainment, hydrophobizing, compacting, expanding, improving abrasion, increasing frost resistance, etc. To change the texture and texture of architectural concrete, the mixture may include the following components - granites, marbles, basalt, quartzites, mica, rock particles (dolomite). Artificial fillers: ceramic chips, colored glass, etc.

To obtain colored concrete, white, color pigments. The most commonly used are mineral pigments, which are mostly oxides or salts of various metals. There are various organic pigments and dyes (aniline, etc.) that give intense coloring to concrete with a small amount of injection. To obtain a uniform color of concrete, special leveling additives are used. All these impurities: pigments, leveling agents, natural and artificial fillers are characteristic only of decorative look concrete, since their use may adversely affect the basic structural properties of concrete. In order not to degrade the strength characteristics of the concrete mixture, architects and sculptors use surface-penetrating painting of the finished form.

When the texture and detailing of the facade becomes more complex, the requirements for concrete increase, and reinforcement with fiber cannot be avoided:

Technical characteristics of architectural concrete

The technical characteristics of architectural concrete are superior to those of conventional concrete:

high resistance to chloride penetration
high gas tightness
adjustable deformability indicators, including compensation for shrinkage of architectural concrete at the age of 14-28 days of natural hardening
relatively low specific gravity (allows this material to be mounted on light walls without placing a large load on the foundations)
resistance to aggressive environments (precipitation, temperature differences - 50 °C to + 50 °C, etc.)
UV resistance
high pressure resistance
high shock resistance
good sound absorption coefficient
fireproof material
easy to clean, non-slip material

Technical characteristics of objects made of architectural concrete

Name of product indicators		According to the requirements of GOST 1760891
Class (brand) of products: by compressive strength	kg/cm 2	B22.5-B30 (300-450)	В30 min 450
Frost resistance class (in salts)	-	F 200	F 350
Water absorption	%	5	4,4
Abrasion resistance (GOST 13015.0)	g/cm 3	0,9-0,7	0,2-0,3
Deviation of geometric parameters: length, width, thickness	mm mm	+ 5 + 5	+ 1 + 1
Cement-water ratio (c/w)	%	45	17
Front surface category	-	KPE-KP3	KP1
Strength after 24 hours during natural hardening	MPa		25-30

Technology for manufacturing architectural forms from concrete

There are different technologies for making forms from concrete: vibration, impact formation, dry/wet vibrocompression, fiber-reinforced concrete, etc., they all depend on the purpose, type of concrete and scale of production. Each type of architectural concrete has its own technology for making forms:

Geometric concrete

Monolithic walls. Casting of monolithic walls occurs through removable formwork, which allows you to create various curved surfaces, widely used to create architectural forms in modern construction. The process of reinforcing and pouring concrete remains unchanged.

Decorative concrete

Production of printed (stamped) concrete. Preparation of the base, reinforcement and laying of concrete is carried out in the usual way. After the surface of the concrete is leveled, it begins decorative processing. To obtain the desired color on wet surface concrete, a colored fixative powder and a hydrophobic coloring powder are applied, which prevents the concrete from sticking to the dies. After that, textured rubber mats are laid on the still wet concrete and carefully pressed using manual tamper- matrix finish.

Sculptural concrete

Production of sculptural objects, handmade wild stone. When creating large artistic architectural objects, for the strength of the structure, a reinforced concrete reinforced frame is welded from geometrically unchangeable shapes in the form of any complex design, specified by the artist, is covered with a mesh onto which a solution of architectural concrete is applied. After the concrete reaches the consistency of sculptural clay or plasticine, the sculptor sculpts and cuts out the required shape and shapes it using special tools(stack, knife, loop, etc.) texture, creating an artistic object. The technology for making forms of sculptural concrete combines the positive properties of geometric and decorative concrete technologies and improves them: allowing you to create any artistic curvilinear shapes and textures.

Thanks to manufacturing technology, decorative elements made from architectural concrete make it possible to place engineering systems inside their reinforced concrete structures: cables, wires, pipes, ventilation ducts are laid in cavities.

Surface treatment methods and protection of architectural concrete

Architectural concrete becomes decorative after the concrete surfaces have undergone the final stage of the technological process - a certain processing. In addition, the treatment is used to protect the surface from external influences and aggressive environments. For this purpose, special surface preservation methods can be used, for example, fluting, hydrophobization, polymer impregnation, surface treatment with special compounds that penetrate into the concrete and clog its pores and capillaries. Such treatment increases the durability of concrete and ensures preservation appearance its surface for a long time without special care. Processing methods are different for each type of concrete:

Industrial processing(geometric):

Sanding and polishing: the dry surface of architectural concrete can not only be ground, but also additionally polished (this can be compared to one of the stages of the technological process of making a mosaic, when the concrete surface becomes smooth surface polished granite).
Sandblasting: outwardly similar to the effect that acidification gives - the upper surface layer of concrete is washed away, creating uneven texture.
Other processing methods: exposure to a concrete surface through an acid-base reaction, fire treatment, epoxy (protective) coating, etc.

Using ready-made forms(decorative):

Stamped forms: stamps specially made from plastic, rubber, etc., imitating various relief shapes and textures (stone, brick, slate, cobblestone, tree bark, fossils, shells, and many others), are applied to the raw surface of an architectural concrete product.
TO decorative methods processing also includes: stamping on the screed, translucent painting, etc.

Artistic processing(sculptural):

Mechanical processing of hardened concrete surface: Many devices known for processing natural stone surfaces are used here (sharp metal tools, peaks, picks; a special hammer).
Engraving: on the surface of architectural concrete, using tools such as angle grinders with diamond cutting discs and other tools designed specifically for cutting concrete, contours and grooves are cut that imitate tiles, flagstones, geometric figures, straight or curved lines, patterns.
Sculptural Concrete: The creation of a form occurs in the same way as in artistic modeling using a sculptural (plastic) method - creating a form from a whole piece, cutting off the excess, using the sculptural carving technique or a combined carving and modeling technique
Artistic coloring: superficial penetrating painting of a finished artistic and decorative object by an artist-sculptor, using water-dispersed paints based on polyacrylates, using various artistic techniques.

Surface protection:

Applying a decorative coating layer
Sealing
Water repellent treatment
Dirt-, dust- and grease-repellent treatment
Graffiti protection
Protection from other possible influences of external factors environment

Sculptural objects made of architectural concrete do not require special care. Indoor maintenance is limited to removing dust from the surface using a vacuum cleaner; if necessary, you can wash it with plain water and soap. To remove dust and dirt, it is possible to use equipment designed for washing cars - plain water under pressure without the use of chemically active additives. Atmospheric precipitation - snow, water - cannot cause any serious damage to any objects made of architectural concrete.

Do-it-yourself architectural concrete is a very original solution to decorate your country cottage area or a private house. Thanks to decorative solution It is possible to create an imitation of any coating.

Architectural concrete is used to create decorative designs and imitation of any coatings.

In order to independently carry out the work of creating decorative concrete, you need following materials and tools.

concrete mixer;
concrete mixture;
liquid or powder dye;
leveling spatula;
Master OK;
release agent;
texture matrix;
washing machine at 200 atmospheres;
protective solution for concrete;
rollers.

Instructions for performing work

So, below are the steps by following which you can create an exclusive coating yourself.

Before you start making architectural concrete, you need to decide on the color and texture of the future product.

The first step is to decide on the desired color and texture. These parameters are selected taking into account the environment and the buildings located around the perimeter. Landscape design experts advise that when using drawings with lines, place them in such a way that the long lines lie perpendicular to the length of the site. This will visually smooth out the unevenness in the lines. The direction in which the work will be carried out is also immediately determined.
Choice of concrete composition. In order to choose the right mixture, it is necessary to take into account the specifics of the area. For this purpose, you can use the most popular mixtures that slow down the absorption of moisture or that absorb it. The main thing is that they do not contain calcium chloride, that is, those mixtures that, due to their composition, retain air. It should also be noted that some impurities, when reacting with concrete, change its color.
Dyeing in progress concrete mortar. Concrete is a rather specific material, but it can also be painted.

There are ways to do this:

The paint spraying method involves applying paint to freshly poured concrete.

Integral painting. This method is used when it is very important that the entire slab is painted evenly, for this purpose it is practically ready solution Liquid dye is added and finally mixed using a concrete mixer.
Spraying paint. Colored hardener powder is used to paint required areas, the paint is applied to freshly poured concrete and absorbed to a depth of approximately 0.3 cm. When the excess water is gone, the paint streaks will become wet, and they need to be rubbed over the entire surface with a leveling spatula. A trowel may be needed if minor imperfections arise.
Applying an anti-adhesive agent to the concrete solution. This substance will prevent the matrices from sticking (with its help, the concrete is given the appropriate texture) to the wet concrete mixture. The average proportion is 1.5 kg of anti-adhesive powder per 10 m². They begin to cover the surface only after the consistency of the concrete reaches the point where it can be worked with by extrusion. It must have a uniform coating between the surface and the textures of the matrices, and it must be controlled that its thickness prevents the seepage of concrete, but does not spoil the textural ornament.
Applying texture to concrete. If you work with properly prepared concrete, pressing in the matrices will not require much effort. At this stage it is very important to control the time, so it is better when the press occurs without interruption. It is necessary to constantly monitor the work so that if there is the slightest discrepancy, everything can be corrected.

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Do you need help at work?

To make it easier to cope with the load, it is recommended to work with four people.

The first person is responsible for placing the release agent on the matrices and on the concrete composition, leveling it, and also monitoring defects, and can help the rest of the team.

The second person deals specifically with the matrices, because all the final work will depend on the starting point. The main thing is to remember that the laying of the matrices should be butt-to-edge in order to avoid unnecessary seams in the ornament.

For small working surfaces, it is enough to use 3 matrices.

When working with architectural concrete, special matrices are used.

They must be laid in turn: first, second, third, and then, having freed the first, start again in a circle.

The third person is intended for work on pressing the dies. They should be worked in such a way that the indentation occurs only vertically, without using excessive force. In general, if judged objectively, the first and second work processes can be performed by one person.

The fourth person must carefully remove the matrices from the concrete. This is quite a scrupulous job, since it is necessary to control that the pattern is not disturbed and the edges of the matrix are not sucked in. Once the relief plate is removed, it is passed to the first worker who makes a new press.

After finishing applying the pattern using matrices to the concrete, it is given about a day to dry. Next, the surface needs to be washed and it is best to use a washing machine with a pressure of 200 atmospheres for this purpose. But this work should be carried out very carefully, since a strong jet can damage the concrete surface. This procedure is designed to get rid of excess anti-adhesive. If you want to add originality, you can adjust the distance (between the satin surface and the water nozzle) to wash out not all the powder, leaving it in the seams and recesses. Thus, architectural concrete takes on the appearance of aging and shadows are added to its texture.

After the concrete surface has dried after water procedures, they open it protective coating. Such solutions are sold in construction stores. Experts recommend using 4.5 liters of solution per 20 m² of space. For better elaboration, two layers are required, which should lie perpendicular to one another. It is necessary to ensure that residues do not accumulate in the corners. After which the floor is given time to dry.

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Architectural concrete is used both in construction and in landscape design.

Thanks to the special composition this material has high strength and ductility; various architectural elements are cast from it, including openwork grilles, park sculptures, perform imitation of natural stone. Making architectural concrete with your own hands is not so difficult if you know the composition and choose the right proportions. Architectural concrete is used both in conventional construction and in landscape design to create various sculptures. You will need: Portland cement; quartz sand; coloring pigments; modifying additives. Quartz sand can be used as a filler for architectural concrete. The filler most often used is quartz sand, marble or granite chips (dust). You can use only one of these materials, but if you need to imitate natural stone, it is better to take a mixture marble chips and quartz sand.

In order to give architectural concrete a certain shade, colored pigments are used, which are sold in the form of dry powder or liquid dye. By mixing pigments with each other, you can get different color scheme: from light pastels to rich bright colors. It is important to remember that the amount of dye should be 2-3%, for a rich color - no more than 5%. To make architectural concrete, you need to purchase white or light gray Portland cement of the highest quality.

The most commonly used grades are M-500 or DO-400. It is highly undesirable to use gray cement, since it produces faded, dim colors. Portland cement should not contain any foreign impurities or lumps; before use, it must be sifted through a construction sieve. And if this already seems difficult to you, then order decor for the facade from the ARCHI-DOM company by contacting them through the website: http://www.archi-dom.ru/articles/izgotovlenie-arhitekturnogo-betona/.

To create concrete of different colors, pigments are added to the composition. Architectural concrete is made according to the following scheme: all dry components are sifted through a construction sieve, quartz sand is mixed with cement, small stone chips or dust are added, pigments are added, everything is mixed until a uniform consistency is achieved, after which a hole is made into which water is poured. The proportions depend depending on the brand of cement, for example, for 1 part M-500 there are 3 parts of quartz sand and 2 parts of water. In order to determine the quality of the solution, you need to hold a handful of concrete in your fist, then unclench your hand.

If the slide crumbles, then you need to add water; if water flows when the concrete is compressed, then there is not enough sand. In addition to the main components, architectural concrete includes various modifying additives. Plasticizers make the solution more plastic, frost-resistant additives make it resistant to exposure weather conditions, adhesives and antifoaming agents improve the quality of concrete. The proportions of modifying additives depend on the type of product and the chosen technology.

Table of grades and classes of concrete.

Architectural concrete can be produced in a variety of ways.

The most common method is embossing, which is performed using a special matrix. Embossing is used both for vertical surfaces and for forming garden paths or small areas. The prepared wall is primed and reinforced plaster mesh, after which a thick layer of concrete of 2-5 cm is applied, after about 70 minutes an impression is made using a matrix.

On garden paths, the relief is made on raw concrete; craftsmen use several forms for embossing at once. The surface is painted with a colored hardener, which is applied in the form of a dry powder and rubbed in with trowels, the result is fixed with a special carrier impregnation. Some craftsmen prefer the following coloring method: coloring pigments are added to the solution during mixing.

For getting paving slabs, paving stones various forms, relief decorative elements made of concrete use the vibrocompression method. For this purpose, a vibropress and special molds are used. Products are formed by vibration under a certain pressure.

The method has its advantages and disadvantages. This method cannot achieve thin openwork shapes, but the products are quite durable and frost-resistant. Initial costs are quickly recouped by high productivity and production speed.

The pressing method involves the use of a hydraulic press and molds. This technology is used for the manufacture of thin-walled products. The disadvantages of the method include low productivity, high cost imported equipment (there are no domestic analogues), in addition, the raw materials must be of high quality.

Casting is the most common method of producing architectural concrete of various shapes, without the use of vibration. For casting, gypsum concrete and polymer concrete are used, thanks to which it is possible to obtain any thin-walled and openwork shape of the product. The advantages of the method are low cost and high productivity.

FLOWER POTS MADE OF ARCHITECTURAL CONCRETE

You will need:

granite chips

Architectural concrete is often used to make flowerpots for the garden. Making such a product with your own hands is quite simple.

The first step is to select 2 shapes of different diameters so that one fits freely into the other, while the gap between the walls should be at least 2 cm. Large containers of paint or putty, plastic buckets and basins with high walls are perfect for this purpose. To prevent the solution from sticking to the molds, they are lubricated with grease.

If you are planning reuse forms, then it is better to cover the bottom and sides that will come into contact with the solution with plastic wrap.

To give the product a certain color, you can add colored pigments to the solution, but it is important to remember that after the concrete dries, the color will become slightly lighter than in the original version. The solution is poured onto the bottom of a large mold, the layer thickness should be 3-5 cm, the concrete is compacted, after which a smaller bucket or basin is placed on it, and the space between the walls begins to be filled. To give strength to the product, a metal reinforcing mesh is used, which is installed between the walls in the center.

After the concrete has hardened, the flowerpot is removed from the mold and drilled into the bottom drainage hole. If the farm has Sander, then you can polish the surface, giving it the appearance of a product made of real stone.

If desired, the flowerpot is decorated with a mosaic of shells, pebbles, pieces tiles, broken glass etc. The product can be painted with acrylic-based facade paint, it all depends only on your imagination and capabilities.

ARTIFICIAL STONE FROM ARCHITECTURAL CONCRETE

You will need:

Portland cement grade M-500; quartz sand; marble chips; polystyrene foam; chain-link mesh; thin wire; metal brush; stationery tape.

Architectural concrete is often used to imitate natural stone.

You can make beautiful boulders to decorate your garden with your own hands. The first step is to make a model of the future stone from pieces of foam plastic, plastic bags and crumpled paper. All this is secured by the usual stationery tape, after which it is wrapped with Chainlink mesh, the seams are fastened with thin wire.

To prepare a concrete solution, mix 1 part Portland cement, 1.5 parts quartz sand, 1.5 parts marble chips, add 2 parts water. The solution is distributed over the Chainlink mesh, allowed to set a little, then a second layer is applied. Here it is necessary to include creative imagination: in some places the stone needs to be smoothed, in some places a rough surface should be made with a metal brush, notches with a metal spatula, it is important to achieve maximum resemblance to natural material.

After drying, the stone is painted with acid or acrylic facade dyes.

For this purpose, it is better to use several shades, for example, yellow and red ocher, umber, various shades of brown. In order for the stone to look natural, at the end of painting it is necessary to walk over the surface with a semi-dry brush with white or light gray paint, and spray it with a toothbrush. Making products from architectural concrete is not so difficult if you familiarize yourself with the technology and purchase high-quality materials.

Concrete is a universal building material that finds its application in a wide variety of areas, from the construction of roads, houses and ending with the production of a wide variety of decorative products. In the latter case, architectural concrete is used. You can prepare it yourself at home, and then use it to create unusual, attractive shapes, including thin-walled ones.

The concrete contains ingredients such as: Portland cement D0-400 M-500, purified quartz sand, slaked ground lime.

This composition differs from the usual one in its resistance to sudden temperature changes, high moisture, and other influences. With its help you can create amazingly attractive, imitating a natural stone forms that can be an excellent decoration for any structure.

Types of architectural concrete and its composition

Architectural concrete is divided into several separate groups, each of which is intended for certain types of work:

Concrete classification scheme by grade.

various elements

Architectural concrete is designed to solve two important problems:

imitate the surface of natural stone; maintain the strength and stability of concrete.

Most often, the surface of natural sandstone is imitated, since this option is the simplest.

Often the surface not only imitates stone, but also exceeds it in many characteristics. Such qualities are given to concrete by its composition. Among the ingredients of the decorative concrete mixture, the following apply:

Natural quartz sand is most often used as a filler, which gives the structure of the stone.

Therefore, many types of concrete products are called reconstituted sandstone. When ordering any decorative products, if you are offered sandstone for finishing, check whether it will be natural stone or its imitation, since the cost varies greatly. The binder is Portland cement, which must be grayish or white (which is preferable) color. The quality of the cement must be of the highest quality; its composition must not contain any impurities. Coloring pigments are necessary in order to give the product an even greater resemblance to natural stone. Pigments are introduced at the mixing stage, as a result it will be possible to paint the product completely over the entire mass.

That is, additional coloring is no longer necessary, and the product itself will not fade or peel during use. Modern production offers a wide variety of shades, including very bright ones, but to obtain maximum imitation it is better to use natural ones. In any case, the composition of concrete should include clean water without impurities, since the quality of the resulting products will depend on this. It is important to add the correct volume of water. Modifying additives, which include plasticizers, antifoaming agents, adhesives, and frost-resistant additives.

The composition and volume of such additives should be different in each individual case. It depends on what product will be produced, what molding technology is used to produce architectural products. In addition, such additives provide additional strength, resistance to mechanical damage, shock, sudden changes in temperature and humidity.

The selection of proportions to prepare concrete with your own hands will depend on the specifics of the products that you want to make from it.

Methods for forming architectural concrete products

Architectural concrete can be subjected to various molding methods, let's look at them in more detail.

Diagram of the ratio of components in a concrete mixture.

Stuffing, or compaction, is manual method, which allows you to get necessary product in rigid forms. It is used to create DIY products of medium and high complexity. Among the advantages of this method, it is necessary to note the possibility of obtaining quite complex geometry and the rapid turnover of architectural forms.

Concrete contains ingredients such as:

Portland cement D0-400 M-500; purified quartz sand; slaked ground lime.

Among the disadvantages, it should be noted low strength and frost resistance, a high percentage of defects, the inability to transfer a very fine structure, and high labor intensity. In addition, all ingredients used must be of high quality.

The vibration pressing method is based on vibration with a pressure of up to 1 kg/sq.

cm. For molding, molds and brick presses are used. This is how they are made Various types paving slabs, paving stones, the simplest architectural forms.

Recently, polyurethane substrates have been used as forms, which makes it possible to obtain more high-quality surface. Among the advantages, it is necessary to note the high productivity and ease of manufacture, the durability of the tiles. Using special pigments and plasticizers, you can get attractive colored tiles that can decorate any patio or area.

Pressing under pressure of 50-500 kg/sq.m. cm through the use of hydraulic presses and molds. This method is used for the manufacture of thin-walled products that are characterized by the highest strength and resistance to frost.

Diagram of concrete macrostructures.

Vibratory casting is a method when architectural concrete is poured into special molds on vibrating platforms with your own hands; it is possible to use deep vibrators. It is used for the manufacture of most types of building and architectural forms. Let's apply this method at home.

The advantages of the method include: decorativeness, high quality, frost resistance, reproduction of any architectural form and surfaces, low costs, low requirements for ingredients, adherence to technology, since the process itself is extremely simple. The disadvantages include high production costs, rather limited productivity, and very slow turnover of the molds used.

Vibratory rolling is a rather exotic type of forming products from architectural concrete. It is produced using not only vibration, but also extrusion and centrifugation. Using this method, you can quickly obtain round products such as columns and balusters.

Architectural concrete is a special type of concrete mixture that is used for the manufacture of various decorative and finishing products. The composition of such concrete is somewhat different from traditional one, as are the methods for molding products of the required shape.

Concrete is the most functional and widespread building material, used in almost all areas of human activity. To solve aesthetic problems and to manufacture various decorative elements, architectural concrete is used, which differs from conventional material in composition and performance characteristics.

Types of architectural concrete

Architectural decorative concrete is divided into two main types, differing both in area of use and composition. Each of these materials should be used for its intended purpose.

Decorative white

The material is mainly used for the design and decoration of facades, interior design, and objects of various shapes and textures are made from it.

The main condition for the operation of architectural concrete products of this type is the load limitation. Exceeding maximum permissible value leads to the collapse of the structure.

Light white

White lightweight concrete is used for the manufacture of lightweight elements that perform a decorative function: tile coverings, stairs, balconies. Lightweight concrete is often used to imitate natural rocks - natural sandstone or marble.

What components are included in the material?

The composition of architectural concrete includes almost the same ingredients that are used to prepare conventional mixtures, namely:

water;
binder;
filler;
modifiers;
dye.

The filler used is washed river sand, marble or granite chips, thanks to which it is possible to accurately replicate the texture and structure of natural rocks.

Portland cement, which is a binding additive, is recommended to be used in a light gray or whitish shade; it should not contain any unnecessary impurities.

For maximum resemblance to natural stone, the material also includes coloring pigments. The uniform distribution of color throughout the entire volume of concrete is ensured by the addition of dye at the stage of stirring the dry mixture.

The dry mixture is diluted with clean water that does not contain foreign impurities - this required condition obtaining quality material.

Frost-resistant and anti-foaming ingredients, adhesives, and plasticizers are used as modifying additives. The addition of one or another component depends on the required characteristics and the form that future elements should have. With their help, architectural concrete products acquire the necessary resistance to mechanical stress and sudden temperature changes.

Advantages and disadvantages of the material

The advantages of this material include:

sufficiently high strength, allowing the construction of garden or terrace balustrades, stairs;
plasticity, thanks to which products of any shape are created;
long service life;
relatively low cost;
resistance to precipitation and harmful external factors.

Disadvantages of architectural concrete:

significant weight of finished structures, which does not allow the use of decorative elements to decorate the facades of frame and wooden houses;
the complexity of installation of products, requiring the use of special equipment and the involvement of experienced craftsmen, which significantly increases costs;
low artistic expression, expressed in the impossibility of creating small parts;
the need for careful adjustment of each element;
The duration of hardening of the concrete mixture in the mold is at least 1-2 days.

Technology and methods of preparation

The technology for producing architectural concrete is quite simple.

First of all, it is necessary to sift all dry ingredients through a special sieve. The cement is mixed with the filler, the selected dye and modifying components are added. The mixture is thoroughly mixed until a homogeneous composition is obtained. A small depression is made in the resulting material and filled with clean water.

The proportions of components when producing architectural concrete with your own hands are taken depending on the brand of cement. For the most commonly used brand M500, the ratio of ingredients in the mixture is as follows: 1 part cement to 2 parts liquid and 3 parts sand.

The readiness of the material is checked as follows: the finished mixture is tightly clenched in a fist for a few seconds. If, after squeezing, the lump crumbles, then you need to add a little more water, and vice versa, if liquid flows out when squeezing, then you need to add filler.

Manufacturing methods

Architectural concrete can be made various methods, each of which allows you to create a product that is as similar as possible to natural stone.

Embossing method

The embossed method of producing architectural concrete, which requires a special matrix, is the most widespread due to its simplicity. Concrete produced in this way is mainly used for finishing wall surfaces and laying garden paths and paths.

Before laying concrete, a layer of primer is applied to the cleaned surface, on which a reinforcing mesh is installed to strengthen the concrete. A thick layer (up to 5 cm) of ready-made and thoroughly mixed cement mixture is poured onto the mesh. After the composition hardens for a short time (about an hour), embossing is performed using a matrix.

To decorate small areas or create a covering for paths, as a rule, the design is applied to the concrete that has not yet dried. To speed up the manufacturing process, it is recommended to use several molds at once.

This method involves adding a coloring pigment not while mixing the components, but after making the print. The surface of the finished elements is painted over with a powder composition, which is rubbed into the body of the product using trowels. To secure the top layer, additional impregnation is performed.

Vibration pressing

How to make architectural concrete suitable for making pavers or sidewalks? Of course, using the vibration pressing method, which is used to create products of various reliefs and shapes.

The process of producing concrete in this way involves the use of a special vibration press, under which the product is formed and compacted.

This technology has its advantages and disadvantages, which determine the area of use of the elements. For example, under vibration it is impossible to produce openwork elements, but at the same time, the resulting products are perfectly suitable for making exterior finishing, requiring the use of frost-resistant and durable materials.

The cost of equipment for vibrocompression is quite high, but it pays off with a high production speed.

Pressing

When producing thin-walled products from architectural concrete by pressing, special molds and a hydraulic press are used. When working, it is important to pay special attention to the quality of the raw materials used, on which the safety and durability of products, strength and resistance to external factors depend.

The technology is not very productive, and the final cost of the product is too high.

Casting

Casting is the most effective method production of architectural concrete. Vibration installations are not used in production, and gypsum concrete and polymer concrete are used as materials.

This method makes it possible to produce a product of any openwork shape or a thin-walled element; it is economically beneficial and has high productivity.