Production of facing tiles. Concrete tiles: a brief excursion. Laying clinker tiles

Facade plaster from Knauf or any other well-known manufacturer can help make the walls of your home perfectly even and smooth. However, if you want to make the facade of your house unique, original and unusual, or simply save money on its cladding, the easiest way to do this is to make the tiles yourself. DIY facade tiles It is quite simple to make and you do not need any specific tools or knowledge.

In order for your own façade tiles to turn out to be of high quality, it is important not to skimp on components. The freshness and quality of the material used, its brand and the reliability of the manufacturer are the key to success in preparing good tiles.

Another very important point is the use of water. It is highly recommended to reduce the amount of water added to the solution as much as possible. This is how you can increase the strength of your tiles. You can reduce the amount of water by adding plasticizers. Or initially use cement of the highest quality possible.

Additionally, the raw tiles can be soaked with a special deep penetration acrylic impregnation. This will also help increase the strength and water repellency of the tiles.

What you need to make your own tiles

To make tiles at home you will need:

  • Several buckets, a drill, a spatula, scales, a table, sheets of chipboard (slightly larger in size than the form).
  • Grade 500 cement is gray or white.
  • Filler (sand with granule size no larger than 5 mm).
  • Inorganic pigments.
  • Gypsum retarder (or citric acid).
  • Plasticizer.

Step-by-step tile making process

  • Buy tile molds.
  • Buy and fold a vibrating table.
  • Knead the mixture from which the tiles will be made.
  • Form a shape on a vibrating table. Before pouring the mixture into molds, they must be treated with an anti-sticking compound, soap solution or an antiseptic. Pour the mixture, colored in the color of your choice, into the molds.
  • Let the product lie in the molds for several days so that they harden well. After this, carefully bend the molds from the corners and remove the resulting tile from them. Lay it out on a separate table and let it dry for some time.
  • Make formwork with the finished tiles.
  • Use your tiles for their intended purpose.

This kind of tile is, in fact, an artificial stone. Therefore, facing the facade of the house artificial stone maybe too self-made. For external cladding Stone buildings are made from cement, and for the interior they use stone made on a gypsum basis.

Before you begin cladding the building, you need to prepare its surface. This process is no different from preparing to apply any other facing material.

If your facade is cinder block, concrete or brick, you will only need to level it. Remove any bumps or pits or any mortar protruding from the surface.

If the cladding will be carried out on wooden surface, the preparation will be slightly different. The facade will need to be covered with glassine, roofing felt or waterproofing material. A plaster reinforcing mesh is then attached to the waterproofing layer, and then cement-sand plaster or any other plaster composition is applied. And only after it has completely dried, you can proceed to finishing the facade.

The actual application of stone to the surface of the facade is carried out using the “wet” method, that is, using cement glue. In order for it to set well, it is very important that the temperature outside at this time is above zero (ideally +6 to +26°C).

Thus, your cladding of the facade of the house with artificial stone will be unique, you will definitely be sure of its composition and will significantly save on building materials.

Building or renovating a house is a rather exhausting process in every sense, but at the same time instructive and exciting. When the construction is already coming to an end, one of last stages is laying facade tiles. This finishing touch not only aesthetically transforms appearance buildings, but also provides insulation of facades, while extending their service life.

Nowadays, finishing facades with tiles is a fairly popular activity, making it difficult for beginners in this matter to make a choice or carry out the process itself. We’ll figure out what laying is, what types of tiles there are, and also consider the features of the work and give some recommendations and tips, supporting the material covered with instructive videos.

The concept of facade tiles and factors influencing its price

Facade tiles- This construction material, thanks to which the building acquires an attractive and individual look, but at the same time it is an indispensable means of insulating the house from external destructive atmospheric phenomena and a heat insulator.

IN general concept, facade tiles are made from natural and artificial stone. If in the first case the entire installation will require considerable costs, but this will be compensated by the resulting beauty and practicality, then in the second case it is a good analogue natural material at a more attractive price.

The cost of this material depends on the following factors:

  • raw materials for production;
  • manufacturing technology;
  • sizes and shapes;
  • color and type of decor;
  • manufacturer.

In order to save money, many people resort to making such tiles with their own hands. The desired results can be achieved if you are familiar with the manufacturing process itself, which is presented in video 1. The video will help you not only learn how to make it yourself, but also understand the stages of the procedure.

Types: pros and cons

Let's consider the classification of facade tiles, noting the advantages and disadvantages of each type.

The production of these facade tiles occurs by mixing several types of clay, dyes, sand, feldspar and various mineral additives, after which the product is fired at temperatures up to 1300°C. Variety: plain, interspersed with imitation of natural stone. Pros: water resistance, frost resistance, wear resistance, and it is also an environmentally friendly material different sizes. Cons: installation becomes more complicated due to the heavy weight of the material.

Concrete

Manufactured from Portland cement, sand, lightweight filler and additives that give it strength and frost resistance. Vibratory pressing produces façade tiles, which are subsequently dried in ovens and covered with sealants. Pros: variety of surface textures, wide palette of colors, light weight, low cost and easy installation. Cons: lower level of frost resistance compared to other types, big sizes, difficulty of care.

Terracotta

Produced from kaolin clay at a temperature of 1000°C and has porous structure. Subtypes: smooth, coarse-grained and polished; black, dark brown and light brown. Pros: no dyes, imitation natural stone, easy installation due to low weight, temperature resistant, does not fade under exposure sun rays, provides climate control to the premises, does not require maintenance. Minuses: mechanical stability lower compared to other types.

Clinker

It is made from shale clays at a temperature of 1300°C. The variety of the material is ensured by adding dyes during the production process. Externally similar to brick. Pros: does not contain calcium carbonate or salts, low level of water absorption, long service life, frost resistance, variety of colors and textures, does not fade in the sun, is resistant to mold and mildew, does not require special care. Cons: high price.

Advantages and disadvantages of installation

Before you start laying facade tiles, you are advised to familiarize yourself with a number of advantages and disadvantages of this process.

Advantages that laying gives to the building:

  • maintainability;
  • resistance to mechanical damage;
  • resistance to external atmospheric phenomena;
  • insulation of facades;
  • variety of appearance;
  • possible reuse.

Flaws:

  • the need to prepare the walls of the building;
  • the need for mesh reinforcement;
  • high price of work and material;
  • physical wear and tear of the glue used;
  • labor intensity.

Nuances of the facade finishing process

The process of cladding a building is far from an easy task, requiring certain skills and knowledge. The technology for laying facade tiles can be simplified by taking into account some nuances, which allows you to achieve the desired result.

Experts recommend that tiles be laid in warm time year, and the temperature should, if possible, not go beyond 5-25°C. When increasing the specified temperature limit, it is necessary that warm tiles With back side was a little damp. When working in bad weather, color changes may occur.

Before laying building materials, the walls need to be prepared, in particular leveled, which means plastering. For this procedure, professionals advise using a reinforcing mesh.

In order to achieve the planned results, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the following video 2. This material will briefly and clearly outline the essence of the work of cladding using the example of a separate section. The video colorfully describes the entire procedure.

Do-it-yourself exterior finishing of the walls of a house can be done using different installation techniques. If specialists carry out the work, the price of the work will be quite high, so if you try, you can create an individual facade yourself, taking into account your requirements. A little desire and hard work - and the result will definitely please you. The video will also show us how houses can be transformed using tiles.

For exterior finishing building facades use a special facing material - facade tiles. It is made from mineral mixtures, which may include cement, quartz sand, slate or clay. Making facade tiles with your own hands is carried out at special equipment, which allows you to achieve the desired technical and decorative qualities coverings.

What are facade tiles?

The service life of tiles is significantly longer than that of facade plaster

Facade tiles are an environmentally friendly facing material that is used not only for finishing the facades of houses, but also for paving open areas or paths. The service life of such a coating is much longer than that of facade plaster. This is why facing materials have become so popular in exterior decoration buildings.

What types of tiles for facade cladding exist?

  • terracotta;
  • clinker;
  • with glass cover;
  • with ceramic coating;
  • two-layer with decorative ceramic finishing.

Features of facade tiles


Independent production of facade tiles involves some difficulties; you need the necessary equipment

Whatever materials you decide to make the facing material from, it will have the following qualities:

  • high strength;
  • low level of water absorption;
  • frost resistance;
  • wear resistance;
  • long service life.

By choosing the shape of the appropriate configuration, you can create coatings with various shapes(triangular, square, polyhedral, asymmetrical). This allows you to decorate buildings in almost any style. However, it should be understood that independent production façade tiles pose some difficulties. In particular, this concerns the acquisition or assembly of the necessary equipment.

Nuances of production of tile materials

If you want to get a truly high-quality and durable material, under no circumstances try to save on raw materials. Making facade tiles at home is already quite a risky undertaking for those who are encountering such a process for the first time. But if you strictly follow the recommendations of experienced craftsmen, as a result of molding a properly prepared solution you will certainly get a durable facing material.

What points should you pay special attention to?


When choosing tiles, pay attention to the composition of the components
  1. Amount of water - solutions that are too liquid in consistency tend to harden unevenly, which leads to cracking of the material. To avoid this, do not add too much water to the mixture;
  2. Adding plasticizers– to improve the physical and mechanical properties of the coating, add plasticizers to the raw material;
  3. The strength of cement and, accordingly, the coating is largely determined by the quality of the cement. When producing tile coverings, it is advisable to use cement of at least grade M200.

Necessary equipment


Example of a plastic mold for facade tiles

What equipment is required for the production of facade tiles? To create a high-quality coating, you must purchase the following equipment:

  • Concrete mixer - if the amount of work is small, you can use an ordinary construction mixer to mix the raw material components. But if such equipment is used, mixing the components of the solution should take at least half a century;
  • Vibrating table - a vibrating table surface during the molding process allows for compacting solutions, which affects the density of the future coating. If necessary, you can assemble it yourself by attaching a construction vibrator to a metal table;
  • Forms - directly in the molds and the raw materials will harden. To make such structures, it is enough to assemble wooden frame the required shape, fastening the parts with metal corners.

Of course, by purchasing professional equipment for the production of facade tiles, you can achieve much better results. In particular, this applies to forms. If it is necessary to create a tile that imitates a natural stone or brick, you will need matrices with a corrugated surface.

Tile making process


Facade tiles are usually made by vibration casting or pressing

The technology for manufacturing facade tiles is quite simple, but requires careful implementation of all stages of work. What materials are needed for pouring? concrete mortar in the form?

  • containers for diluting the solution;
  • construction mixer and spatula;
  • cement (not lower than grade M500);
  • plasticizers;
  • pigments for coloring raw materials;
  • sand.

So, the direct production process of tile materials consists of the following stages:

  1. A solution of the above components is diluted in a container;
  2. By using construction mixer the components of the mixture are mixed until the mass is homogeneous;
  3. Forms are placed on a vibrating table and concrete mixture is poured into them;
  4. To prevent the tiles from getting stuck when removing, the molds are initially coated with a soap solution;
  5. The semi-finished product is covered with polyethylene and left for several days;
  6. Then the half-dried tiles are laid out and left for another couple of days until completely cured.

The process of producing tile materials is shown in more detail in the video clip.

Review of manufacturers

To select truly high-quality tiles, you need to give preference only to the most popular and well-established manufacturers. These include:

  • Stroeher, a German manufacturer of tile materials, adds mineral granules and modifying components to its raw materials, which improve the frost resistance of the coating. Stroeher facade tiles have a 25-year service life guarantee;
  • King Klinker - one of the best Polish companies for the production of facing coatings produces high-quality tiles with very low water absorption. Polymer compounds are added to the solution before molding, forming on the surface of the tile protective film;
  • Litos - facade tiles are made by hyper-pressing from a cement composition with the addition of kaolin substances. Thanks to this, the coating has high technical indicators, such as strength and frost resistance.

Making façade tiles is a relatively simple process that requires the craftsman to accurately complete the work at all stages. At the same time, the quality of the future coating is largely determined by the composition of the raw materials and the uniformity of the prepared solution.

For the exterior decoration of building facades, a special facing material is used - facade tiles. It is made from mineral mixtures, which may include cement, quartz sand, slate or clay. Do-it-yourself facade tiles are made using special equipment, which allows you to achieve the desired technical and decorative qualities of the coating.

What are facade tiles?


Facade tiles are an environmentally friendly facing material that is used not only for finishing the facades of houses, but also for paving open areas or paths. The service life of such a coating is much longer than that of facade plaster. This is why cladding materials have become so popular in the exterior decoration of buildings.

What types of tiles for facade cladding exist?

  • terracotta;
  • clinker;
  • with glass cover;
  • with ceramic coating;
  • two-layer with decorative ceramic finishing.

Features of facade tiles


Whatever materials you decide to make the facing material from, it will have the following qualities:

  • high strength;
  • low level of water absorption;
  • frost resistance;
  • wear resistance;
  • long service life.

By choosing the shape of the appropriate configuration, you can create coatings with different shapes (triangular, square, polyhedral, asymmetrical). This allows you to decorate buildings in almost any style. However, it should be understood that independent production of facade tiles is associated with some difficulties. In particular, this concerns the acquisition or assembly of the necessary equipment.

Nuances of production of tile materials

If you want to get a truly high-quality and durable material, under no circumstances try to save on raw materials. Making facade tiles at home is already quite a risky undertaking for those who are encountering such a process for the first time. But if you strictly follow the recommendations of experienced craftsmen, as a result of molding a properly prepared solution you will certainly get a durable facing material.

What points should you pay special attention to?


  1. Amount of water - solutions that are too liquid in consistency tend to harden unevenly, which leads to cracking of the material. To avoid this, do not add too much water to the mixture;
  2. Adding plasticizers– to improve the physical and mechanical properties of the coating, add plasticizers to the raw material;
  3. The strength of cement and, accordingly, the coating is largely determined by the quality of the cement. When producing tile coverings, it is advisable to use cement of at least grade M200.

Necessary equipment


What equipment is required for the production of facade tiles? To create a high-quality coating, you must purchase the following equipment:

  • Concrete mixer - if the amount of work is small, you can use an ordinary construction mixer to mix the raw material components. But if such equipment is used, mixing the components of the solution should take at least half a century;
  • Vibrating table - a vibrating table surface during the molding process allows for compacting solutions, which affects the density of the future coating. If necessary, you can assemble it yourself by attaching a construction vibrator to a metal table;
  • Forms - directly in the molds and the raw materials will harden. To make such structures, it is enough to assemble a wooden frame of the required shape, fastening the parts with metal corners.

Of course, by purchasing professional equipment for the production of facade tiles, you can achieve much better results. In particular, this applies to forms. If you need to create tiles that imitate natural stone or brick, you will need matrices with a corrugated surface.

Tile making process


The technology for manufacturing facade tiles is quite simple, but requires careful implementation of all stages of work. What materials are needed to pour concrete into the mold?

  • containers for diluting the solution;
  • construction mixer and spatula;
  • cement (not lower than grade M500);
  • plasticizers;
  • pigments for coloring raw materials;
  • sand.

So, the direct production process of tile materials consists of the following stages:

  1. A solution of the above components is diluted in a container;
  2. Using a construction mixer, mix the mixture components until the mass is homogeneous;
  3. Forms are placed on a vibrating table and concrete mixture is poured into them;
  4. To prevent the tiles from getting stuck when removing, the molds are initially coated with a soap solution;
  5. The semi-finished product is covered with polyethylene and left for several days;
  6. Then the half-dried tiles are laid out and left for another couple of days until completely cured.

The process of producing tile materials is shown in more detail in the video clip.

Review of manufacturers

To select truly high-quality tiles, you need to give preference only to the most popular and well-established manufacturers. These include:

  • Stroeher, a German manufacturer of tile materials, adds mineral granules and modifying components to its raw materials, which improve the frost resistance of the coating. Stroeher facade tiles have a 25-year service life guarantee;
  • King Klinker - one of the best Polish companies for the production of facing coatings produces high-quality tiles with very low water absorption. Before molding, polymer compounds are added to the solution to form a protective film on the surface of the tile;
  • Litos - facade tiles are made by hyper-pressing from a cement composition with the addition of kaolin substances. Thanks to this, the coating has high technical indicators, such as strength and frost resistance.

Making façade tiles is a relatively simple process that requires the craftsman to accurately complete the work at all stages. At the same time, the quality of the future coating is largely determined by the composition of the raw materials and the uniformity of the prepared solution.

For cladding outside buildings use various cladding materials, for example. The production of clinker tiles has low cost and production time. It is possible to choose a variety of materials as a base. Mineral mixtures are most often used. Cement, quartz sand and clay are mixed. A simple manufacturing process makes it possible to create tiles on our own, but this will require special equipment.

IN modern world can buy different types clinker, with great differences in color, with the most daring design solutions. And also to simplify coverage, you can purchase special forms for tiles. Despite the availability of clinker, the total cost of covering the area of ​​the house can amount to a significant amount. The molds are designed to simplify the process of making slabs with your own hands, which will significantly reduce the cost of the process. But more on that later.

Features of clinker

Facade tiles have significant differences from similar facing materials.

If we compare it with tiles, then it is the undisputed leader. It is used exclusively for finishing buildings, so it has a wide range of qualities:

  • It is resistant to various types of damage, including scratches and strong impacts.
  • Due to its use in outdoor conditions, the tiles are wear-resistant and not susceptible to mold and other harmful influences.
  • The production of facade tiles is done in such a way that the number of pores through which there is a possibility of moisture penetration is minimized.
  • A prerequisite for any type of tile is resistance to frost.
  • The tiles are not affected in any way by exposure to ultraviolet radiation. The original color is preserved in any conditions.

Of all the above, the most important condition is to ensure the durability of the coating. U facing tiles a long period must be provided during which it will not change its properties and appearance.

Industrial production

For wide production, the two most popular technologies are used: semi-dry pressing and extrusion production.

Extrusion Manufacturing Process

For making tiles at home, these methods are also suitable, but you need to make a number of changes to the technology.

The main differences between the methods lie in the molding principle. The first method involves pressing the material, after which the product, which has taken shape, is placed in an oven and fired, excluding drying from the process.

The product is obtained with low density, low weight, but, as a result, insufficient strength. The advantage of this technology is that ready material for cladding, it practically does not conduct heat, which in some areas is valued much more than resistance to damage.

The second method is carried out using an extruder.

If we talk in simple language, then this is a large meat grinder through which clay is put. The material is crushed and formed into vacuum press. The workpiece is dried and after that it is sent to the kiln for firing.

This method of producing facade tiles is used much more often, because the resulting product is highly durable, immune to abrasion, and it is extremely difficult to damage it in any way.

Home production

Before you start making facade tiles, you need to make sure that you have a basis for making:

  • concrete;
  • putty;
  • alabaster;
  • gypsum and clay.

The production of facade tiles involves the use of vibration casting technology.

In addition, the properties of the tile depend on the quality and firing temperature. All this will require equipment that cannot be skimped on. You need to understand that making it yourself is much more difficult, and therefore the process requires more attention.

The next step will be the choice of filler; you can use whatever your heart desires, for example, sand, shells, glitter or glass chips.

It is important to understand that the tiles will not encounter any kind of load, so the most important point will be to get rid of the air inside the structure. After all, it is this that will cause the destruction of the tiles in the cold months.

Making tiles yourself is quite easy, but you need to understand that you will need some equipment for this:

  • vibrating table;
  • concrete mixer;
  • mixer, preferably using a hammer drill;
  • plastic molds;
  • water capacity of 100 liters or more;
  • heating cabinet

You can do without a concrete mixer if the owner has a lot of free time. To prepare a large volume of solution, you can use 10-liter portions and mix them using a hammer drill with a mixer.

The production of clinker tiles will take place using a vibrating table. There is also the option to carry out vibrations yourself or make a device similar in design.

Subtleties of production

In order to obtain material that meets all requirements, it is necessary to purchase only high-quality raw materials. Making tiles at home is a very risky process, especially for those who are doing it for the first time.

However, you should not be afraid of difficulties, because if you strictly follow the instructions from experienced craftsmen, the result will leave you satisfied. Technological process has the following subtleties:

  • You need to add to the material the amount of water that is required and not an ounce more. After all, a mixture that is too liquid will not be able to harden evenly, which will cause rapid wear of the material.
  • The strength of the tile coating greatly depends on the quality of the cement used in the work. It is advisable to use only material that is graded M200 and higher.
  • To improve resistance to damage, you need to use plasticizers; they can increase the properties of the material and make it stronger.

The best manufacturers of clinker tiles

Making your own tiles will be much cheaper than an analogue from a store, and the quality may be in no way inferior, but if you don’t want to waste your time and money on the tedious production process, then you can take advantage of the offers of companies that have already established themselves as quality experienced manufacturers of facade tiles.

  • Stroeher is a company that short term conquered the German tile production market. Their clinker tile production technology is unique due to the fact that they add special components to the tile composition that improve the frost-resistant qualities of the product. A big plus of the company is that they provide a 25-year guarantee on their products.
  • King Klinker is a Polish company producing facing materials. Their clinker tiles are worth a look. It has high water-repellent properties. At the stage of preparing the solution, polymers are added to it, creating a protective film on the surface of the mixture.
  • Lithos. A unique technology for producing clinker tiles using a hyperpress using kaolin. The final performance of the tiles is very high. Durability and reliability are what characterize their products.

Video: Production of facade tiles