Home production of foam concrete: understanding the manufacturing technology

Foam concrete’s ease of use, insulation qualities, and light weight have made it a popular choice for construction. These days, a lot of homeowners are looking into the possibility of making foam concrete at home. For a variety of home construction projects, this can be an affordable option.

Before beginning production, it is essential to grasp the fundamentals of the technology used in the manufacture of foam concrete. To produce a material with a cellular structure, a foaming agent, water, and cement are mixed together. Foam concrete’s special qualities—such as its low density and effective thermal insulation—come from its unusual structure.

Foam concrete can be easily and satisfyingly made at home with the correct supplies and equipment. Whether you want to construct garden structures, bridge gaps, or add layers of insulation, making foam concrete at home can be a useful and cost-effective solution. Let’s examine the procedures and methods used to produce this adaptable substance.

Step	Description
1. Materials Preparation	Gather cement, sand, water, and a foaming agent. Ensure all materials are of good quality for better foam concrete.
2. Mixing	In a large container, mix the cement and sand. Gradually add water while stirring until you get a smooth, lump-free mixture.
3. Foaming	Prepare the foaming agent according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Use a foam generator to produce foam.
4. Combining	Slowly add the foam to the cement mixture. Mix thoroughly to ensure even distribution of foam throughout the mixture.
5. Pouring	Pour the foam concrete into molds or forms. Tap the sides gently to release air bubbles and ensure a uniform fill.
6. Curing	Allow the foam concrete to set and cure. This can take several days. Keep the concrete moist to prevent cracks.

Making foam concrete at home can be an easy and affordable way to make a building material that is lightweight and versatile. In order to ensure that even novices can follow along and produce high-quality results for a variety of construction projects, this article breaks down the key steps and techniques required to comprehend and successfully carry out the manufacturing process.

Briefly about the features of the material, its advantages and disadvantages

Let’s take a quick look at foam blocks and see why they are so well-liked by prospective building owners before talking about how to make them at home.

Features, benefits, and drawbacks of blocks:

The lowest value that can be achieved is 0.07 W*mC, and the highest value, which can reach 0.4 W*mC, is dependent on the product density.

Structural heat-insulating materials are most frequently used in low-rise construction. Although it has a slightly lower thermal efficiency than the previous, it is denser.

Overview of the production process

Now that we have some familiarity with the material, it’s time to learn how to make the products ourselves.

Composition of foam concrete

The following are the essential ingredients for making foam concrete by hand:

• Cement;
• Water;
• Foaming agent;
• Various additives.

And now for more specifics:

• As a rule, cement of grade not lower than M400 is used as the main binder. However, in accordance with GOST, the role of a binder can also be performed by other materials, such as: ash, lime, mixed binders, slag.
• Sand is a siliceous component, usually quartz. In addition to it, industrial waste can be used.
• The foaming agent can be protein or synthetic. The most common use of the following: caustic soda, pine rosin, bone or hide glue, scrubber paste.

• If we talk about other specialized additives, then each manufacturer has their own. Plasticizers are used more often than others, with the help of which the plasticity of the solution increases.

• Fiber in the composition is able to increase the strength characteristics.

Be aware that the final outcome is influenced by the ratios of the ingredients and the presence of specific additives. For instance, increasing the proportion of cement in the composition is required to produce products with a higher density. The density value will also change with a higher grade. The products’ weight and thermal conductivity coefficient will both rise concurrently.

Sand with varying grain sizes can impact density in addition to cement. The material will be denser the higher it is.

Water is also subject to certain regulations. If the tap water does not meet GOST requirements in terms of acidity or other indicators, for example, the quality of the final product may suffer.

Required set of equipment

Foam blocks must be made at home with a specific set of tools. Although the equipment may differ, we will take into account the most popular choices.

• You can make the material yourself using a mobile unit. It consists of a mixer, a foam generator, and connecting hoses. Often the kit includes molds for blocks.

• You can make a foam generator yourself, for this you will need a diagram and instructions. Molds can also be built yourself, most often sheet metal or plywood is used for this.

• The minimum set is a set of a concrete mixer, molds, and the same foam generator. You can also purchase them separately.

• For larger production volumes, you can purchase a stationary set of equipment. It is more expensive, but with its help you can produce up to 50-60 m3 per day. Such lines are suitable for small entrepreneurs.

Kindly take note! Foam concrete can be made without the need for a foam generator. But to do this, a cavitation unit is needed. Here, all of the ingredients are combined at the same time, and the mixer’s excess pressure is used to supply the solution.

The operating principles of the equipment are explained in further detail in the video found in this article, "Foam concrete: self-production."

Stages of production

It is possible to produce foam concrete at home with a variety of technologies. Everything is dependent upon the kind of equipment chosen and the intended use of the final product. Let’s think about the general manufacturing techniques that are used.

• The classical method is most often used not only for self-production, but also for production in factories. The method is a separate preparation of foam, and then adding it to the general mixture of cement, water and sand mixed in a concrete mixer.
• Barotechnology involves simultaneous mixing of all components in a sealed mixer. The air is pumped using a compressor. After mixing, the solution is poured into molds by injection.
• The dry mineralization method involves mixing foam with dry components.

How can you create foam concrete by hand? The best technology to use is classical. It doesn’t require expensive equipment, for starters, and the technology is the most basic.

Let’s use a table to examine the phases.

Blocks of foam concrete: self-produced:

How to make foam concrete with your own hands: a list of steps	Short description
Preparatory work: preparing raw materials and measuring proportions.	Raw materials must meet all GOST requirements, in this case, the block will be of the highest quality.

The foam and solution are added to the concrete mixer when they’re ready.

Kindly take note! It is advised to lubricate the molds with a special compound or regular machine oil that has been diluted before pouring the solution. In this instance, removing the formwork afterwards will be considerably simpler.

The material must be shielded from moisture and external factors while being stored. Take a movie, for instance.

If a block layer is created using a mold, this layer must be cut into standard sizes prior to the formwork being removed. A cutting complex is utilized for this. Its application in the manufacture of handicrafts is a very uncommon occurrence, though.

The video below will walk you through every step of the production process if you still have questions about how foam concrete blocks are made independently.

Economic feasibility

Now that foam concrete has been created, it is appropriate to discuss the process’s viability from an economic standpoint.

Potential savings are contingent on multiple factors.

• The presence of skills in production;
• The equipment used and its cost;
• The number of defective products;
• The cost of raw materials and many others.

With the release of 80 m3, the savings will be as follows: 3,500-2,800 = 700 rubles; 700 * 80 = 56,000 rubles.This assumes that the average cost of 1 m3 of a block is roughly 3,500 rubles and the cost of self-made products is 2,800 rubles.

The equipment will cost 40,000 rubles, so the net savings will be 26,000 if that is taken into account.

How to calculate the required amount of foam block for a house?

There are multiple methods to determine how much foam block is needed. The two most popular ones are using specialized calculators and doing calculations on one’s own. A foam concrete calculator is readily available on the extensive worldwide network.

We will use the example of a building that is 11 * 15 meters in size and 3 meters high to discuss how calculations can be made without the latter.

This is how it appears:

• We calculate the perimeter: 11*2+15*2=52 meters;
• We calculate the area of ​​all walls excluding partitions: 52*3=156 m2;
• We will use a block measuring 625*250*300 and we will lay it on 300;
• We calculate the area of ​​the block: 0.625*0.3=0.1875 m2;
• We get the number of blocks in pieces: 156/0.1875=832;
• We convert to cubes: block volume=0.625*0.3*0.25=0.0375 m3; 1/0.0375=26.6 pieces of blocks in one cube; 832/26.6=31.28 m3 will be needed.

Experts suggest buying (manufacturing) products with a small reserve, so roughly 33–35 m3 of blocks will be required.

Making foam concrete at home may be a fun project that allows you to design strong, lightweight blocks for a range of building applications. For the best results, it is imperative to comprehend the fundamental procedures for combining the ingredients, adding the foam, and appropriately curing the blocks.

You can make sure that your foam concrete has the desired characteristics, like good insulation and soundproofing, by following the correct procedures. You can manufacture high-quality foam concrete that satisfies your building requirements with practice and careful attention to detail.

Making foam concrete at home not only saves money but also enables you to customize the material to the exact specifications of your project. Whether you’re doing DIY projects around the house, learning this method can help you build more than just walls and floors.

Video on the topic

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How to Open a Business in the Production of Foam Blocks./ How to Make Money?/I"ll Tell You How!

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