Making concrete columns with your own hands: preparation, pouring, dismantling

Essential structural components found in many construction projects are concrete columns. Learning how to make concrete columns yourself can be a satisfying and economical skill, whether you’re adding support to a porch, building a fence, or creating decorative features. Without using a contractor, you can still get professional results with careful planning and execution.

It’s crucial to gather all required tools and materials before you begin. Cement, sand, gravel, water, and reinforcing steel bars are required. A wheelbarrow, shovel, trowel, and formwork are basic tools used to shape the columns. Organizing and planning your workspace will guarantee a more efficient workflow and save time.

Pouring concrete columns entails properly vibrating the mixture to eliminate air bubbles, filling the formwork, and mixing the concrete to the proper consistency. The secret is to be patient and detail-oriented. Every stage of the process, from assembling the formwork to pouring and polishing, enhances the durability and aesthetic appeal of your columns.

The last step is to disassemble the formwork once the concrete has solidified. To prevent harming the recently constructed columns, this must be done carefully. You can have strong, beautiful concrete columns that improve the project’s structural integrity and visual appeal with a little work and cautious handling.

Purpose of concrete columns

The element assumes and shifts the weight from the structural components above it to the foundation. The floors are supported by reinforced concrete pillars that join the structure between the base and the ceiling surface. The pillar extends the building’s service life by greatly and allows for the implementation of any design concept for a variety of terraces, balconies, porches, and ceilings.

In this instance, the facade and interior are decorated by concreting the columns, if that makes any sense in terms of decorative design. They frequently have capitals, consoles, column bases, original patterns, stucco decorations, and different kinds of material processing.

Self-constructed concrete columns require meticulous planning, precise pouring, and appropriate disassembly. This tutorial will take you step-by-step through the entire process, from choosing the appropriate supplies and constructing stable forms to actually pouring the concrete and making sure it cures properly. You can build sturdy, long-lasting columns for any project with a little forethought and attention to detail, which will also help you save money and acquire useful construction skills.

Types and types

A concrete column’s shape can be either square, rectangular, or round, depending on the support’s cross-section.

In line with production technology:

1) Prefabricated concrete columns: made in a factory, delivered to the location, reasonably priced, easy to assemble, and quick to dry the solution.

2) On-site, monolithic columns that are poured into molds. Both the mixture’s flow and the quality of the solution’s application are controllable. However, the process of producing these structural elements is costly, time-consuming, and labor-intensive.

It is crucial to take into account the finished reinforced concrete product’s markings when selecting the type of column.

• T1 – for fixing concrete consoles installed perpendicular to the main columns.
• C1 – for the installation of lattice connections.
• L1 – for installation of flights of stairs with three flights.
• L – connect stairs with two flights.
• P – used in places where it is necessary to create a column for a beam (installed where there is a turn in the general frame).
• SS – a support with 2-4 edges for high-quality fastening of stiffening walls.
• S – for fastening various panels in contact with stiffening walls.
• T – concrete columns at the ends of buildings of enclosing panels.

Features of the device of monolithic columns

Prior to beginning the production of reinforced concrete supports, a level area must be prepared, tools and materials must be taken care of, everything must be marked and calculated, and all construction work must be completed. Concrete mortar has only two simple requirements: the mixture needs to be sufficiently strong and plastic.

The volume of the load acting on the element (accounting for the dead weight of the support), the local climate, the number of storeys of the building, and the object’s purpose all influence the form and section of concrete columns, the diameter of metal rods, and the grade of concrete.

Square supports are typically erected during the construction of a private building in order to support the weight of the floors and move it to the foundation.

Constructing monolithic columns

• Design of formwork
• Installation of a metal frame
• Pouring columns with concrete, ensuring normal conditions for its drying
• Dismantling the formwork after the concrete solution has completely dried and gained strength

Preparation of tools and materials

The following equipment must be ready in order to complete each step of the concrete column manufacturing process with high quality: vibrators, concrete mixer, wooden spacers, building level, hammer, concrete pump, and tape measure.

Materials: steel rod, anchors, screws, nails, wide planks, reinforced mesh or metal rods, cement, water, lime, and sand.

The concrete mixture is prepared using a recipe consisting of one part cement, two parts gravel, crushed stone, sand, and water (enough to create a homogenous plastic mixture), or it can be delivered to the site in dry form.

Installation of formwork

Formwork with the necessary internal dimensions is built on all four of the support’s sides. Plywood that resists moisture and boards are appropriate for the task. Panels are positioned vertically in accordance with the level and secured with wooden spacers, braces, or screws. To stop the braces from shifting, it is advised to bind them with support blocks in two directions. Right angles are checked for evenness using a corner.

Formwork is created and installed on three sides if a high concrete column is to be built; the fourth side is constructed while the solution is being poured.

Numerous manufacturers offer to purchase pre-made structures composed of metal, wood, and plastic. Metal ones typically ensure the proper geometry, can be quickly and easily assembled or disassembled, and are reusable. Wooden ones are constructed from boards and bars, but they can only be shaped into squares or rectangles. Plastic is used to make round shapes. Disposable ones can only have a cylindrical shape and are composed of cardboard.

Reinforcement

A 12-millimeter-diameter vertical reinforcement is used to install a concrete column. These are typically four or six rods that are situated at a square or rectangle’s corners. Make two-meter decking steps if the reinforcement is higher than three meters.

There are several methods for assembling the reinforcement frame. In the event that a square monolithic concrete column with low weight and volume is produced, the tilting method is used to manually assemble the frame into the future formwork form. If the weight is high, the rods are installed individually and knitted in place. The completed structure is mounted using a variety of boards and supports.

Metal knitting wire is used to fasten rods in a frame longer than two meters to one another at intervals of 20 to 40 centimeters. Reinforcement mesh should be used to strengthen capital letters.

Concreting

Sand, gravel, crushed stone, and cement grade at least M400 are typically used to make concrete for pouring on site. The monolithic wall and foundation pouring solution is not appropriate for this type of work. When building a private structure, concrete with mobility P2 would be a wise choice. However, P4 concrete is used when pouring a densely reinforced column (such as pillars for a plant).

There are various recipes; this is one more: one part cement, four parts crushed stone or gravel, and one part sand. It’s critical to keep an eye on the frame’s immobility and placement during the concreting process. The structure is strictly installed vertically and adjusted as needed.

The actual concreting is done in layers; each layer should be between thirty and fifty centimeters thick, and it is poured until the layer before it has hardened. The top of the formwork does not receive an additional 5-7 centimeters of mortar.

When pouring concrete, it’s important to keep an eye on the mixture’s ramming. This can be accomplished manually or with the use of a specialized vibrator. Air locks can be removed by hammering a metal rod into the mixture or tapping the formwork with a hammer. A 40–120 minute technological break is scheduled for shrinkage if the columns are longer than 5 meters.

Dismantling of formwork

Concrete strengthens over a period of 28 days at ideal temperature, give or take a few days depending on humidity and other environmental factors. In the summer, when the corners and side edges have already formed, columns typically stand for up to ten days. The formwork cannot be disassembled until then. It is not permitted to perform any work pertaining to the load on the column, its base, or adjacent portions of the structure during the 28-day concrete drying period.

How to make concrete columns with your own hands

Concrete columns can be made by hand, as long as all the necessary steps are taken, regulations are followed, and consideration is given to a variety of external factors (such as soil type, climatic features, object height, etc.) and high-quality materials. The most important thing is to accurately calculate the loads, plan ahead, and adhere to those calculations.

Although making concrete columns by hand can appear overwhelming, it is actually quite manageable if you prepare properly. Every stage of the process, from assembling the required supplies to preparing your workspace, is essential to the outcome. Never rush things and make sure everything is ready before you begin to pour.

The act of pouring itself calls for accuracy and patience. To prevent air pockets, make sure the concrete mix is ready and pour it slowly. For a smooth and even finish, tapping the formwork or using a vibrator can be helpful. As you proceed, it’s crucial to consistently verify that the columns are aligned.

Care must be taken when removing the formwork after the concrete has dried and set so as not to harm the newly installed columns. When removing the forms entirely, take your time and make sure the columns have had time to cure. Concrete columns that are robust and long-lasting can be made with steady hands and careful attention to detail.

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