Making expanded clay concrete blocks with your own hands

With a few simple tools and materials, you can create your own expanded clay concrete blocks at home, which are a versatile and environmentally friendly building material. These blocks are perfect for a variety of construction projects because they combine the durability and strength of concrete with the light weight of expanded clay. Expanded clay concrete blocks can be an affordable and environmentally friendly option for building a shed, garden wall, or even a small house.

To make these blocks at home, you need to combine cement, water, and expanded clay aggregate into a workable concrete mixture. Once the mixture reaches the proper consistency, you can shape your blocks by pouring it into molds. You’ll have strong, lightweight blocks that are prepared for use in your projects after letting them cure.

Making your own expanded clay concrete blocks gives you a lot of control over the ingredients and final product. Unlike mass-produced blocks, which might not always offer the same level of consistency, you can make sure the blocks meet your unique needs and standards. Making them yourself also allows you to contribute to more sustainable building practices by saving money and reducing waste.

We’ll walk you through the process of creating expanded clay concrete blocks at home in the sections that follow. Everything will be covered, including assembling the required supplies and equipment, mixing the concrete, and curing the blocks. You can make excellent blocks that will help you in your building projects if you put in a little work and pay attention to detail.

Making expanded clay concrete blocks at home is a useful and fulfilling project that combines the satisfaction of do-it-yourself building with affordability. These sturdy, lightweight blocks are ideal for small structures and garden walls, among other building applications. You can mix, mold, and cure your own blocks with a few simple supplies and tools, saving money and tailoring them to your exact specifications. You can be sure that your homemade blocks are sturdy, dependable, and prepared for any project you have in mind by following this step-by-step guide.

Required materials and tools

You will need to gather specialized tools when constructing a structure using a lot of expanded clay concrete blocks, like if you decided to build your own house:

• a concrete mixer (it is better to take a container of at least 130 liters), depending on the company, its cost can be 9.5-12 thousand. rub.;
• manual machine for vibration pressing: it can be purchased at a hardware store for 7.5-10 thousand. rub. or order directly from the manufacturer; molds for pouring in such designs are already provided, so there is no need to buy or make them separately; if desired, it can be made by yourself from a metal tabletop and an old working engine.

Experience has shown that it is feasible to produce roughly 160 blocks in a full working day when team members are working together, provided they have the right tools and a sufficient number of molds. A manufacturing machine that is mechanical can produce one to four blocks in a cycle (one to two minutes). The number of finished products will increase by two times if you hire a few more helpers to help bring, fill in raw materials, and drag the finished products.

One can create a limited quantity of blocks without specialized tools. In this instance, all that’s required is choosing a container of the right size to mix the solution in and creating pouring molds.

Making molds

You can use multiple separate forms as well as general formwork to make the blocks yourself. The product tray (bottom) and two letter "L"-shaped side pieces are assembled to form the matrices. Plastic, metal, or a standard 20 mm board can be used to make them. The dimensions of a standard block are 39x19x19.

It is preferable to use metal corners to secure wooden forms and thin-walled metal to cover the interior. If not, they will take up moisture from the mixture, which could weaken subsequent goods. If you don’t have any metal, you can use machine oil to coat the container’s bottom and side walls. Additionally, it will shield the matrix from moisture.

In addition to saving mortar, the blocks’ voids provide air spaces for the walls to improve thermal conductivity. Three round or rectangular cylinders need to be inserted inside the molds in order to produce hollow products. They are attached to one another and then fastened with screws to the mold’s side sections to keep them from moving.

You can even use regular plastic bottles to make voids when making fewer blocks. It is preferable to fill them with water to make them heavier in these situations. Once the mold is two thirds full of solution, they must be put into it.

Our molds are prepared, then. Making the expanded clay concrete is the only thing left to do.

Preparing the solution

Mixing expanded clay concrete by hand is simple. A 1:3:8 mixture of cement, sand, and expanded clay is used to create a high-quality solution. Although the amount of water added also depends on the dry mixture’s initial moisture content, it is added at a rate of 200 liters per 1 m3. What we’ll need to make expanded clay concrete blocks is:

• expanded clay with a strength of P150-200: it is better not to use fractions larger than 5-10 mm, since the blocks will be shapeless, and their strength will be significantly lower;
• sand: to obtain high-quality products, use sand enriched with gravel, it is not recommended to use ordinary river sand;
• cement M400-500;
• water;
• plasticizers: ordinary liquid soap, washing powder or dishwashing detergent are often used as plasticizers, you will need 1% of the total amount of cement; for a 130 l concrete mixer, you can take about 70 g of soap; you can increase the plasticity of the solution not only with soap, but also by adding clay, lime or wood ash to it.

A high-quality homogeneous solution requires that the components be added to the mixture in a specific order in addition to paying attention to the proportions. The precise volume of water is measured first. Only after thoroughly combining expanded clay, sand, and cement is the resulting dry mixture added to the liquid. The prepared solution should have a consistency similar to that of softened plasticine.

Without a concrete mixer, how can expanded clay concrete be made? In this instance, you will need to put in a lot of effort and use a shovel to thoroughly mix the solution. You will need to dilute the solution in small amounts in this situation because lumps that aren’t mixed in can lower the quality of the finished goods. The answer is prepared. The final query is: how can expanded clay concrete blocks be made?

Manufacturing blocks

The presence of a vibrating machine is necessary for the production of large quantities of expanded clay because the material is light and will always float in the solution. If it isn’t present, each form needs to be pressed down until "cement milk" shows up using a thin wooden block. A hand rammer can be used to press solid products.

Utilizing a vibrating device makes the task much easier. The excess solution is removed after it has been poured into steel forms. After a few seconds, the engine is started to allow the solution to somewhat settle. After leveling the mixture and removing any excess, restart the vibrator for five to seven seconds. Switch off the device. You must turn the machine’s handle until it stops in order to remove the molds.

Watch the video to learn more about how to create sturdy expanded clay concrete blocks by hand.

Drying

The blocks will take roughly two days to dry in the mold. This time may extend during periods of rain and moisture. It is preferable to stack three to four completed expanded clay concrete blocks in a row on pallets for storage. Even drying of the final products will be facilitated by the air space between the pallets.

After the blocks have been removed from the mold, place them under a canopy to allow them to dry out and avoid exposure to sunlight and precipitation. They are wrapped in cellophane film and moistened with water during the summer. After one to one and a half weeks, you can begin working with them. But the best course of action would be to let them dry for a month, as only then will the cement fully develop its brand strength. The blocks need to be cleared of any irregularities before work can begin. Dried mortar drips can be removed using an ordinary knife.

Creating expanded clay concrete blocks at home is a rewarding and practical project. With just a few basic materials and tools, you can produce durable, lightweight blocks that are perfect for various construction needs. This process not only saves money but also allows for customization according to your specific requirements.

It’s important to start with a good mixture of sand, water, cement, and expanded clay. You can make sure that your blocks will have the strength and insulating qualities that make them so useful by precisely measuring and combining these ingredients. Because expanded clay is lightweight, it is easier to handle and install, which puts less stress on your structure.

Pouring the mixture into molds and letting it set properly are crucial steps after it is prepared. Being patient during this phase pays off because properly cured blocks offer increased longevity and performance. To prevent cracking or other damage, always remember to carefully remove the blocks from the molds.

In general, creating your own expanded clay concrete blocks at home can be a rewarding do-it-yourself task. It offers a fantastic chance to pick up new abilities and make a significant contribution to your construction projects. You can quickly obtain usable, high-quality blocks by putting in a little work and paying attention to details.

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